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Hot Pastrami Reuben at Langer's Deli, LA

hot pastrami reuben at langer's deli, los angeles

I am doing a beef sandwich study in Los Angeles, which was basically motivated by the Italian Beef I had at Mr. Beef in Chicago. Now I know I'm not going to get the same Italian beef with giardiniera here in LA, but there are still a few places that are well-known for other types of beefy sandwiches - French dip, corned beef, and pastrami.

In the WWF (World Wide Food) Smackdown between Mr. Beef and the French Dip at Philippe's in Los Angeles, the Italian Beef won. Now I am moving on to pastrami because truth be told, I used to eat hot pastrami sandwiches all the time when I was little and my Mom would ask me to sit quietly reading in the clubhouse deli while she played tennis with her friends.

Langer's Deli is in a sketchy part of LA, which probably explains why they don't stay open past 4:00 PM. The interior looks just like an old-school diner, but in 1980s Denny's colors - brown, yellow, and orange. I didn't see a hot pastrami Reuben on the menu, so I asked them to add Swiss cheese and sauerkraut to their standard hot pastrami, with a side of Russian dressing. The sandwich was a little more than $10.

The sandwich was pretty thick, but it wasn't necessarily stacked high from the pastrami. They put a lot of sauerkraut, and though I love me a sour pickled cabbage (uh, hello? kimchee?), the amount of kraut was a little overwhelming. The pastrami was good, but much fattier than I am used to, and I'm not afraid of fatty pastrami. Overall, the sandwich was fine, but I doubt I'd risk my sanity by going back (I didn't feel very safe walking fromthe parking lot to the restaurant).

Next on the roll call: Johnnie's Pastrami (Culver City), and The Hat (San Gabriel Valley).

Langer's Deli
704 S. Alvarado Street (@ 7th)
Los Angeles, CA 90057
(213) 483-8050

Filed Under: Raves & Reviews, Ingredients, Chefs & Restaurants, Restaurants
Tags: beef, la dining, la restaurants, los angeles dining, los angeles restaurants, LosAngelesDining, lunch, pastrami, reuben, west coast

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

Tony

1-27-2006 @11:40AM Tony said... yep, it looks like there's too much kraut on that thing. There should be more pastrami (or corned beef but NEVER turkey) than kraut for a proper Reuben.
Reply

Bob

1-27-2006 @12:50PM Bob said... The menu at Langers is extensive. Maybe that is why you didn't see the pastrami sandwich, something I have eaten there and loved. Langers goes way back and is still the best bet in that part of town. It is a favorite of the lunch crowd and has a big delivery business. True, that area of town is a bit dicey.
Reply

Susie

1-27-2006 @2:09PM Susie said... There aren't too many reasons to visit Cleveland, especially at this time of year, but I'd match our deli's to any city west of New York. Pastrami? Try Corky & Lenny's or for one so thick you'll need your jaw rewired, Slyman's!
Reply

Chef B

1-27-2006 @5:18PM Chef B said... The Chicago Deli in Solon OH (outside of Cleveland) has the best I have ever eaten. I try to go there every time we visit the in-laws. Would like to try C&L or S next time.
Reply

Pat Perez

1-28-2006 @1:47PM Pat Perez said... My absolute two favorite sandwiches in the LA area both come from the same place, Philadelphia Sandwich. I go to the one on Magnolia, between Lankershim and Vineland in North Hollywood.

Their cheesesteak is wonderful. Grilled meat, cooked in their onion sauce (they reduce the onions in 50 pound lots). The standard sandwich will come with just the meat and cheese. They offer it with peppers or mushrooms as well. The default cheese is American. I've always thought Provolone is the proper one for a cheesesteak sandwich, and they offer it for no charge. I don't know why, but the American tastes better.

The other great sandwich they offer is the Traditional Italian Sub. Again, they are making a basic sandwich in the traditional way, but something happens when they put it together. The sandwich is made with shredded iceberg, standard meats and cheeses, and onion and tomato slices. I think it is their dressing that elevates it to greatness. Not too oily, and the ground pepper leaves a bite.
Reply

spline9

1-28-2006 @6:24PM spline9 said... The Hat rocks. I am lucky enough to have one close to me.
Of the sandwiches, the pastrami dip is the one to go with, the others are kinda blah. Although the chili burgers, chili dogs, ENORMOUS SIZED chili fries as well as wet fries are great. I cant emphasize enough how big the chili fries are. Challenging a single person to finish an order could result in injuries.
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6 Comments / 1 Pages

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