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The menu at this newly opened Long Island market features 11 “signature sandwiches,” but it’s clear which one is the star attraction.
The “Outrageous Pastrami Sandwich” has been causing a stir on social media since the December debut of Huntington’s Five High Marketplace, whose owner, Ben Zelouf, shifted from working at a hedge fund to carving cuts of pastrami stacked high with mustard on rye.
Zelouf, 29, took the unlikely leap from working in finance in Texas to serving up a century-old family recipe that has some customers comparing Five High’s pastrami to what’s served in New York City’s acclaimed delis.
“I like to stack it right, just rye and mustard,” said Zelouf, who grew up in Great Neck. “I’m trying to save everybody a trip to Katz’s [Delicatessen] in the city.”
The $22.95 sandwich — 14 oz. of hand-carved pastrami stacked high and served with mustard on rye — is the product of hours of prep work that include brining the meat, rubbing in a spice mixture, smoking and boiling.
“In total, it takes over a day to make this — 16 to 18 hours,” Zelouf said. “It’s serious stuff.”
The creation has been earning high marks from sliced-meat aficionados whose online reviews tout Zelouf as the “pastrami king of Long Island.”
“This is a very bold statement, but my guy Ben at Five High Marketplace is making the best pastrami sandwiches there are on Long Island,” @longislanditalian raved in an Instagram video to nearly 200,000 followers.
“Please, this pastrami blows any pastrami I’ve ever had in my life out of the water,” Leanna Nicole, the online influencer known as @LaItalianPrincess, gushed after a single bite of the sandwich.
Zelouf called the buzz “extraordinary,” saying demand for the “Outrageous Pastrami” sandwich has been “crazy” just months after Five High Marketplace opened its doors.
The self-proclaimed lifelong foodie said his entry into the food business came about by chance.
“I saw an opportunity and said, ‘Hey, why not?’” he said.
Zelouf recalled how he was grabbing some food at Crossroads Marketplace — which previously operated at 5 High Street — when the then-owner overheard him and a friend talking about how they could improve the place.
“The owner said, ‘I want to leave, make me an offer,’” Zelouf said.
After buying and renovating the space, Zelouf’s initial thought that Huntington “could use a good deli” has morphed into a marketplace whose offerings include a sizable salad bar, nine types of juices, seven different smoothies, breakfast and yes, sandwiches.
“I have corned beef and fresh turkey, as well, so when you walk in, what you see right in front of you is the meat-carving station,” he said. “And you cannot get a better pastrami in New York State.”
Five High Marketplace is open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., except on Friday and Saturday, when it stays open until 1 a.m. to draw patrons of the village’s nightlife.
“We want to give people the option to have something late at night other than pizza,” Zelouf said.
Months into his shift away from finance, the newly minted sandwich-slinger is enjoying his new line of work and being back home full-time on Long Island.
“I really enjoy what I do and the team here is outstanding and phenomenal,” he said. “I like food, I like making people happy, I like being a more integral part of the community and getting people together.
“And it beats commuting to Austin.”
Five High Marketplace is located at 5 High Street in Huntington.
Photo: Five High Marketplace on Instagram
