OT: Hot Pastrami recommendations?

[AnArchitect]

Speaking of Cincinnati, please start a thread about Cincinnati chili. I have never had it in Ohio, just made a bad imitation at home.

Since OT is gone, where do I start a thread that's so clearly OT!? LOL

That said, you want the realest deal you can make at home? This is the best I've found.

So I mentioned above I'm vegetarian. Cincinnati Chili is great because it's not a meal that's based on the quality of the meat, so you can sub in meat substitutes and it is still -really- good. Fake meat gets and gives its flavor to the sauce in a completely different way, so I have to do some prep to marinate it and add fat so it has the same flavor as the real thing, otherwise it is just too bland. Just like the real thing, I put it on to stew all day too. But it's the perfect dish if you wanna try going meatless, or if you have some hippie in the family who you want to include in your next group meal, with a pot of regular and a pot of meatless.

In fact, I recently converted it into a lentil dish too. You have to let the lentils soak in the sauce for a couple days in the fridge to really get the flavor, but it's phenomenal if you do. Just sub in cooked lentils 1:1 for the meat, and add something to give it more umami flavor and more fat, like it would have with real meat.

I'll stop now at risk of thread-jacking but feel free to ask any questions you have. Cheers!

 

[HectorSpectre]

I'm Tri-State Area born and raised until I left at 16.
My mother's still there, my father was until he passed away.
I'm a day's drive away instead of being in LA for almost 20 years, so I've been back frequently the last couple years.
And I eat it up - literally and figuratively - every time I go back.
I stay in the Netherland Plaza and hit all the classic restaurants and bars.

Cincy had a GREAT jazz scene back then. And all the clubs would let underage kids drink.
The only one that sticks in my mind is the Blue Wisp, but you could find me there - back when it was in that basement on Garfield - every couple weeks when I was 19-20 and back from SC.
Those old cats burned that place down every weekend and raised it from the dead the next Friday
We had WVXU out of Xavier U that was one of just a few jazz stations in the country, back before the internet.
My father was the working man's thinking man, an IAM Machinist at GE, and that's what he listened to all the time when I was a young one.

To bring this all back around to the subject at hand - my father was all about finding out what the world had to offer. Our hillbilly coal-miner descendant family had nothing to do with Judaism, but you may know that Cincy has a strong community, and Reform Judaism was born there. And so, every chance he got we'd have some different diverse food, and a special delight to all of us was hitting Marx Hot Bagels (which I'll put up against the best bagel in NYC) or Izzy's or one of the other many Jewish delis that were still around when I was little.

So when I got to LA and found out that Pastrami was a Jewish AND Mexican thing (and the story of cultural exchange in Boyle Heights that led to that) oh man, was I ever in heaven.

As for Fickell's office - Cincinnati is a vastly different vibe than LA, and if you walked in almost any place like you were supposed to be there, no one would hassle you.

Being an architect, and a fan of the building's architect Bernard Tschumi, I ah... "gave myself a tour" of the Lindner Center right after it opened in 2006 or so. So yeah, you might still get away with that.

Thanks for sharing so much our yourself. All good stuff. It highlights for me one of the great truths about message boards: everyone has an untold life-story worth hearing. We rarely, if ever, are either whom we superficially present, or who we may at first be pigeon-holed to be. I think "fake news" first started on message boards long ago.

I don't know if the Blue Wisp was, or was not, a jazz club that we sauntered (stumbled) into, but one den we visited was in a cellar. Incredible jazz-talent on display all over the city. Cincy was very clean and well-governed back then and, according to my host, was one of only a handful of "big" (i.e. 1.2 mil?) cities in the country that was fiscally sound and well-managed. (My visits were all in period '72-'75.)

At the time, I was stationed at Ft. Bragg and had this close fraternity brother & football teammate who was an amateur jazz musician himself. His dad was a top exec with P&G who had a stately ante-bellum style 6-column mansion in nearby Wyoming, so from there we'd make the trek most any night of the week to the Cincy bar-scene (sometimes including a jazz fix). I used to make the drive to Cincy a couple times a year to get away from Fayetteville to visit,, consume large quantities of Hudepohl and make occasional runs to Covington for additional post-adolescent foolishness. I remember a rib-joint in Covington that was 5*****. Do you remember: Q - "What separates a Buckeye from an a**hole?" A - "The Ohio River." Hahahaha

It was on one of these jaunts that we drove to Churchill Downs (Louisville) to attended the 100th run-for-the-roses at the Derby. We had tickets for the infield and I was hanging on the rail at the finish line for the GREAT Secretariat's win, drunk as an Irish Lord. One of my great sports memories.

