Pastrami palace

This is Where Harry Met Sally, at Katz's, a kosher-style Jewish delicatessen in the lower east side of Manhattan on Houston street (pronounced house-ton and not like houston, texas). There are tons of people here so expect to wait in line, but it's really just enough time to make you ravenous for that legendary monster sandwich. A great deal of shouting goes on and controlled mayhem takes place behind the sandwich counter, intimidating for sure if you're the shy tourist from Manila. Each sandwich maker has his own queue and you're discouraged from dithering when you order. Just make it simple, order the pastrami on rye and you won't be disappointed. What you get is a mountain of meat, juicy and cut to perfection. A daub of mustard and a kosher pickle complete the meal. If you don't want to wait in line, do what the locals do and get a "hotdoag" from another section of the order counter (but really, didn't you have enough of those at Papaya King?). In addition, you can order a reuben if you're not into pastrami. They also have knishes, salami, hot or cold tongue, all typical Jewish deli fare. If you're vegan, then it's best to stay away.

Yes it's touristy but it's the synagogue for food in New York and really should be experienced by every visitor to Gotham. It's the oldest Jewish deli in the city, established in 1888. It exudes atmosphere aplenty with a dizzying array of pictures and knicknacks all over. Their quaint tagline, 'send a salami to your boy in the army,' posted on the walls, is a reminder of world wars past yet still so apt today. One caveat, it's not cheap and, depending on your frame of mind for the day, can feel like the proverbial tourist trap. I guarantee you though, it's one meal you're not likely to forget. Any other pastrami sandwich will be feeble in comparison to Katz's.