Johnnie’s Pastrami Restaurant, Los Angeles

I think they serve other things at Johnnie’s, but who really knows? If you don’t get the pastrami in the roll you’re a candidate for the Darwin Award, a raving psychotic, Swedish or Lindsay Lohan’s even more evil twin.

 Actually, you will find more flavorful pastrami than Johnnie’s if you look really hard, but you won’t find a better sandwich for the price. My recipe for satisfaction is to order a single sandwich—no side dishes; you won’t have room for them if you finish the sandwich, and finishing the sandwich is imperative—and crunch a bite of kosher dill pickle and a pickled pepper with every bite, wiping the sweat from my forehead after each bite with a fresh paper napkin (they never give you enough).  

 The tricky part of eating at Johnnie’s is the parking, especially if you show up around lunch time, and particularly on weekends. Your best bet is to take a few friends along with you, at least one of which must favor tacos over pastrami, and park in Tito’s parking lot around the corner of the same block (Tito’s is none too shabby, too, but we’re talking pastrami here so eat your taco elsewhere).

One nice thing about Johnnie’s is the outside dining area, which hasn’t changed in the past three centuries. It’s particularly nice at night when they have a fire going, but both day and night you get to enjoy the sounds and smells of the passing traffic on Sepulveda while eating, a dopy smile softening your face. Ah… Los Angeles.

http://www.johnniespastrami.com/

Johnnie’s Pastrami Restaurant

4017 Sepulveda Blvd

Culver City, CA 90230

(310) 397-6654