::Langer's::

I grew up in the bubble of east Mesa, a suburb of Phoenix. Langer's is located in an area of L.A. that is nothing like this bubble. However, I must say that this pastrami sandwich is so incredibly delightful that it is worth shuffling past the interesting mix of characters in the area surrounding Langer's. This was Visit #2 to the deli. Visit #1 was merely by accident when we thought we would explore "Historic Filipinotown" on our way to Melrose (being half-Filipino, I thought this could be mildly interesting at best). We ended up not even finding "Filipinotown" but instead stumbled across Langer's. The exterior looked familiar though I couldn't figure out where I had seen it before. Then...boyfriend to the rescue! Making him watch all those episodes of "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" paid off--"wasn't that on The Food Network?" I googled it--now that I am finally a big kid with internets on my phone, thanks again to the boyfriend--and YES, it was featured on BTIEA. I am a huge fan of the pastrami sandwich but I actually didn't take Langer's very seriously when featured on BTIEA. The guy who talked about it was some annoying contestant on "The Next Food Network Star" (I don't even think he actually won..yet they still gave him his own show..what??). This guy is not someone I respect as a food authority. 

I must say I'm glad my hunger and love of pastrami sandwiches set these opinions aside. We decided to park and entered the charmingly dated deli. Upon both visits, the place was packed but we were seated almost immediately. We split the #19--the # you must try if it's your first visit. It had been a few months since we had been there, so Visit #2 was scheduled into our weekend. Oh boy, was I excited for Visit #2!! Ahh...the smell of artificial cherry port-a-potty air freshener drifting from the nearby shops has never smelled sweeter. I still had to order the #19--hot pastrami, freshly made coleslaw, Russian dressing, and Swiss cheese on rye bread--their most popular sandwich. 

Mmmm. Pickle on the side too?!?! (the perfect appetizer). Happy. So.Very.Happy.

Their rye bread is the perfect introduction to the amazing medley within. The bread is soft and moist with a pleasing crust (not too crunchy where it crumbles all over the place and not too chewy where you are forced to take awkward bites). Their secret? It's double-baked. They receive the bread parbaked from the bakery (parbaked = 80% done = cooked on the inside with undercooked exterior). When they are ready to use the bread, it is baked at a moderate temperature until golden brown in color, giving it that slight crunch. The amount of caraway seeds are enough to add that distinct flavor without overpowering other flavors. I don't usually like coleslaw unless it is 1) freshly made and 2) light on the mayo. Their coleslaw meets both these requirements and provides a light, crisp texture that is amplified by the tangy Russian dressing. Finally, there is the pastrami. Layers of tender, shredded hot pastrami that has a good mix of salt, spice, and mild sweetness. 

We also ordered some of some crinkle cut fries because it's nearly impossible to resist accordion-shaped potatoes. Some places fail to cook a standard french fry correctly but Langer's gets it right--crisp exterior that hasn't become soggy from absorbing excess oil with just enough salt where you don't feel your hands and feet puffing up afterwards.

For me, 1/2 sandwich is the perfect amount BUT because we were going somewhere after lunch, I was in a tough spot. Waste the other half? Let it sit out x 5-6 hours and risk foodborne illness? Go against what I preach to my patients and eat the other half?? The boyfriend had already finished an entire sandwich so he said NO THANKS as I offered the second half. Despite the mounds of pastrami on the sandwich, it is actually not overly filling. I was able to finish most of the second half (large lunch = lunch/dinner that day). My belly left very happy but still not stuffed to the point of heartburn.

Oh, and it gets even better.....

They give each guest a moist towelette to clean up messy hands. This place was MADE for me (I'm a very messy eater).

And, as usual, no trip to Langer's is complete without a homeless person sighting. This time it was a near-toothless woman sleeping outside the deli entrance who awoke to enjoy a smokey treat and gather change. Yup, this area is definitely nothing like east Mesa.

Tip for your Visit #1 to try the #19: There is a designated Langer's parking lot (free parking for an hour) across the street from the deli.

