Liz Taylor Restaurant Review #1: Canter's Deli
I've been very busy and haven't had time to follow the diet.
But, since I live in Los Angeles, I CAN still eat like Elizabeth Taylor.
First stop on the tour of Classic Hollywood Haunts: Canter's Delicatessen!
Photo Cred: Me
This Jewish deli has been serving pastrami on rye to Hollywood's elite since 1931.
Recently, the deli was featured on Mad Men. West Coast-ified Pete Campbell liked to go there when he was feeling homesick for salty, juicy meat:
According to the Canter's website, Liz loved to eat at the deli... but no one actually has any proof of that. Since everyone's been there, from Marilyn Monroe to Taylor Swift, it probably definitely must be true.
Maybe she just drank in the Kibitz room next door. (If there was drinking, she was there.)
The deli is open 24 hours a day and serves Jewish comfort food like matzo ball soup and knishes.
Photo Cred: Me
The inside is all vinyl and plastic, in shades of brown and faded maroon. Still very retro, but in an unappealing, 70s kind of way.
When I went there with my father, the hostess slapped our menus onto the booth table without saying a word. (She was dressed like a crazed Christmas elf--but I guess, since it was Christmas Eve, she gets a pass.)
My dad loved that they brought giant pickles out to the table. Seated around us were an assortment of weathered-looking kooky types. It truly felt like a large version of a classic New York diner.
I got a Turkey Rachel, with cole slaw and Russian dressing. It was on Challah bread. Challah bread makes me swoon.
My dad had the classic Pastrami on Rye. We both agreed that we'd had better on the East Coast, but I guess we're spoiled. Having been out here for a year and a half now, I have to say that the sandwich did feel a little like coming home. The fries were the bomb.com.
The pastry case was filled with perfect rugelach, that I will hopefully get to feast on someday.
The verdict: Good for a filling meal on a rare cold, rainy LA day. I bet if I had been there drunk at two in the morning, it would have been the best meal of my goddam life. It's not very diet friendly, whether you're following "Elizabeth Takes Off" or something less... fabulous.