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Sand wedges vs. open-face club sandwiches

Eben Harrell

Golf is not a good activity for those trying to stay slim. For me, the more I golf the fatter I get.The explanation is simple: For some inexplicable reason, walking a round of golf makes you hungrier than walking the Bataan death march. But unlike that little stroll in the Philippines, you don’t actually burn any calories sauntering on the links.Also, 19th hole eateries almost always offer a haven for golfers ready to gorge themselves, eager to trade in sand wedges for sandwiches.Not helping matters for Aspen’s golfers is that, mercilessly, Shlomo Ben Hamoo has decided to set up On the Green, a new restaurant overlooking Aspen’s 18th hole.Shlomo, who ran a beloved delicatessen at the base of Aspen Mountain for years, owes his culinary heritage to New York-style delis. These delis, in turn, owe their heritage to an immigrant-in-the-new-world culture of, “We starved in the old country, so here let us make dripping, salt-beef sandwiches the size of shtetls.”Schlomo has reined in some of the size but none of the succulence of these deli sandwiches. Among a half dozen offerings, the prize is Shlomo’s reuben, a combination of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing in between two toasted rye slices (buttered, as if more fat was needed).Reubens are a favorite in my family – my cousin is named after them (no joke) – so I consider myself a bit of an expert on the subject.At On the Green, like almost anything at Schlomo’s, the reuben is tender, delicious and infuriatingly fattening.Shlomo says he is making an effort to offer healthier options – there are a half dozen salads on the menu – but what golfer has the restraint, particularly after a round of golf?Eben Harrell’s e-mail address is eharrell@aspentimes.com