Gave colloquium at Michigan yesterday and stopped at Zingerman’s at the way out of town to pick up some supplies I can’t get in Madison: belly lox, pastrami, and tongue.
Zingerman’s is, of course, nationally famous as a deli outpost in the vast pastramiless reach of the Upper Midwest. (Is there even a deli in Chicago that’s as famous?) And the food there is indeed pretty great. But here’s my Midwestern deli heresy: I think the meat at non-nationally-famous Katzinger’s, in Columbus, Ohio, is better.
Quomodocumque 
And yes, I know some people don’t consider Ohio part of the Midwest. Geographically there is some justice to this view. But when you’re an Eastern Seaboard Jew looking for pastrami, trust me, it’s the Midwest.
You’ve complained before about Midwestern pastrami. I think you need to explain what is wrong with it. Is it the texture, the flavor, the aroma, or all of these? The belly lox looks appetizing, but I’m not sure about tongue. My father ate pig’s feet, and I didn’t think that looked appealing either.
Just doesn’t taste like pastrami, simple as that.
You need to go to Montreal and get some smoked meat. Everything else is just commentary.
We have tongue out here in SoCal, but it’s called lengua and comes with onions and cilantro. Yum.