Thanks again for resurrecting some cherished mems of my young adulthood and FIGHT ON!

 

[jaycee993]

The Hat!

The Hat owned by USC alum

 

[TrojanTW]

Aside from the aforementioned, The Oinkster in Eagle Rock has some good pastrami

Growing up in Eagle Rock, The Oinkster was Jim's Burgers who had great pastrami.

 

[TrojanTW]

Okay, now I may have to take a drive to the nearest The Hat.

Go to the orginal on the corner of Valley and Garfield in Alhambra.

 

[TrojanTW]

Chili Pastrami. They put the chili used for chili dogs. Sloppy, but they are best.

The Jim's Burgers around the corner from my house has the DUI which is chili cheese fries topped with pastrami and carne asada.

 

[Pooh Bah]

The Jim's Burgers around the corner from my house has the DUI which is chili cheese fries topped with pastrami and carne asada.

Arteries are clogging as we speak. Sounds good, though.

 

[TrojanTW]

Arteries are clogging as we speak. Sounds good, though.

So worth it...

 

[gubo&palanka]

Since OT is gone, where do I start a thread that's so clearly OT!? LOL

That said, you want the realest deal you can make at home? This is the best I've found.

So I mentioned above I'm vegetarian. Cincinnati Chili is great because it's not a meal that's based on the quality of the meat, so you can sub in meat substitutes and it is still -really- good. Fake meat gets and gives its flavor to the sauce in a completely different way, so I have to do some prep to marinate it and add fat so it has the same flavor as the real thing, otherwise it is just too bland. Just like the real thing, I put it on to stew all day too. But it's the perfect dish if you wanna try going meatless, or if you have some hippie in the family who you want to include in your next group meal, with a pot of regular and a pot of meatless.

In fact, I recently converted it into a lentil dish too. You have to let the lentils soak in the sauce for a couple days in the fridge to really get the flavor, but it's phenomenal if you do. Just sub in cooked lentils 1:1 for the meat, and add something to give it more umami flavor and more fat, like it would have with real meat.

I'll stop now at risk of thread-jacking but feel free to ask any questions you have. Cheers!

OMG, those pictures --- Cincy chili on spaghetti -- with oyster crackers!!! -- or on hot dogs -- are amazing.

Your vegetarian meat substitutes sound great as well.

Recipe looks delicious. Thank you!

 

[Helen of Troy]

Not sure. Maybe the one in Culver City? Look it up on Yelp. They have the best pastrami in LA IMO.

The Best in California- get the double dip

 

[NoBull1]

Anyone remember Oki Dog? Flour tortilla with 2 hotdogs, cheese, chili, and pastrami. A gastronomic monstrosity of epic proportions that tasted oh-so-good

 

[MarcKulkin]

Anyone remember Oki Dog? Flour tortilla with 2 hotdogs, cheese, chili, and pastrami. A gastronomic monstrosity of epic proportions that tasted oh-so-good

 

[HectorSpectre]

On campus now for a mandatory book store run, so IMA take the opportunity to hit The Hat later this afternoon for an early supper before sitting down to watch the Ducks be eviscerated by Oski. Go Kal!

 

[Pudly76]

 

[DaFireMedic]

Yes, but that’s 37,023 Euros. That means about $12 US.

 

[1949elias]

The Hat and Jim's are long time , old time home runs. In Orange county Nick's in Seal Beach and Los Alamitos are very good. Togo's franchise sandwich shop has excellent pastrami's sandwiches., surprisingly .

 

[Peete2Affholter]

Yes, but that’s 37,023 Euros. That means about $12 US.

Lol, reminds me of the scene in Eurotrip when they pay for a lavish five-course meal with one US nickel, and the maitre d' promptly slaps his employer and says, "I quit!"

As far as pastrami - yes, the Hat is always great, but I agree that Togo's #9 pastrami is as great a staple as an In-N-Out double-double.

 

[Torch901]

Anyone remember Oki Dog? Flour tortilla with 2 hotdogs, cheese, chili, and pastrami. A gastronomic monstrosity of epic proportions that tasted oh-so-good

Danny's Oki Dog, yup, I vaguely recall there also being sauerkraut in their signature mashup as well. That place was the go-to spot after banging in a mosh pit. When it's 2am and you find yourself in Hollywood. Remember those days well.

 

[HectorSpectre]

Yes, but that’s 37,023 Euros. That means about $12 US.

Funny as heck, but at today's exchange rate that would actually mean almost $43,000.

That's a whole lot of cabbage, even if you're watering your houseplants with Dom.

 

[Canyon.usc]

Funny as heck, but at today's exchange rate that would actually mean almost $43,000.

