New York (Food) Institutions

When you think "New York City" and "food", a few main things come to mind - bagels, pizza, hot dogs, cupcakes, and, of course, delis.  The two most well-known, Katz's in the East Village/LES, and Carnegie Deli in Midtown, are famous for their hot pastrami on rye.  Miel and I made our way down to Katz's on a rainy Saturday to see if this sammy lived up to the hype....

And did it, ever!  As you can see, I couldn't resist taking a bite before we got to taking the photo.  I can't speak for Carnegie, as I have yet to visit, but Katz's is a zoo, with seperate lines for different fare, tons of patrons, and no real rhyme or reason to where the lines are formed.  Once you manage to make it to the counter, you are rewarded with pastrami (or whatever meat you order) to sample while you wait for your sandwich. 

This was one great - albeit expensive, at $14 a pop - sammy.  The pastrami was tender and full of flavor, and the mustard gave this simple sandwich just the right kick.  The rye bread, which I don't typically go for,  was fresh and chewy and crusty...perfect.  Definitely worth the trip, and the fight to the counter.