“Late writer Nora Ephron once described Langer’s No. 19 special as “the finest hot pastrami sandwich in the world.” It includes tender, hand-sliced pastrami, coleslaw, Russian dressing, and Swiss cheese wedged between warm, crunchy rye bread. The result is a sandwich that’s smoky, tangy, crispy, and soft all at once. Langer’s has sold more than seven million pounds of pastrami since Al Langer opened the deli in 1947. What makes the meat so special is its preparation: Langer’s sources its meat from a deli in Burbank; the cured beef is then steamed for nearly three hours at Langer’s, ensuring the tenderness needed to slice it by hand. Much of Langer’s interior remains the same as it did when it opened in Westlake: The vinyl brown booths and padded black bar stools still seat both residents and tourists who travel to get a taste of the famed sandwich. Following Langer’s death in 2007, his son Norm Langer has been leading the family business.”
