Who has the perfect pastrami? Katz’s vs. Langer’s blind style take a look at

New York and Los Angeles — two world-class burgs, divided by 1000’s of miles of flyover nation, disagreeing on virtually every thing.

How ought to cities be constructed, for instance? Do they belong to pedestrians, or to vehicles? And what’s “cold weather” — ought to we escape the shorts when it goes above freezing, or begin shivering when the mercury plummets to a chilling 59? 

And who, extra importantly, has the higher pastrami? 

For years, meals writers and fressers from the Big Apple and City of Angels have been battling it out — every with loads of smoke to blow on the scrumptious topic. Never thoughts our many variations — we’ve at all times shared a traditionally sturdy Jewish deli tradition.

In New York, the reply is Katz’s on E. Houston Street, biggest deli on earth — Katz’s of “When Harry Met Sally, “I’ll have what she’s having,” Rob Reiner-of-blessed-memory fame.

And whereas Langer’s in Los Angeles might not boast so excessive a profile, or so many iconic film moments, the town behind these motion pictures has at all times been capable of finding the way in which to the timeworn nook of seventh and Alvarado, a knish’s throw from notorious MacArthur Park.

Katz’s, relationship again to 1888, house of “Send a Salami to your Boy in the Army” — it’s certainly one of NYC’s most beloved eating establishments and certainly one of Gotham’s high vacationer points of interest, with strains down the block. 

Langer’s, opened in 1947, is in contrast a neighborhood’s paradise — a classic California-style espresso store the place politicos, energy brokers and development staff alike collect to interrupt rye bread.

In the New Yorker in 2002, Nora Ephron pronounced the restaurant’s famed #19 particular sandwich a “symphony orchestra” of flavors. (“Soft but crispy, tender but chewy, peppery but sour, smoky but tangy,” she enthused on the time.)

But what about now? To have a good time the historic launch of the California Post newspaper, we took the chance to place the clear favorites from each coasts to the take a look at.

Staging blind tastings in each of our newsrooms, we fed hungry journalists (is there some other sort?) all of the pastrami, rye bread and mustard they may eat — then requested them to select a winner.

Here’s what occurred.

NEW YORK WEIGHS IN

Langer’s triumphs — 4 to three

In a closing second of calm earlier than final weekend’s snowstorm, seven keen tasters gathered on the New York Post’s workplaces in Midtown, the place they had been introduced with two an identical spreads of pastrami, rye bread and mustard. One was from Langer’s, dubbed “Pastrami 1” — the opposite from Katz’s (“Pastrami 2”). The outcomes had been nothing in need of astonishing, with a relative unknown edging out the pleasure of NYC.

Each participant tried Langer’s first, tasting the pastrami by itself earlier than constructing a sandwich — with crusty, fennel-flecked rye bread and Morehouse-brand mustard.

Then it was on to Katz’s — which got here with bread from Rockland Bakery, house-made mustard and NYC’s favourite pastrami. Finally, everybody delivered their scores — from 1-10 — for each.

“After eating this, I think I’ll be orgasming like Meg Ryan,” mentioned Lifestyle desk staffer Andrew Court of the Langer’s sandwich, which he pronounced “super tasty. “I think this one is Katz’s,” he mentioned, giving it an 8.5 out of 10.

Post restaurant critic and all-around New York professional Steve Cuozzo appeared to know an out-of-towner when he noticed one, saying the LA fave “good, but nothing special.” He gave the sandwich a 6 out of 10, calling the bread “too big,” saying there was “a lot of fat in the meat,” and that it was “cut too thick.”

Head of Lifestyle Natasha Pearlman, who grew up consuming “salt beef” within the U.Ok., had extra combined emotions, saying that whereas Langer’s pastrami had a “nice amount of fattiness to it,” she discovered it “a little disappointing” with out the mustard and bread, which she ranked extremely, partly for its “nice crust.” Overall, it was a 6.5/10.

Managing Editor, News Lia Eustachewich discovered Langer’s to be a “good pastrami,” with the combo of the three “what I think of when I want a pastrami sandwich,” calling it “really tasty and not overly salty,” with a “really good bite.” She additionally discovered the rye bread to be “a standout,” saying that “with the mustard and the bread, I don’t think this sandwich is missing anything.” For her, Langer’s was an 8/10.

Then it was time to deal with Katz’s. “This meat looks a little better and juicier,” Court mentioned of Katz’s. But, biting in, he discovered it “fattier, and not in a good way.” It was additionally minimize too thick, chewier and drier, he famous. Score: 6/10.

