I used to have to spend 2 weeks/quarter in Redwood Shores for work and the pastrami at The Refuge was one of my consolation prizes – there were others to be sure but that was definitely one I looked forward to!
2 Likes
A local update, the good, the bad and the ugly…
2 of the city’s better pastramis are now MIA.
The venerable Greenblatts where F Scott Fitzgerald had his last meal (a hershey bar apparently) is now closed. Its pastrami was sourced from the same spot that sells to Langer’s.
I liked their recipe better than the Langer’s one personally (you can see RC’s has different pastrami products and custom makes stuff). Maybe a touch sweeter and also a touch fattier/oilier, and more thinly sliced, all like Carnegie used to be (don’t get me started on that loss). But it is sorta interesting that Langer’s gets so much glory when all they do is steam and slice the meat they buy elsewhere. Anyways, good is good I suppose. My attempts to penetrate the walls of RC have not proven successful!
Ugly Drum is also on hiatus. This spot had the love child of smoked BBQ brisket and pastrami and sold burnt ends as well. That joint is really missed. It was at Bludsoes for a while and other weekend locations. I hope they return. Talk about a pop-up! It’s also on hiatus on goldbelly…
Now, in the good news department Trisha Langer opened up Daughter’s Deli on Sunset several years ago. Personally I like the location and atmosphere there better than Langers with the breezy outside patio and tables looking out over the pulse of Sunset. The menu is much more limited, but the pastrami is the same, exactly the same. So is the rye. (so far as this eater can tell)
It’s not like I’m one to order anything besides pastrami when I’m at Langer’s anyways.
Finally, new horizons of pastrami…
I haven’t been to Johnny’s since it made the change from thinly sliced burger stand kinda pastrami - ie the hat, etc - to the “serious gourmet shit” as Jules might say. But I hear good things…
So long as we’re on the subject–
an honorable mention is Nate n Al’s. Decent. I don’t skip the smoked sable there tho.
another honorable mention is Jeff’s. https://www.jeffsgourmet.com/
another honorable mention: Wexler’s. https://wexlersdeli.com/ Like Nate n Al’s, I’m more inclined to go the smoked fish route when I’m there. Not a fan of their bread, the bagels i like
a less than honorable mention: Factor’s, C-level stuff, $$$$$.
dishonorable discharge: Cantor’s. If it’s 4 am and you’ve really had too much to drink, even more reason not to go.
7 Likes
We were all eyes learning of Jeff’s. The last time at Greenblatt’s we were offered a taste of brisket that the counterman said was cooked there, so we ordered it with a couple glasses of good wine. As for Carnegie, didn’t The Stage come West too, landing in Century City?
2 Likes
It’s been decades since the Stage deli came and went. I don’t recall it being particularly good.
Yes Greenblatt’s had a great wine shop and deals and could have them with your food at low price. Beers too. I hope some enterprising deli-person finds away to breath life back into that spot. Fond memories of their juicy brisket and even fonder memories for the rest of my family of their matzoh ball soup which easily surpassed the rest of the city’s. Finally, this gem is not to be found anywhere else that I know about, roasted sliced dark meat turkey…
not for the purists, but for the real fressers…pastrami, dark meat turkey, hard salami and swiss on challah…
and here’s a close up the dearly departed greenblatt’s pastrami (yes we’d get it cold and then heat up gently at home so it didn’t lose all it’s juice in the deli paper).
4 Likes
We were maybe a bit early for an appointment in Century City, and were astonished, flabbergasted, bowled over . . . when the receptionist asked: “Would you like anything from The Stage while you’re waiting?” Didn’t have the presence of mind or manners to answer: "Well. if Mr. So-and-so has just put in a request, we wouldn’t care for him to eat alone . . . "
2 Likes
Beats coffee!
I’ve never been a huge fan of Stage, and I’m even less a fan of Katz – I mean they’re not terrible by any stretch – but Katz to me always been dry on dry bread.
The main dearly departed in the pastrami world for me is Carnegie…this woody allen (add corned beef) was epic. And the meat not too salty, not too sweet, and def not too little…if you have to have swiss cheese why not have more swiss than katz even uses pastrami on their sandwich…
6 Likes
Any love for Tommy’s Joynt these days? Memories…
1 Like
When we stayed in Midtown instead of Wall Street, our hotel was a two minute walk from Carnegie (and The Stage). Katz was on the Lower East Side trifecta circuit that included Russ & Daughters and Ratner’s.
2 Likes
Nice work.
There are some other spots that I’ve checked out in NYC over the years, Pastrami Queen, Sarge’s, 2nd Ave deli…not really impressed - folks love the pastrami queen (i think so-so) - maybe i just have some overly rosy memories of Carnegie, but I was a loyal customer and really did enjoy it there.
Odessa not there anymore, but there are still a handful of good pirogie/borsht/latke kinda places around tomkins sq park that i tend to enjoy in addition to russ and daughters.
Langer’s has been among the best pastrami out there decades before they became the hype machine they seem to be today. IMHO, what’s important is that after all that it is still great (albeit overpriced), which I think is impressive. I am pretty sure you’d join me in my observations of things that really went down the tubes after marketing hype hit their business.
Plus I don’t really care where they source it, as long as it lives up to the hype. BTW, this doesn’t look “bought elsewhere and steamed” to me… it looks delicious.
4 Likes
I agree. And Langer’s really has the best rye too, extra crispy crust if you dine in there…and they got the rye from somewhere too, but good is good!
Number one on the hype machine is Katz’s if you ask me. But who doesn’t love Meg Ryan?
But, and this is a big one, don’t sleep on their garlic knoblewurst!
3 Likes
We were told, though we’ve never gone there to ask, Langer’s uses bread from:
Our friends shop here and so have we:
1 Like
Oh man I haven’t been there in 15 years.
I have not been back to Tommy’s in a few years since the pandemic. I’ll have to hit it up in a few weeks.
Pastrami dip, turkey legs, cheap drinks, pickled eggs, quality establishment !
2 Likes
Now we remember that a lot of delis (including Brent’s, whose praises our friends sing) rely on RC Provision for pastrami. (Carnegie reportedly made its own.)
1 Like
And just a few doors down, The Stage served “The Dolly Parton” that could make one forget about Woody Allen.
1 Like
Great atmosphere and culture in both those delis ! Glory days !
I like Brent’s too ! They have the signature “black pastrami reuben.” The black is presumably named after the black peppered outside of the pastrami (?). If you ever or always find yourself in Northridge or the valley this spot is very solid and old school.
5 Likes
Oki’s Dog on Pico has the super light pastrami burrito. Pastrami chili cabbage fried onions chilis pickles cheese.
8 Likes
Pretty sure I posted a tutorial on how to turn a prepared corned beef into pastrami
Basically desalinate a prepared corned beef, coat in mustard and pack on pastrami spices then smoke it and I like to finish it over steam finish it over steam
1 Like
I agree!! Best Matzo Ball/Chicken Vegetable Soup I’ve ever eaten, bar none. Also loved the brisket. I also regularly got their chopped liver and discounted loaves of rye bread, and it never lasted long.
RIP, Greenblatt’s! 
1 Like
