Today, I’m going to turn all of you on to Langer’s Delicatessen. It’s home to the best pastrami sandwich in the country. I know, that’s a bold statement, but it's the truth. This is an absolutely delicious sandwich. It’s so good, that it's my deathbed meal before I check out to that big hot yoga studio and juice bar in the sky. In the meantime though, let me break this baby down for you. The most notable sandwich on the menu at Langer’s Deli is the #19 - a hot pastrami on rye with Russian dressing, coleslaw and Swiss cheese. I prefer the #1 which is the same thing but without the Swiss cheese. The rye bread is made at a local kosher bakery and is doubled baked at Langer’s which makes it crispy on the outside and warm and soft on the inside. This results in the bread hugging the contents of the sandwich. The crust crackles in your mouth as you bite into the sandwich and the bread is thick enough to support all the ingredients. There is no soaking through, breaking apart, etc…. going on here with this rye.
The pastrami is tender, well seasoned and cooked to perfection. As you eat this sandwich, you experience Umami, that pleasant savory taste of joy as all those spices and tastes bounce around the inside of your mouth. Who’s responsible for this, none other than the Langer’s patriarch, the late Al Langer who developed his own pastrami recipe and cooking technique over 70 years ago, which is still used today. The sandwich is not over stacked with too much pastrami like you see in NYC delis, but instead is constructed with a well balanced portion of meat. I slather my sandwich with Golden’s spicy mustard and eat it by itself. I don’t do side dishes except for the customary pickle that is provided because this sandwich is a meal in itself.
I utilize an eating technique of downing half of the sandwich with the cole slaw on top so it goes from bread, dressing, mustard, slaw and then meat. The second half of the sandwich, I flip over so I’m eating bread first followed by the pastrami. I do enjoy going to Langer's Deli with friends and family but I truly enjoy going by myself, sitting at the counter and eating this sandwich solo, while I watch the staff prepare meals for customers. These guys are true professionals.
As I get older, I find myself slowing down and savoring what I’m experiencing in the moment, such as this sandwich, which is prepared to perfection. I’m sure many of you experience things similar in your own way. If you visit the City of Angels or live here, I hope you will add Langer’s Delicatessen to your culinary meat list. For more information, check out Langer’s online at https://www.langersdeli.com.
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