Not quite a pastrami burger: Brennan & Carr's Gargiulo Burger is topped with roast beef.
A fun piece by John T. Edge in the New York Times this morning on the pastrami burger culture in Salt Lake City (and elsewhere). Conspicuously absent from the story was Edge's gustatory opinion of the pastrami burger. Were any of them seriously delicious, John T.? We need to know these things. Somehow I think his silence speaks volumes. Plus, lettuce should not be in proximity to pastrami in a sandwich.
It was also interesting that Edge talked about pastrami burgers only in Salt Lake City and Southern California and not New York City, pastrami's ancestral home in this country. There is a pastrami burger on the menu at Artie's Deli on the Upper West Side, but I couldn't find a pastrami burger on the Carnegie Deli's menu. I can't think of any other place that serves one in Gotham. Can you? Artie's Deli: 2290 Broadway, New York NY 10024 (at 83rd Street; map); 212-579-5959
Along the same lines, Adam and I did have a burger topped with roast beef and cheese at Brennan & Carr a few months ago when we were in search of pizza in Gravesend, Brooklyn. It's called a Garguilo Burger (pictured), in honor of the Italian restaurant in Coney Island with the same name. The burger tasted steamed and weird, but the whole sandwich was oddly appealing in a gut-bombish kind of way. Brennan & Carr: 3432 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11229 (Avenue V/Gravesend Neck Road; map); 718-769-1254
I don't know...this seems like one of those paradoxes of many food combinations where 2 great things combined does not equal delicious. I love pastrami and burgers, but I'll leave them separate.
Liebman's Deli in Riverdale has a pastrami burger as well - it's a good substitute for bacon, but the burger itself is pure meh - overcooked, overpacked meat.
For some reason the NY Times made it seem like it was invented in Utah, when most glatt kosher delis have been serving them for years. The best ones that I can think of in Manhattan, off the top of my head, are at Wolf and Lamb (my recommendation), Mr. Broadway, Cafe Classico, Noah's Ark, and the more expensive one at the Prime Grill. There are more that I can't think of, and countless more in the outer boroughs.
I used to live in SLC and ate a ton of these things. They are delcious. I had to stop as all that meat tended to be a gut bomb and made the afternoons a sleepy affair
Far from NYC, but one of my favorite sandwiches ever, is the Bartender Special at Cooter Brown's in New Orleans. Just the right amount of hot Pastrami and melted Swiss on a half-pound pattie.
Mmmmm. I frequented Crown Burger in SLC for those tasty bites probably more than I should have. Fries and gyros were great too. They've been around for over 30 years. Notable in Utah, I think, because there really weren't many great delis where you could get pastrami on anything, other than at the Italian markets downtown. Utah has changed a lost since I lived there, though. There is an unbelievable variety of restaurants and food available now.
Keep in mind, the Pastrami you get in a "Pastrami Burger" is virtually never good pastrami.
At best it's wet commercial stuff, often with the wrong spice notes like too much coriander, and not enough pepper, sort of like a cross between pastrami and chopped spiced ham product.
At worst, it's the awful lean mealy stuff made from the wrong cut of beef.
We won't even mention the stuff made with celery juice that looks like commercial roast beef (bleah).
@gb916 I thought the Times article was pretty clear that it was invented in Los Angeles, and evolved in the Greek-owned restaurants of SLC. And the kosher version probably doesn't have cheese and thousand island.
There's a deli called Morgan's Market on Hudson Street and Reade Street that sells pastrami burgers. It a little deli burger, nothing special, but tasty.
I grew up eating at Crown Burgers in Salt Lake City because I lived near it and I still have fond memories of those burgers. They are seriously worthy of Times recognition. The pastrami is perfect as well as the patty.
Oh and SLC is run by greek burger places like the article says, but Crown is the best.
Forget the burger, the roast beef and cheese looks like a much better sandwich all on it's own. For some reason, the burger looks like one of those you would get under a heat lamp at an HJ off the highway.
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14 Comments:
I don't know...this seems like one of those paradoxes of many food combinations where 2 great things combined does not equal delicious. I love pastrami and burgers, but I'll leave them separate.
pastry262 at 2:11PM on 07/29/09
Liebman's Deli in Riverdale has a pastrami burger as well - it's a good substitute for bacon, but the burger itself is pure meh - overcooked, overpacked meat.
Erisgrom at 2:47PM on 07/29/09
For some reason the NY Times made it seem like it was invented in Utah, when most glatt kosher delis have been serving them for years. The best ones that I can think of in Manhattan, off the top of my head, are at Wolf and Lamb (my recommendation), Mr. Broadway, Cafe Classico, Noah's Ark, and the more expensive one at the Prime Grill. There are more that I can't think of, and countless more in the outer boroughs.
gb916 at 3:11PM on 07/29/09
2nd avenue deli has been serving them for years
thalthewall at 4:00PM on 07/29/09
I used to live in SLC and ate a ton of these things. They are delcious. I had to stop as all that meat tended to be a gut bomb and made the afternoons a sleepy affair
dnacowboy at 4:30PM on 07/29/09
Far from NYC, but one of my favorite sandwiches ever, is the Bartender Special at Cooter Brown's in New Orleans. Just the right amount of hot Pastrami and melted Swiss on a half-pound pattie.
BKNYDan at 4:30PM on 07/29/09
Sarge's in murray hill
alexeatsworld at 4:35PM on 07/29/09
Mmmmm. I frequented Crown Burger in SLC for those tasty bites probably more than I should have. Fries and gyros were great too. They've been around for over 30 years. Notable in Utah, I think, because there really weren't many great delis where you could get pastrami on anything, other than at the Italian markets downtown. Utah has changed a lost since I lived there, though. There is an unbelievable variety of restaurants and food available now.
yankeesgal at 7:08PM on 07/29/09
Top's in Pasadena makes a seriously awesome pastrami burger. The dog I used to live with would go crazy as soon as I walked in the door with it.
Arjun at 8:50PM on 07/29/09
Keep in mind, the Pastrami you get in a "Pastrami Burger" is virtually never good pastrami.
At best it's wet commercial stuff, often with the wrong spice notes like too much coriander, and not enough pepper, sort of like a cross between pastrami and chopped spiced ham product.
At worst, it's the awful lean mealy stuff made from the wrong cut of beef.
We won't even mention the stuff made with celery juice that looks like commercial roast beef (bleah).
peekpoke at 9:11PM on 07/29/09
@gb916 I thought the Times article was pretty clear that it was invented in Los Angeles, and evolved in the Greek-owned restaurants of SLC. And the kosher version probably doesn't have cheese and thousand island.
alexlv at 1:39AM on 07/30/09
There's a deli called Morgan's Market on Hudson Street and Reade Street that sells pastrami burgers. It a little deli burger, nothing special, but tasty.
Ilikefrenchfries at 8:37AM on 07/30/09
I grew up eating at Crown Burgers in Salt Lake City because I lived near it and I still have fond memories of those burgers. They are seriously worthy of Times recognition. The pastrami is perfect as well as the patty.
Oh and SLC is run by greek burger places like the article says, but Crown is the best.
limegreen at 12:42PM on 07/30/09
Forget the burger, the roast beef and cheese looks like a much better sandwich all on it's own. For some reason, the burger looks like one of those you would get under a heat lamp at an HJ off the highway.
Raiders757 at 4:52PM on 07/30/09