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Los Angeles without Langer’s? Say it ain’t so
Famed celebrity chef Bobby Flay first patronized Los Angeles’ iconic Langer’s deli two years ago. Like many visitors, he ordered the famed No. 19 sandwich, made up of savory pastrami, Swiss cheese, cole slaw, Russian dressing, rye bread and spicy brown mustard.
“I’ve sort of missed the beat,” Flay said on the travel food show “Bobby and Sophie on the Coast.” “I should have been here a long time ago, but now that I know that it’s here, I’ll be back for sure.”
The sandwich has earned acclaim, from die-hard New York foodies who believe Langer’s is on the same level as Katz, the pride of the Lower East Side, to individual chefs who have called the No. 19 “the world’s best sandwich.”
It’s hard to imagine Los Angeles without Langer’s. One man, however, has given plenty of thought to such a scenario: restaurant owner Norm Langer.
“I’m considering closing,” the 77-year-old Langer told Times columnist Steve Lopez, who wrote a column about Langer’s deliberation.
Langer’s, closing? That would be a hole-in-your-soul development.
What’s behind this development?
Langer’s has stood constant since 1947 and is on the city’s pantheon of age-defiant Los Angeles eateries and establishments, joining Philippe, Guelaguetza, Pink’s, El Cholo, Musso & Frank. It’s hard to imagine MacArthur Park — and the city — without one of its most iconic anchors.
“It’s a strong consideration,” Langer insisted of closing, saying he’s exhausted by City Hall’s face-plant when it comes to answering the basic needs of nearby residents and merchants.
But Langer told Lopez he’s “tired of pushing the cart up the hill,” of cajoling city officials to clean the streets, restore public safety and make MacArthur Park a destination again, rather than a place to avoid.
“That park is very important for the people who live in this area,” Langer said. “We have to give it back to them.”
What’s going on with MacArthur Park?
The 35-acre park still has its safer, less troubled areas and it still hosts youth sports and live music.
But Rosario Argueta, who serves on the MacArthur Park Neighborhood Council, told Lopez she won’t let her three kids use the park. And Ivonnenanette Machado, who sits on the same council, said her daughter got a husky for protection.
The Westlake/MacArthur Park subway station, a vital link for students and commuters, is a dicey proposition because of crime and drugs.
Andrew Wolff, president of the neighborhood council, said the police presence has diminished over the last two years. Langer agrees, and bristles about it, noting that Eunisses Hernandez, the City Council rep for the area, had called for the defunding of police.
Wolff said drug activity is particularly brazen in neighborhood alleys. In one, he said, “you’ll see bodies on top of each other, completely passed out, with the stench of fentanyl everywhere, and as you look up the alley, there’s a fog from everyone smoking, and people are walking around like zombies. It’s a disgrace that it exists.”
What does Langer see as the solution?
The top priority has to be public safety, Langer said, and he wants to see “improved lighting, increased police patrols, social services outreach and targeted clean-up efforts.”
For all that he and other merchants have contributed to local culture and commerce, and the city treasury, he says he wants a fair shake in return.
Langer said his 40 employees are union, with healthcare, sick leave, vacations and two free meals a day of their choosing “except for Lox and steaks.” And they are the main reason he wants to stay open.
Langer said he would like to continue his run, depending.
His message to City Hall: “Let them get their act together, and I won’t go anywhere. How does that sound?”
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Column One
Column One is The Times’ home for narrative and longform journalism. Here’s a great piece from this week:
(Gary Kazanjian/For The Times)
For nearly 100 years Koda Farms grew some of the most beloved rice in the country in conditions far from ideal. Its rice was a finicky crop that sprouts slow, skinny and tall, with fewer grains per bunch, and heads that can sag below the reach of the thresher and end up in the mud.
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For your weekend
(Illustration by Lindsey Made This; photo by Jean-Baptiste Lacroix / AFP via Getty Images)
Going out
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L.A. Affairs
Get wrapped up in tantalizing stories about dating, relationships and marriage.
(Comrayo / For The Times)
When his beer arrived, he opened his mouth widely to brutishly remove his aligners. I watched as he stuck both fists in his face to remove the saliva-drenched hardware, which he then placed in a little blue box. He wiped his hands on his jeans, smiled broadly and pointed to his teeth. “I wear Invisalign on the top and bottom.”
Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team
Andrew J. Campa, reporter
Carlos Lozano, news editor
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