Brined brisket packs flavorful sandwiches

Louis Cataland isn’t one to do things halfway.

When he opened Cataland Kuzina almost five years ago in Westerville, he had decided to make corned beef and pastrami from scratch.

“I just got tired of the run-of-the mill corned beef and pastrami that comes in packages,” he said.

For the corned beef, he brines heavily marbled St. Helen’s beef from 21 to 40 days. Half of the beef is removed and rinsed and seasonings are added before the meat is hot-smoked at 600 to 700 degrees.

Both Reuben and pastrami sandwiches ($9.50 each) come with a choice of potato salad, pasta salad or coleslaw.

Why not have both? With the Woody Allen Reuben ($9.50), customers can get half corned beef and half pastrami.

The prime-rib sandwich ($9.50) is cooked rare to medium rare, shaved into thin slices and placed on bread with lettuce, tomato, onion, banana peppers and mayo.

Those with the largest of appetites can opt for the 14to 18-ounce Kuzina burger ($11), a mix of ground filet mignon and prime rib. Some people get the burger topped with a quarter pound of pastrami for an extra $3.50.

Certainly, Cataland Where: 6457 Hamilton Road Hours: noon to 7 p.m. Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and noon to 7 p.m. Sundays Contact: 614-855-7476, www. catalandkuzina.com

Kuzina is a meat-lover’s paradise, but other options are found on the menu.

Starting at 4 p.m. on Thursdays, Cataland brings in fresh fish from American waters — including grouper, mahi-mahi, swordfish, walleye, cod and haddock.

Around June, softshell blue crab show up on the menu.

All seafood dishes are $12 each and come with a choice of a side: dirty rice, fries, collard greens, and lobster mac and cheese, to name a few.

Of the house-made pizzas, the Kuzina supreme (14-inch $18.50) is the crowd favorite, topped with pepperoni, sausage, onion, green pepper and mushrooms.

Cataland Kuzina might seem to be the last place where customers are urged to say “bite me,” but those who repeat the phrase get one free cheesecake bite (otherwise, they cost $1 each) that are topped with a mascarpone whipped cream.