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THE SCORE:

  Nutrition: 1

  Taste: 5

  Ambiance: 3

  Overall: 4.5

::The Back Abbey:: Compliments to B&A

Ahh, Friday, my favorite day of the week. What better way to welcome the weekend than to enjoy a burger and beer(s)? We decided to finally try The Back Abbey--a gastropub in downtown Claremont recommended by friends (Bret and Annie--who also joined us this evening). When we arrived, the place was packed so getting a seat wasn't easy (no hostess, more like a "lurk on the side and swoop in when something opens up" seating-style). B&A shared some advice having been to the Back Abbey a few times: if possible, get a seat at the bar otherwise expect slow service. We didn't get seats at the bar but got a seat soon enough. Service was slow, likely because it was very busy and I didn't see many servers working. Then again, our server was suddenly highly attentive when it came time for the bill. Hmm.. Anyway, service was fair but the food and drink more than made up for it. We loved the industrial/rustic decor of this tiny place and I thought the community-style sink outside the restrooms was an interesting way to maximize restroom-use efficiency.

I don't usually order appetizers but the boyfriend knows I love crab cakes and my extremely hungry belly couldn't resist them. The pan seared crab cakes were crisp on the outside, tender on the inside--all balanced wonderfully by the creole creme fraiche which added a tangy freshness. The crab meat actually tasted like crab (not imitation crab puree) and was chunky enough in texture to set it apart from any generic fried appetizer.  

 

Time for THE BURGER. I ordered The Back Abbey Burger (I really wanted the Seasonal Burger but felt the need to order the BA Burger since it was my first time there and it sounded quite tasty in its own right).

The BA burger comes on a brioche bun filled with Gouda, mustard aioli, caramelized onion, bacon, and micro greens. The bun was buttery, tender, and lightly toasted.  The creaminess of the Gouda and the sweetness of the caramelized onion complemented the crisp saltiness of the bacon and fresh flavor of the micro greens. The beef was flavorful, juicy, and cooked perfectly. Overall it was a great burger BUT much too salty for my liking. 

Good thing the boyfriend ordered the Seasonal Burger (we shared the second halves of our burgers with one another) because I enjoyed this one so much more (not pictured). The Seasonal Burger has heirloom tomatoes, anaheim and poblano peppers, swiss chard, manchego cheese, and red chili aioli. I love heirloom tomatoes because they are more flavorful and juicy (without too much acidity) compared to other tomatoes. Spicy food almost always wins me over and this had just the right amount of heat to it without being overpowering or offensive. The sweet, buttery bun in combination with the manchego cheese and mayonnaise (in the red chili ailoi) helped temper the peppers and red chili flavor. I'm not too familiar with the various types of cheese out there and what flavors they provide so I felt this required some food research. According to Gourmet Sleuth, manchego cheese is made from sheep's milk (from my experience, these tend to be creamier and a bit more subtle) and has a salty, nutty flavor.  

Oh..and the burgers also came with a side salad which, as a dietitian, I definitely appreciate. However, I wanted to enjoy everything else we ordered AND my beer so I took a few bites of the salad but nothing more. My lunch that day was packed full of fiber and nutrients so there was no guilt in skipping the salad.  I wasn't a big fan of their side salad anyway; the dressing was nearly absent and too bitter for my taste. 

Mmm..fries. Err..I mean, "pommes frites"..  These are no ordinary potatoes. These are Kennebec potatoes (I had no idea what these were as well or what makes them so delicious but apparently they are one of the best potatoes to use when cooking). Unfortunately, they are difficult to find in grocery stores..ah, well, so much for adding a new key ingredient to my kitchen! This breed of potatoes are not too starchy, not too earthy, and are just nutty enough in taste to have a great flavor. 

They are also fried twice (must admit that makes me cringe) but cannot recall the oil details. I was already enjoying my beer at this point but I seem to remember the first oil being duck oil (???) which I had never heard of so it stood out. I searched for it online and came up with this....

Hmm..maybe the searches that popped up on "duck fat" are more accurate.

Beer!!! Beer seems to taste even better on two occasions: Fridays and when at baseball games. I had to switch drinks with the boyfriend because, once again, he made the better choice. I ordered some brown ale which I hated and he ordered a cream stout which I loved. Reject beers for the boyfriend. I love stouts, particularly oatmeal stouts, and this cream stout was smooth, rich, and had a good coffee and chocolate flavor. I was also supposed to try and save the cool bottle but failed on that one. :( 

Since they ran out of the cream stout, I next ordered this Buffalo stout which was good but a little too sweet. It also had a mild bitter aftertaste when I first switched over from the cream stout... or maybe I was still upset about not keeping the bottle before the server took it away. 

 

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THE SCORE:

  Nutrition: 3

  Taste: 4

  Ambiance: 4

  Overall: 4