Katz’s Deli: Carnivore’s Dream Lives up to the Legend

December 8, 2007

“This is not a restaurant for vegetarians”, said my friend Mark Lewis as we sat entranced by the overflowing Pastrami and Brisket sandwiches glistening with fat before us. It’s 12:30pm on a Friday and I’m eating at Katz’s Deli for the very first time. Yes, NYC Food Guy has finally arrived at what is arguably NYC’s last remaining monument to kosher style deli (kosher style, not kosher), and not a moment too soon; rumors of Katz’s imminent extinction have been buzzing for the last few years. After today’s meal, however, I’ve experienced the greatness and I will return, but more for the Brisket & Vanilla Egg Cream than the Pastrami.

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I’ve been talking about going to Katz’s for at least the last 3 years. It seems like everyone I know or meet; family, friends, taxi drivers, all strongly endorse the legendary deli which has graced the Lower East Side since 1888.

There were several thwarted attempts at making the move. The closest I came to the famous receive a ticket, order your food, have your ticket marked, eat and pay experience was a trip to another carnivore castle, Hill Country, for Texas BBQ served in Katz’s fashion: Hunks of smoked meat pulled straight from big metal steamers, sliced by hand, never machine, into hearty slices of delciousness.

That’s part of the old school magic professed at Katz’s, especially by co-owner Alan Dell, who worked the room like a pro wearing a Katz’s Deli T-shirt and a pencil in his ear. He stopped at every table to hobnob with the tourists and devout patrons alike.

When he arrived at our table I talked to him briefly about the recent discussion at the Museum of the City of New York titled “Jewish Cuisine and the Evolution of the Jewish Deli” and about the legitimacy of Ben’s Best, a kosher deli NYC Food Guy grew up on which has been doling out great pastrami on Queens Boulevard since 1945. Dell called Ben’s Best the real deal while calling Ben’s Deli, a suspiciously similar-named chain of kosher delis in Long Island, an impostor.

The old school vibe didn’t end there; Neon beer signs reflect their bright light off the wood paneled walls, the Formica tables, and the blades of the aproned counter guys. Take a look at the scene I encountered upon entering Katz’s:

The scene we encountered upon arrival was comparable to something out of Jack London’s “Call of the Wild.” Wide-eyed and ravenous people mulling in scattered lines, hungry for sliced meat and ready to pounce at the slightest line infraction, truly survival of the fittest. Fortunately, Mark knew each cutter had his own line and we headed to the shortest (A sign behind the counter overtly depicted this concept). We had preordained the substitution of rye bread with club roll ($1.00 extra), and after a brief meeting of the minds, we decided on Pastrami ($14.45 on rye) and Brisket ($13.95 on rye).

While Mark went to retrieve an order of hot, potatoey, and crisp Steak fries ($4.25), I nearly keeled over while eating a sample of the brisket. I’m not big on fatty meat, and I know the argument against Katz’s brisket is just that, but this was something else unlike anything I had ever tasted. It was moist and tender and made me feel like I was eating something an army of grandmothers had prepared in the back of the deli.

Samples are requisite at Katz’s depending on what you order. Word on the street is that if you tip your slicer, you’ll get a bigger sample. I can’t say if that’s true, but I tipped at the end and I did notice a lot more pickles on my plate than the table next to us. Score one for the NYC Food Guy.

After ordering a Hot Dog ($2.95) and a Dr. Brown’s Black Cherry Soda ($2.25) (expensive for a can of soda, I realize, but it’s part of the experience) this is what we were left with:

Mark gave his standard “All right, take the pictures … quickly” comment and then it was time to dig in. I went for the Brisket first:

Wow, just wow. I knew as soon as I bit into this that I’d be saving it for last. I didn’t care how good the pastrami could be, this was some delicious brisket:

Moist, tender, and delicate with salty fat that melts in your mouth.

Truly, it needed no sauce or bread, but the Russian dressing…..

….overflowing with pieces of chopped pickle, was very intriguing so I tasted some before spreading it onto the brisket. The Russian was thin, but sweet like candy, and unlike any other Russian dressing I had ever tasted. It didn’t really enhance the brisket but when I spread some spicy mustard and Russian on, it was pretty delicious; still, the brisket was amazing enough to stand on its own and that was how I went the rest of the way.

Now it was time to delve into the famous Pastrami.

Upon first bite, I was surprised to find the balance of flavor pointed in the direction of the beef alone. Most kosher pastrami I’ve eaten derives much of its flavor from the combined efforts of the peppery, spiced skin and the tender beef. I decided it was time to add some spicy mustard, an essential for any pastrami sandwich:

Look at the stripes of fat intertwined with the strings of beef making up each individual slice of pastrami. The fat didn’t overpower and unlike most fatty, machine-cut kosher pastrami I’ve eaten, it didn’t require you to reach for the floss afterwards, despite its appearance below:

Here’s a different angle where the spiced part of the pastrami is visible:

The Pastrami is the most heralded and celebrated part of Katz’s but in all honesty, I was not impressed. Growing up eating in real kosher delis, I’ve grown accustomed to eating pastrami with a flavor that strikes a balance between the spicy skin and the beef. While Katz’s pastrami was indeed delicious, it didn’t deliver the classic flavor that I’m used to. As a result, I’d sooner order a brisket sandwich upon next visit.

The all-beef hot dog also fell victim to the fault of its faux kosher-ness. I’m a strong advocate of the concept that Hebrew National hot dogs are the best. Although I’d probably go with a Nathan’s Chili Cheese Dog before a plain Hebrew National, there’s something about the spicing of the Hebrew National that I haven’t found accurately replicated. The natural casing on the Katz’s dog was on point, however, delivering just the right amount of crunch.

Now on to the greatest discovery of the entire meal. I decided to take out two orders of the Chicken Noodle Soup ($4.65 for one), one for me and one for a friend who wasn’t feeling well. While I waited patiently for my turn near the 10 beer taps ($4.10 to $8.00 for one) including brews such as Shmaltz’s Coney Island Lager and Brooklyn Brewery’s Katz’s Ale….

…I noticed a sign that said “New York Egg Creams” and offered Vanilla & Chocolate varieties ($3.25 for small, $3.95 large). I immediately ordered a small Vanilla, wary of disappointment after the debacle at Vynl, but after inserting my straw into the wax-coated cup, I was transported to a world of coffee-shops past. The taste of vanilla syrup and bubbly seltzer electrified my tastes buds and made me think about the egg creams my mom would buy me when I was a little kid. The flavor was evocative, if not an exact replica, of the quintessential coffee shop egg cream. Now I know my search for NYC’s best egg cream has just begun, but I can’t imagine many being better than this. I might have to add this to my post-Georgia’s Eastside BBQ dessert run.

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Amidst the ever changing landscape of the Lower East Side, Katz’s has remained throughout it all. It’s obvious that the key to success among most of the cities longest-running eateries is consistently delivering on a simple concept; this is the key to Katz’s. The tickets ($50 fee if you lose yours), the counter guys with their big knives, the fight for tables (there’s actually waiter service in the back) and a spot in line; It’s organized chaos and it embodies a certain old school New York City charm that’s become endangered, something Katz’s has perfected to a degree that cannot be duplicated.

Katz’s Delicatessen

205 E. Houston St.

New York, NY 10001

(212) 254-2246

Toll free: 1-800-4-HOTDOG

Hours:

Sunday 8AM – 10:45PM

Monday – Tuesday 8AM – 9:45PM

Wednesday – Thursday 8AM – 10:45PM

Friday – Saturday 8AM – 2:45AM

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