The #19

I had heard about the unimaginable pleasure of a #19 from Langer's Deli from friends and former colleagues over the past year so frequently and with such unanimous authority that I had to try it for myself. I believe it was this blog post written by a New York-based editor of Bon Appétit that put me over the edge. Yesterday at noon I was in a car headed south on the 101 with Matt and Matt's Dad on a direct route to Alvarado Street to see if it was true that the #19 was in fact the best sandwich in America. It is important to note that Matt's Dad is not only an expert when it comes to traditional deli food, he's also a proud east coaster not prone to conceding a superlative title to a West Coast institution especially when it's a traditional staple as holy as a Pastrami sandwich. One bite of the fresh baked Rye, the creamy Russian dressing, the hot thick slices of pastrami and acidic crunchy coleslaw and Matt's Dad said, "It's up there." Once he polished it off he was completely converted, "I've forgotten all other numbers, the only one I know now is 19." If you're in L.A. check out Langer's and taste it for yourself, 704 S. Alvarado St., L.A.