After razzing Langer’s, Cuozzo turned to hometown favourite — which he was capable of establish on sight. “This tastes like New York,” he introduced, handing it a straightforward 8/10. “I like this one better,” he mentioned. “It has a slightly deeper flavor and isn’t as salty.”

Pearlman beloved the “fruity” mustard and the meat from Katz’s, however had harsh phrases for his or her off-the-shelf rye. “I feel almost certain that the first one is Katz’s, because Katz’s would never dare serve to serve you bread that isn’t rye with fennel seeds.” Overall? 5.5/10.

Eustachewich beloved the “bark and the char” of Pastrami #2, saying it “more appetizing” on sight. But she additionally razzed the rye, saying it “not enough,” explaining that she “needs the fennel seeds.”

Tasting the meat introduced additional disappointment. “It doesn’t have the signature pastrami taste that I think of. I wish I could make the meat more flavorful,” she mentioned. “If I was blindfolded and I ate the meat from Pastrami 2, I wouldn’t be like ‘oh, I’m eating pastrami right now.’ I’d be like, ‘I’m eating roast beef.’” Her rating? A tragic 2 out of 10.

After three extra diligent eaters had their say, the New York group delivered a closing, gorgeous verdict — the winner was Langer’s, by one level, leaving the 2 deli titans tied on this bi-coastal match-up.

“We have a lot of respect for Katz’s, but when you’ve been doing pastrami the right way for generations, the food usually speaks for itself.” mentioned Langer’s proprietor Norm Langer, when reached by The Post with information of the shock East Coast verdict.

“We’re always happy when people discover what our customers have known for decades — the results didn’t really surprise us.”

THE BATTLE IN LOS ANGELES

Katz’s knocks it out of the park, 5 to 2

Once once more, seven staffers gathered on the California Post’s new workplaces in Century City, the place they had been introduced with two an identical spreads from Langer’s (Pastrami #1) and Katz’s (Pastrami #2) — result-wise, let’s simply hope this crew remains to be welcome at Langer’s.

First up was Katcy Stephan, Media Reporter for Page Six Hollywood, who immediately “liked the look of the seeded bread” that got here with the Langer’s unfold, deciding on only one slice for her sandwich, “because in LA we don’t eat carbs.” The meat she discovered “plain” in look — discovering the combo in the end worthy of a 6 out of 10.

“This one is kind of like California,” joked Sports Editor Ryan Kostecka after a chunk of the Langer’s providing. “New, upcoming, good still learning as we grow.” While he favored the sandwich effectively sufficient, saying he’d be “pleased” to be served one other one, he wouldn’t “drive out of my way” for it. His rating — one other 6 out of 10.

Veteran Dodgers reporter Dylan Hernandez, now batting for the California Post group, discovered the Langer’s meat “nice and fatty,” comfortable and “fall apart in the mouth.” Calling the sandwich “really good,” he gave it an 8 out of 10.

Senior Sports Reporter Edward Lewis was much more bullish on Langer’s — discovering it “significantly” higher, saying it “fattier, but more flavorful,” a “steak dinner that tastes like pastrami, for a 9 out of 10.

Entertainment reporter Luisa Rodriguez delivered the identical rating, calling Langer’s “really good,” whereas politics reporter Ben Brown discovered it “a little fatty” and “chewy” — incomes Langer’s simply 6.5 out of 10.

Overall, enthusiasm appeared to construct when it was time to style Katz’s.

“Oh, it’s this one — this one is so good,” raved Stephan, declaring it “no contest” between the 2. “I don’t know where it’s from, but I would like to go to this place,” she mentioned — handing down a 9 out of 10 for the New York fare.

“There’s so much more flavor,” mentioned Kostecka. “You can tell this one has been mastered through decades and decades of experience, experimentation and perfection,” he defined — giving Katz’s one other 9 out of 10.

“Please don’t poison me if I happen to walk near your deli,” Native Angeleno Hernandez pleaded, earlier than declaring Katz’s his favourite for its “bolder” pastrami — yielding one more 9 out of 10.

On the voting went, till seven tasters in complete had given their evaluations and scores.

And in the long run, it wasn’t even shut — our crew of Los Angeles eaters most well-liked Katz’s by a mile, 5 to 2.

THE FINAL VERDICT

The pastrami is at all times higher … on the opposite coast?

As seen, New York picked Langer’s because the winner, whereas Los Angeles picked Katz’s. Maybe it’s the love of the brand new, and the native choice was simply too acquainted.

Or maybe it simply proves that whether or not you’re in Gotham or La-La Land, chances are high you’ll get a great sandwich.

With Marissa Matozzo in New York and Chris Nesi in Los Angeles