One Shot at Deli in L.A.--Langer's, Art's or Canter's?

After many trips to L.A. on business over the years, finally doing the tourist thang by meeting cousins to do the cheesy (but I'm kinda looking forward to it!) Hollywood Trolley Tour in a jitney of sorts--Rodeo Drive, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, etc. Can Cesar Romero's house be far behind?! Then we may get into the Kimmel show later in the day, TBD.

But I'd love to have some on-the-ground experience as to, given the choice, what y'all would pick out of the three (or another, like Judi's) when visiting L.A. I've been to the Stage & Carnegie in NYC, Manny's here. Menus look great, kind of all the same to be honest.

Thanks in advance!

As we've recently discussed, I've been going to Canter's since knowing my wife. Canter's is still a solid option.

After you've enjoyed your food, it's about a 10 minute walk to The Original Farmers Market where you can graze and buy more food. A great one-two punch!

The Original Farmers Market
6333 W 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
https://farmersmarketla.com/

Only have had Langers, but I loved it so you've got a vote of confidence for 2 of the choices.

Canter's

Have not ever been to Art's, but I have been to Langer's and Canter's, and I favor the former, perhaps for extra-gustatory reasons. Langer's had more the vibe of Carnegie and Manny's, more vibrant, and the food "felt" fresher; Canter's was fine, and the food seemed almost as good, but the place trades heavily on celebrities who've eaten there, incl. Saul Hudson and the other GNRs (Guns n' Roses, not Great Neighborhood Restaurants), as well as Sir Mick, who probably consumed more calories for lunch at Canter's than he has in the past decade.

I was at Canter's on Saturday. I had a hot brisket open faced sandwich with gravy. Brisket tasted good but a little tough. I'll be going back. I haven't had the other two.

Langer’s, and not even close. But only for pastrami.

Did Langer's last month when out in L.A. From what I was able to taste, it's everything I had hoped.

It's located in a pretty sketchy-but-OK neighborhood on S. Alvarado. We walked from the monitored free lot past a couple of pawn shops, etc., actually like what you'd find around Roosevelt Rd. And you're also kiddie corner from MacArthur Park, of the song fame, and now homeless-laden. But those sights aside, on first glance Langer's immediately reminded me of Manny's, much more than the Stage or Carnegie Deli's in NYC or Shapiro's in Indy. The smell was right. Cabbage soup, check. Latkes, check. Kinda weird 70-something waiter, check. All outstanding.

I had the 'famous' #19, which is pastrami, cole slaw, swiss cheese and Russian dressing on rye, but subbing out pastrami for roast turkey. That bread...it was a chewy-crusted, soft-inside pleasure vessel. No time really to sample a lot of stuff, but we could only eat half--they're huge but better be at a price point a la carte of $21-$25. I know Danny Raskin at Manny's has complained for the last few years about the meat costs, so I get it.

Next year, maybe Nate & Al's--heard it's great. And then maybe a couple down in San Diego.

At the risk of being "that guy," it's "kitty-corner." A bastardization of a French phrase.

I did love, however, the image of a kiddie corner in a sketchy neighborhood.

spinynorman99 wrote:At the risk of being "that guy," it's "kitty-corner." A bastardization of a French phrase.

I never knew that, but Wiki says you're right!

"Why do they call it kitty-corner?
The term 'kitty-corner' has nothing to do with cats. Instead, it stems from the expression 'cater-corner,' which is derived from “quatre,” the French word for “four.” The term was used to describe the way the dots are placed on a dice positioned at number four, diagonally from one another."

jnm123 wrote:

spinynorman99 wrote:At the risk of being "that guy," it's "kitty-corner." A bastardization of a French phrase.

I never knew that, but Wiki says you're right!

"Why do they call it kitty-corner?
The term 'kitty-corner' has nothing to do with cats. Instead, it stems from the expression 'cater-corner,' which is derived from “quatre,” the French word for “four.” The term was used to describe the way the dots are placed on a dice positioned at number four, diagonally from one another."

Even a broken clock...

I was at Canter's a couple more times in the last two months. I had a brisket dip and a corned beef sandwich. Neither blew me away but I enjoyed both.

Kitty-corner is the Chicago dialect version. My girlfriend says katty-corner as she was raised in the south. Just like different parts of the country saw crawfish and we say crayfish. Or soda, pop or Coke. Or water fountain, drinking fountain or bubbler. Or gym shoes, sneakers, tennis shoes, etc. No one is right. It's just the local dialect.