Los Angeles is the city of stars, yet the pastrami at Langer's Delicatessen in Los Angeles is a star in its own right. The best way to enjoy it is in the form of a sandwich called the No. 19. The deli opened in 1947, and its founder, Al Langer, developed the flagship sandwich. The No. 19 combines hot pastrami, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, Russian dressing, and rye bread. The item gained acclaim during the 1950s and '60s, and it has become a favorite among entertainers, food critics, and screenwriting royalty like Nora Ephron.

Today, Langer's is run by Al's son, Norm Langer. In a glowing 2002 New Yorker article written by Ephron, Norm shared that most delis would steam their pastrami for 30 to 45 minutes. However, Langer's goes farther with the process. "We take that piece of pastrami, put it into our steamer, and steam it for almost three hours," Norm explained. "It will shrink twenty-five to thirty percent, but it's now tender — so tender it can't be sliced thin in a machine because it will fall apart. It has to be hand-sliced."

The whole hand-slicing component is part of what makes the pastrami so succulent and prevents it from becoming rubbery. The deli's founder honed that skill while working at New York delis. Another key to making the sandwich scrumptious involves using par-baked bread that Langer's finishes baking on site, ensuring it is piping hot.

The world's best pastrami?

Pulitzer prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold claimed that "Langer's probably serves the best pastrami sandwich in America," per the LA Times. This is a bold statement, considering pastrami's strong ties to New York. As you might imagine, such a well-crafted sandwich doesn't come cheap, especially nowadays. The No. 19 cost 35 cents when Langer's opened. In 2002, the year Nora Ephron wrote about it, the sandwich sold for $8.50. A decade later, the price had climbed to $22. "Is half a pound of meat, two slices of rye bread, and a pickle worth $22?" Norm Langer asked the LA Times. "I don't know. But I've got to make ends meet."

Though Langer might have wondered about the price tag, there are clearly people who are willing to spend the money. On Yelp, the deli has a 4.5-star rating out of 4,900 reviews, and customers have shown plenty of love for the No. 19. Multiple diners used the word "harmony" to describe the interplay of the meat, coleslaw, and bread. As one fan marveled, "Within the first bite of the sandwich you can tell why this place has been in business for so long."

Though its prices might change, one thing remains the same: The No. 19 is a delicious sandwich with star power. Ephron even claimed it was "the finest hot pastrami sandwich in the world."