Pastrami, Glorious Pastrami

Wexler’s is reportedly opening up a location at the Century City Mall!

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New list!

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Hambone’s should be in the mix.

Not traditional Jewish pastrami sandwich, but BBQ style. Smoked and then grilled on a flat-top. Good eating. Better than Bigmista’s version.

Take it for what it’s worth, cuz really, I think pastrami is kind of disgusting. Actually, really disgusting.

I have the utmost respect for you - but what do you find about pastrami disgusting? Its cured, smoked beef. How is that disgusting? I have a hard time with offal - despite my love for French food, and I shy away from pig’s ears, chicken feet (except for stock), and the like but pastrami? Enlightenment please!

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At someplace like The Hat I could understand the “disgusting” thing… maybe. But Langers, Wexlers’s, Art’s ???

Grilled on a flat-top? Hard to believe that’s better than Bigmista’s.

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It’s really just a personal thing. Not really here to try to argue, much less dissuade anyone, as to why I think pastrami is sort of off-putting. But generally, I just don’t like brined beef – because all that curing and brining and the beef ends up tasting, well, not like beef. And pastrami for me is just too fatty a cut. But even lean pastrami is still sort of nasty proposition.

Again, I know, it’s a me problem.

I randomly had a gift card to this place and decided to actually use it because of this post.

I guess this really would be a pastrami sandwich for someone who doesn’t much care for pastrami, haha. I do like that they cook a generous amount of peperoncinis with the pastrami on the grill, but it’s insane that they market it as “the king of pastramis” when this doesn’t even get up to the levels of The Hat. The bread is toasted well, but right down the street at John’s Philly Grille in HB you can get a more generous amount of slightly better (but similar style) pastrami with way better bread from DiSimone’s bakery for about half the price…

They do a pretty good mac n cheese, though.

I got some loaded brisket fries to go. Super generous for $9.50, but the brisket is 3rd rate…super dry, more like pot roast than typical BBQ brisket, although the bark wasn’t horrible. Their spicy sauce actually has a decent kick to it, though. They should also consider using some other type of cheese… and there were no grilled onions, just like a handful of raw ones tossed into the mix. Sort of bizarre.

It’s unfortunate because the staff running the place (HB location) are absurdly nice, welcoming, accommodating people… so cool that they made me sincerely wish they served food worthy of them.

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Wood Tavern, Oakland, CA.

Not thick sliced but massive pile of moist salty goodness. Nice spicy Dijon or Dijon style mustard. For thin sliced this is probably the best in the Bay Area.

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How much was that out of curiosity? More than $13?

$15, but I think with fries instead of slaw it was $17. Rye Project has a $15 pastrami that has about half as much pastrami (also thin sliced) and nowhere near as good.

speaking of pastrami…were we speaking of pastrami?

anyway, i just had the hat for the first time in my life.
it seemed a touch expensive, and i enjoyed it enough,
but blindfolded, am not sure i could tell the difference between the hat
and tom’s #7.

Cool to know about.

You ever have the pastrami at Tommy’s Joynt up there?

yeah, ipsedixit, its definitely a “you” thing…i wonder what youre really thinking “brined beef” tastes like?..yum! but i’ll have to give Wexler’s another shot…it was kinda gristly when i first tried quite a while ago…and the bread? forget it…i heard their bagels were really good…maybe i’ll try their pastrami on a bagel…or go to Bea’s and bring my own rye and pull the old switcheroo!

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…you could also get a bobka and a Russian tea cake while you’re there!!!

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Add a Black & White for the ride home, or where ever.

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marble babka?

It’s definitely worth another shot. One of the few places around brining and smoking the brisket in house. And you heard right about the bagels. I believe they’re made by NY Bagel & Co. but to Wexler’s specification. You can tell the difference.

Bigmouth, looks like i need to get over to Wexler’s soon! thanks

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The Wexler pastrami is very good, I just wish the rye was better…