That's a whole lot of cabbage, even if you're watering your houseplants with Dom.

No matter how rich U R, it's stupid to spend $43,000 on a casual dinner. I always find restaurants that have $8 to $10 corkage fee and bring nice bottles of Champagne or Wine. Heck, restaurants mark up wines 4 to 5 times of retail prices...

 

[Pudly76]

No matter how rich U R, it's stupid to spend $43,000 on a casual dinner. I always find restaurants that have$8 to $10 corkage fee and bring nice bottles of Champagne and Wine. Heck, restaurants mark up wines 4 to 5 times of retail prices...

I don’t pay corkage fees any more since I switched to boxed wines…

 

[HectorSpectre]

No matter how rich U R, it's stupid to spend $43,000 on a casual dinner. I always find restaurants that have$8 to $10 corkage fee and bring nice bottles of Champagne and Wine. Heck, restaurants mark up wines 4 to 5 times of retail prices...

I've never been in the restaurant biz, but my understanding is that the bar is where they make the majority of their money. Maybe not true. IDK

 

[Canyon.usc]

I've never been in the restaurant biz, but my understanding is that the bar is where they make the majority of their money. Maybe not true. IDK

Yep beverages are very profitable. A friend who owned several fast food restaurants, 20 years ago said a large fountain soda/soft drink was $1.79 on the menu; its cost was about 4c = 4,475% mark up...

 

[HectorSpectre]

Yep beverages are very profitable. A friend who owned several fast food restaurants, this was like 20 years ago. He said a large fountain soda/soft drink was $1.79 on the menu; its cost was about 4c = 4,475% mark up...

There it is! I guess I spent 40+ years in the wrong biz. Hahahaha

 

[usc1mba]

I made a trip to University Village and I have a hankering for a hot pastrami sandwich for lunch today.

I'm wondering if anyone has a recommendation.

If not, it's Johnnie's Pastrami on Sepulveda way out in Culver City, for me. Since I need to be in Marina Del Ray later anyway, the drive is no big deal.

Thanks anyway.

The Hat for sure. Make sure to get some onion rings or fries on the side.

Fight On Trojans and BEAT the Irish!

 

[BraceDoctor]

I like The Hat on Lake in Pasadena. The Alhambra location has only outdoor seating.

 

[BraceDoctor]

The Hat also has a good pastrami burger.

 

[shane2020]

This thread inspired me! Ate another one of the Hat’s pastrami sandwiches yesterday, plus their onion rings. So good!

 

[Pudly76]

This thread inspired me! Ate another one of the Hat’s pastrami sandwiches yesterday, plus their onion rings. So good!

Best onion rings? Farmer Boys

 

[dblwall]

Best onion rings? Farmer Boys

Chris n Pitts beer battered o rings

 

[shane2020]

Best onion rings? Farmer Boys

Never eaten there, but will try them. Thx.

 

[shane2020]

Chris n Pitts beer battered o rings

I didn’t realize they were still in business! Mine closed.

 

[Kalani69]

The Hat and Jim's are long time , old time home runs. In Orange county Nick's in Seal Beach and Los Alamitos are very good. Togo's franchise sandwich shop has excellent pastrami's sandwiches., surprisingly .

Anything good in the Costa Mesa, Newport Beach area? Will be there in March.

 

[TrojanFan4ever]

I made a trip to University Village and I have a hankering for a hot pastrami sandwich for lunch today.

I'm wondering if anyone has a recommendation.

If not, it's Johnnie's Pastrami on Sepulveda way out in Culver City, for me. Since I need to be in Marina Del Ray later anyway, the drive is no big deal.

Thanks anyway.

The Hat in Pico Rivera.

 

[SGVFlip]

I like The Hat on Lake in Pasadena. The Alhambra location has only outdoor seating.

The Hat in Glendora, on Route 66 has indoor seats...

Yeah, the original in Alhambra dont, just like the original In N Out....

 

[MarcKulkin]

Anything good in the Costa Mesa, Newport Beach area? Will be there in March.

Try Kaplan's Deli in Costa Mesa.

 

[SoCalN8tiv]

Aside from the aforementioned, The Oinkster in Eagle Rock has some good pastrami

The Oinkster, now that's the best restaurant name I've ever heard!

 

[Kalani69]

Try Kaplan's Deli in Costa Mesa.

Thanks Marc, but I think they are closed for business.

 

[wes4usc]

Remember the "kosher burrito" in downtown LA across from City Hall?

 

[EugeneTrojan]

It’s funny to scroll down through the topics about football and then see ,”hot pastrami recommendations.” Makes me laugh