Review: Schlotzsky's - Windy City Pastrami & Swiss Sandwich

Schlotzsky’s Deli’s Windy City Pastrami & Swiss features sliced pastrami and melted Swiss cheese with Dijon mustard and signature dressing served on an oven-baked Dark Rye bun.

I got the medium (8") for $7.20 courtesy of a gift card from the company.

The Windy City Pastrami & Swiss is one of three “Route 66 Sandwiches” that returned to  Schlotzsky’s this summer and is inspired by Chicago. At the center of the “Windy City” is, of course, the pastrami. Schlotzsky’s pastrami was juicy and flavorful with a light smokiness. On top of that, they gave me enough that there was no question as to what was the star of the sandwich.

The Swiss cheese was a surprisingly strong ingredient. I’m not usually a fan of Swiss and feel it often doesn’t provide much (albeit that’s probably due to the cheese quality rather than Swiss in general). But melted onto the pastrami, it provided a warm, almost gooey consistency throughout.

The Dijon mustard was tangy and a little bit spicy. It was also used pretty liberally. Schlotzsky’s signature dressing was hardly noticeable under it but every once in a while I got a bite that had more of a lightly-sweet, vinegary taste, which I imagine came from the dressing.

The Dark Rye bun didn’t seem too different from Schlotzsky’s usual sourdough bread. It was spongy but solid. If anything, the taste was just a bit more grainy than the sourdough.

Overall, I enjoyed Schlotzsky’s Windy City Pastrami & Swiss. The main ingredients worked well together and the supporting cast contributed positively. I’ve never been to Chicago and associate pastrami more with New York, but if this is the combo I can expect, I’ll definitely be picking one up if I ever find myself there.

Nutritional Info not available online.

By Darius.