PrintBruni Reviews Katz's: "Enemies Change. The Appetite for Sausage Doesn't"
In a move certain to infuriate upscale chefs and restaurateurs in New York (who mistakenly believe that the Times restaurant critic should only review fancy-pants restaurants, Frank Bruni devotes his review today to a delicatessen. Not just any deli, of course. But the beloved institution Katz's.
He was spurred on by all the rumors floating around that Katz's might be sold. Frank correctly identifies just about all the must-have items on the Katz's menu; pastrami, corned beef, and knoblewurst. But he also talks up the virtues of the Katz's turkey sandwich. Even if the turkey is surprisingly moist, there is still no reason to order a turkey sandwich at Katz's. If a turkey sandwich is what you're after in New York, go to a Viand Coffee Shop.
Also Frank says that "the turkey says a lot about the restaurant's pride in what it serves." Unfortunately that pride doesn't extend to the awful french fries (when I was growing up Katz's fresh french fries were legendarily delicious), the pretty dreadful matzo ball soup, the terrible potato pancakes and knishes, and the generic cole slaw not made on premises that is identical to the cole slaw found at Smiler's and hundreds of other faceless delis and coffee shops in New York.
His only comment on the hot dogs, which are indisputably delicious and one of the highlights of the Katz's menu, is that they are markedly inferior to the knoblewurst. I love the knoblewurst, too (though they can toughen if they have been on the grill too long), but Katz's hot dogs do rock.
For more on Katz's hot dogs and pastrami, here are a couple of choice morsels from stories I wrote for the Times. I offer them up free of charge.
"You know those hot dogs that you know and love, and can't wait to eat this time of year? The ones served at Katz's Delicatessen, Gray's Papaya, Papaya King, the legendary Dominick's truck in Queens and the best "dirty water dog" carts?"
"They're all the same dog, manufactured by Marathon Enterprises, of East Rutherford, N.J., the parent company of Sabrett. They may vary in size, preparation and condiment selection (and Papaya King has Marathon add a secret spice to its mixture), but they're the same ol' dog. In fact, until a few years ago, Marathon made Nathan's hot dogs."
"Classic New York delis have a long and proud hot-dog-serving tradition. Sure, Katz's, on East Houston Street, serves that same old dog, but its 100-year-old trick is to leave the franks on the grill long enough so that the exterior is nice and crisp and the interior stays juicy."
"The countermen at Katz's still cut the pastrami by hand. The meat is very juicy, flavorful and usually extremely tender. The experience of eating it is rivaled only by the ritual of its order and preparation, in which the the counterman pulls a navel from the steam box in back of him and then slices meat for your sandwich in the manner of a surgeon. Invariably, he will offfer you a taste, put forth on a small plate. If the pastrami seems understeamed or a little tough, don't be afraid to ask for another pastrami that has been steaming longer in the metal box."
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2 Comments:
I still haven’t been to Katz’s, but plan on popping over there for a bite this weekend; I can’t really feel like a New Yorker without at least one sandwich.
I know that Bruni reviewing Katz’s was more to save the place than anything else,with the rumors that it was going under, but someone (can’t remember which blog) made the argument that he should have just written an article, rather than a review; it’s like giving a review of your grandmother’s cooking, you just don’t do it.
I’ll have to try a dog when I’m there, I can’t imagine it being better than a Boar’s Head dog, they’re the best of the best!
Bocce at 10:43AM on 05/31/07
Katz's is a second rate deli. What it has is atmosphere, and a decent knockwurst. Decades ago, if you couldn't afford 2nd Ave. Deli, Katz's was a reasonable cheaper choice, but then it was sold, the prices went up, and there was no reason to spend 2nd Ave. plus prices for food that didn't measure up. It's main selling point was that it was cheaper than other delis, when it lost that edge, what's the poiint? The loss of the 2nd Ave. Deli is a culinary crime NY will never recover from. As for the much vaunted franks, their okay, but is it worth it to spend that much for a Frank you can get for a little over a dollar at Gray's Papaya? And the fries do suck.A friend also claims to have seen some unsanitary things at Katz's, but who knows?
GorillaBob at 4:24AM on 06/03/07