What does NYC do better than any other city? Carnegie Deli

I am a big fan of Anthony Bourdain. I’ve always liked food and travel, but the Tokyo episode of No Reservations, the first one I’d ever seen, was what gave me a new perspective on how to approach the subject. I remember in the NYC episode he was sharing his thoughts on searching for food in a city. The answer was something along the lines of answering the question: “what does this city do better then anyone else”? If I remember correctly, for NYC, he said it was the deli, and more specifically, the pastrami sandwich.

So, on a recent short business trip to NYC, with only a few meals to spare, I decided to make my first meal a pastrami sandwich. I’ve been to a few of the well known ones like Katz’s, so I had the following criteria:

1. close to the hotel – I landed around 2PM and had an omakase dinner at 8, so I wanted as much space between lunch and dinner as possible
2. a new place
3. high ratings

I put the criteria into Gemini and it suggested Carnegie Deli. I made an RSVP on Opentable and then walked over. The hostess at the front was friendly and I was seated right away:

The fact that their pastrami was made with wagyu caught my eye. I got the pastrami with a side of fries:

Note that the sandwich comes bare so I added mustard which was conveniently on the table.

Each bite was heavenly. Although it was wagyu, it was not overly fatty. The beef was tender, and full of flavor. The meat to bun ratio was just right, unlike some places which would overload the meat (which is not necessarily a bad thing). The fries were crispy. The coleslaw and pickled cabbage provided was also very good. The coleslaw had a very unique flavor which I would not pinpoint exactly but If I had to guess, I would say there was a hint of sesame oil which gave it a boost of umami. I think this shows attention to detail in elevating a lowly side that many other places would leave as an after thought.

Anyway, service was friendly and attentive. Food was good and I had zero disappointment here. I would gladly return and recommend.

NYC Tip: Next time you fly in and out of NYC, give Blade a try. You will go from JFK to Manhattan or vice versa in 5 minutes versus spending potentially over an hour in traffic. The cost is not that much more than rideshare, especially during peak hours. I would estimate that the helicopter only costs about $30-$70 more than Rideshare, but you get:

• amazing service – they drive you from the helicopter to your terminal (outbound) or from the terminal to their departure lounge (inbound)
• nice lounge in the city with a full bar
• more time in the city
• amazing views (check out the video):

If you want to try it out, save some money with code: BrianT986. You will save and I will get a credit.