Best pastrami isn’t even from brisket - it’s from the “navel” cut - sadly, I know of no place local to procure it. Fat is key. “Pastrami” from round isn’t pastrami IMO!!
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There was a legendary restaurant in Gaithersburg called Roy’s Place; the menu had well over 100 different sandwiches. A co-conspirator and I used to cut a law school that met at lunchtime and drive there for lunch. One of the sandwiches was called IIRC the Maharishi- and involved some kind of curry sauce and knockwurst. It was delicious.
Oh, and I got an A in the class we always cut, so … whatever
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Well, now you’re getting too aficionado ! That said, we agree: “pastrami” from round is a belly flop.
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I picked up a half pound of pastrami at the local hippie place today. The owner/smokemaster asked which end I wanted. Fat is flavor! I said. That must have been the right answer, because I weighed it at home and it was 10 ounces for the half-pound price.
This New Yorker was startled to see mayo as standard on hamburgers in California, but I’m used to it now.
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Does he have a business name?
My friend who loves pastrami is on a cruise right now and she’s docking back in SF soon.
It’s Delirama in Berkeley, started as a pop-up, now a restaurant with seating and an additional branch coming to Oakland.
In San Francisco proper, there’s Wise Sons, with several locations around town.
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Moi, aficionado 
. When my mom died , a NYC friend of mine went to the (late) Carnegie Deli, got a pastrami sandwich to go, got on Amtrak, and brought it to my dad in Baltimore. Yeah, he did that.
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Good on your friend for going right instead of left – if we remember correctly, Carnegie was a few steps uptown from Stage and more important, made its own pastrami. We always ended up at Carnegie, except for one time when our liberal-minded (as in old-school academic approach) friends said, let’s be open-minded about deli and sandwiches . . . life of the mind and no one gets hurt . . . Stage was fine, but converted no one . . .
As for deli delivery service from NYC, in a tiny (really very tiny) circle, we’re known for a personally executed coast-to-coast delivery of Second Avenue Deli gefilte fish, complete with carrot slices, of course and pre-9/11 of course.
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oh, that’s so sweet.
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Fries or salad included, the LES is a square deal:
Is their pastrami properly fatty, though?
My experience with slaw on sandwiches isn’t good. The bread gets soggy quickly.
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Yeah, I remember going to the Stage with my dad. It was a few blocks south on 7th Ave, IIRC. With the Max caricature throughout.
You know what? Put whatever the hell you want on your burger or hot dog. I will try to adhere to geographic norms, but will be polite and not notice what you put on your burger or hot dog.
Steaks are a different story, however.
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Yes! A good well done ribeye just begs for HP! (spoken in jest)
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Just last night we discovered another use for mayo: korokke. They were typical ground beef, potato, and onion korokke, and the traditional family accompaniment has always been shoyu. Since I had a bottle of (homemade) tonkatsu sauce, I got that out and put it on the table as well, especially since Bulldog is commonly used in Japanese restaurants on korokke. While we (Mrs. ricepad, Spawn2, SIL, and I) debated the merits of shoyu vs tonkatsu sauce, either Spawn2 or SIL (I forget which) mentioned Kewpie might work, too, either alone or in concert. SIL reasoned that Kewpie and tonkatsu sauce play well together on okonomiyaki, so why not on korokke? After testing and tasting, SIL preferred all three, Mrs. ricepad stuck with shoyu, and I liked tonkatsu/Kewpie in roughly equal proportions. Gonna have to get another bottle of Kewpie.
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I like a little HP on my plate with my perfect ribeye.
Who else likes pear salad? Canned pear halves with a dollop of mayo, some shredded Cheddar cheese, and a maraschino cherry. Served on iceberg lettuce.
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that’s some culinary dissonance right there 
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How mid-century of you 
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