SeriousEats.com: Sorry, New York

Somehow we missed this fantastic article about Los Angeles pastrami by Katherine Spiers of KCET on Serious Eats, but it’s worth a quick mention right now – click through and check it out, very nice words for Wexler’s Deli (which was still newish at the time), plus high praise for yours truly – which we greatly appreciate.

At Langer’s, the double-baked rye bread is just as famous as the pastrami, another leg up on the universally lifeless and spongy rye you’ll get at every deli in New York (even Katz’s).

But Langer’s will probably never lose its spot as the number-one purveyor of pastrami sandwiches in the city. Deli expert David Sax calls Langer’s “the pinnacle of pastrami sandwiches in the US,” due especially to the bread. “Langer’s bread is warm, thickly cut, double baked rye, which has a sturdier crust, better aroma, and stands up to the sandwich a hell of a lot better than the pre-sliced thin rye Katz’s uses, which often tears under the strain of all that meat and mustard.” Critic Jonathan Gold calls Langer’s pastrami “better than anything I’ve ever had in New York.”

Click here to read the complete article. Thank you, Katherine and Serious Eats! – The Langers

Serious Eats: 25 Touristy Spots in America That Are Actually Good

Ed Levine’s nationally recognized food blog SeriousEats.com has created a new slideshow documenting “25 Touristy Spots in America That Are Actually Good.” The selections come from all types of restaurant categories – from hot dogs to steak houses – and Langer’s Delicatessen-Restaurant is honored to be part of Ed’s list:

The pastrami from James Beard Award-winning Langer’s Deli may well be the best pastrami sandwich you ever eat. But that depends, of course, on if you have diehard East Coast Pastrami loyalties. The meat is thick cut, juicy, and has just the right amount of fat. Compared to the legendary Katz’s in NYC, the meat is spicier and a bit more peppery. It’s served on very flavorful rye bread that’s double-baked to ensure crispiness and that special chew.

Click here to view our selection page and make sure you click through all 25 selections – it’ll make you hungry and want to travel, all at once!

Thank you, Ed and SeriousEats.com team! – The Langers

Serious Eats New York: The Great Pastrami Taste-Off: Katz’s in New York vs. Langer’s in Los Angeles

Famed food columnist and reviewer Ed Levine has published part 1 of his two-part “Great Pastrami Taste-Off” pitting Katz’s of New York and Langer’s of Los Angeles. Who will win this incredibly important showdown?! Read on for the introduction:

Ever since I wrote my pastrami story for the New York Times a few years ago, I’ve wanted to conduct a taste test between Katz’s Delicatessen in New York and Langer’s Delicatessen in Los Angeles. Why? Many reasons, actually. I never tasted them side by side for that story. Nora Ephron opined on the record in the New Yorker that Langer’s served the best pastrami sandwich in America. Jonathan Gold stated categorically that Los Angeles has a far superior deli culture to New York’s. David Sax said the same thing in his book, Save the Deli.

So aiming to settle this East Coast vs. West Coast rap-style pastrami controversy, we decided to conduct a definitive pastrami taste test. And we invited the Los Angeles apologist herself, Nora Ephron, to participate. She graciously accepted, in record time.

Who wins part one? Click here to read the article and find out!

Photo credit: Carey Jones / SeriousEats.com

SeriousEats.com: Is Los Angeles the Best Jewish Deli Town?

SeriousEats.com poses the very serious question, “Is Los Angeles the Best Jewish Deli Town?” and gets lots of positive response from this potentially catastrophic query. It’s all part of ongoing coverage of David Sax’s new book, “Save The Deli,” which comes out this fall and will be available from Langer’s on our Merchandise page. Here’s a quick quote from the piece:

Sax’s favorite Los Angeles delis include: Nate ‘n Als, Arts, Canters, Brents, Greenblatt’s, Factors, Juniors, and Langers, as JewishJournal.com points out. So, are you throwing a pickle at the screen in rage? Or do you agree?

Definitely click here to check out the terrific range of responses from SeriousEats.com’s visitors.