Last night Dr. H and I went out to dinner with a bestest friend who is moving to Costa Rica for several months. A mutual bff between the two of us, Q is about as special a friend as you can get, so when his departing flight got delayed (for 2 days!) due to weather, we were honored that he and his lovely lady wanted to share his last, last supper, with us. We told him to pick anything he wanted for his "Farewell to NYC" meal and Q went to work thinking about what would be the perfect thing to hold him over until he comes back this summer. The following is a summary of the epic NYC culinary adventure my boy Q took us on last night... hats off to you Q, you definitely know how to eat :)
Located at the corner of Ludlow and Houston since 1888 (though across the street and not called "Katz's Delicatessen" until 1917) Katz's is a New York City institution. If you do deli, you must do Katz's... if you don't do deli, you still must do Katz's (their matzoh ball and split pea soups and knishes are BEYOND). Made even more famous by THIS iconic scene from (my most favorite movie) When Harry Met Sally, Katz's is one of those wonderful places that absolutely refuses to change - the atmosphere is only rivaled by the pastrami.
At Katz's, you order at the counter from a deli guy (ranging from younger than you to as old as your Grandpa), a hot foods guy and a drink guy, all of whom stamp your ticket with what you get and you pay on the way out (unless you want to use credit card; the knish/latke guy can help you with that!) When I go to Katz's, I'm tempted by the brisket and corned beef no doubt, but in my opinion, the pastrami is a no brainer.
When you order your sandwich, the guy fresh slices the meat right from a giant hunk. He even gives you a slice on a little bread plate to nosh while he constructs your masterpiece. Naturally that monstrosity of meat on rye was not enough for this fatty (<-- actual endearingly used high school nickname) so I ordered a side of potato latkes (I miss you Channuka!) Everyone also gets two huge pickles on the side (and you know how Dr. H and I feel about pickles).
We ate until we could eat no more (along with a latke, I packed up 1/4 of a half sour pickle because I was so at my limit, but clearly couldn't leave it behind) and then Q informed us that it was time to move on to dessert. Good lord. "We have to you guys... before I go I need tiramisu." How could we deny that plea? So we cabbed it west to Mezzogiorno for "the best tiramisu in the WORLD" (as declared by Q).
Turns out, Q has been going to Mezzogiorno (Spring at Sullivan St) since he was a little dude visiting NYC with his family so I wondered if the deliciousness he felt was actually nostalgia until I took a bite... You guys, this tiramisu is NO JOKE. Light and sweet, perfectly combining flavors, I'm not even a big tiramisu person and this thing was just... Wow. We also enjoyed a ricotta cheesecake and sweet pudding (both the bees knees). Then we rolled ourselves out the door into the wintery night.
Q, thank you for reminding me just how much I love New York City... and food... and you! Good luck in Costa Rica and come home soon!!
