A Sandwich Bully Eyewitness Investigative Team Special Report: Is It Still Worth It To Go To Cecil’s?

Good Guy Ron says it’s best place in town. The Stately and Revered Gentleman Christopher Caesar calls it the truth. One of my exes calls it that place in Saint Paul where I get my sandwiches. And Kafe Nasty talks so much shit to me, you’d think he’s not only under the impression that I’ve never been there but that he’s also had the entire menu.
But me? I think I’m over it. And that’s not just the medication-induced depression I’ve been fighting with lately.
That sandwich up there is a regular (¼lb) pastrami on toasted caraway rye with a side of potato salad and a dill gherkin. How exciting does that sound? Does that sound like something you bike forty five minutes for? Especially after you learn that they don’t smoke or cure their own meats. It’s all shipped in. It’s essentially the same thing as the deli counter at the supermarket.
They bake their own bread, they make their own soups, but I’m not going there for those. I’m going there for a pastrami or a Reuben and I can get those in Minneapolis from a place that has its meat shipped in. I beg the question: What exactly is the draw for me to go to Saint Paul?
Further, every time I go there, I’m reminded of the lllooonnnggg wait time. This sandwich was literally just one meat on one bread. I had to put my own mustard on. So why did I have to wait fifteen minutes? Especially when I looked around and realized I was the only to-go order. I know this part sounds like a petty complaint but, for real, four ounces of pastrami on toasted bread takes fifteen minutes? I know that the kitchen has other orders to take care of first but fifteen minutes to put meat on bread? I feel like I’m making a petty complaint.
But I have to bike forty five minutes to get there, wait fifteen minutes for my order, and it’s just meat shipped in from Chicago. It’s not special, so is it worth the trip?
Closer to me, in my town, I have Kramarczuk’s, fifteen minutes or so from my apartment. They make everything in house. I’ve never had to wait longer than five six minutes for sandwiches that (good god) included condiments. When I can have that, why would I make the trip for something I could just - sorry about this - pick up from the Cub? Which, by the way, is ten minutes from my apartment.
As far as an assessment of the sandwiches, I think Cecil’s and I are due for a break, at least as far as unrestrained praise goes. They have a much broader menu that I’ll have to explore deeper some time but as far as the sandwiches are concerned, eh, I can get the same or better closer.