Having the pleasure of being able to spend time in what I call “America” and then visiting for a few months out of the year the State of California. The attitude of the members of California government makes me uncomfortable being that I am a white male. If you think I am exaggerating just listen to what state officials are calling Trump supporters, white supremacist?…. Of which I am proud to be if that is the name they throw around similar to use of the word racists.
When I do visit California I love to try and catch up on some great eats. Living in a state that is what I love to call America has some of the worst food I have ever eaten, welcome to Montana! The reason I mention this issue is that it is in fact very white in Montana and thus the food is just terrible. California, especially Southern California the cultural mix makes great food almost inevitable. You will not find this cultural mix in many parts of America and Montana is such a place.
The other day I decided to visit Canters located at 419 N. Fairfax. I having been enjoying many, many meals here since 1972! So, I am comfortable in my thoughts that I am expressing here, Canter’s Deli had the feeling of a bad funeral service, the body fell out of the casket, the grave is flooded and flowers have wilted…. Horribly bad. Something I also have a great deal of knowledge. We arrived in the early afternoon and the parking lot was the same as usual just not crowded for that time of day. That parking lot seems to be the same as my first visit in the 70’s, with no real change. The homeless person was also in his place, as nasty a human one could imagine, this being Los Angeles its all good that you see a really filthy fragrant human as you walk into a restaurant here in Los Angeles and it is perfectly acceptable.
The first thing I notice was the dirty glass on the doors as you enter the bakery and deli counter, along with what appeared to be a nasty floor… that smell that hits you as you enter most deli’s seems to be familiar. Hard to describe, the odor is so familiar in the most pleasant way.
The bakery department was not stocked as I recall. It was once real full with all kinds of cookies and turnovers and of course the huge chunk of cheesecake and the brownies. What I am reflecting, all sold by the pound the end result could be compared to purchasing precious metals in cost.
Upon being seated one of the dinosaurs who serve you here came over and asked if we wanted pickles? Of course, this too is something I can remember clearly and at one time you also got sauerkraut!
The pickles came out and were good as I remember and they were enjoyed. The prices for the food is bordering on insane! I have always loved the FRESSER, corned beef and pastrami with two full sides of coleslaw and potato salad, $25.50 …… it was good, a little dry but I ate it and enjoyed it. A PASTRAMI REUBEN $21.95 was also ordered and it arrived and looked delicious, just a little light on the pastrami. One thing I often do is order a side of french fries or onion rings, today it was FRIES, they were good but not fresh and not “THICK CUT”, $7.50 and two coffees at $ 4.50 each.
Over all it was good, not great and left me a bit sad as it was not as I had fond memories of. The feeling I got was the crumbling of a once great Jewish Deli. So many deli’s in America have gone the way of the cotton gin. The entire place had what felt like a serious layer of grease and filth, even the staff looked as if they were good friends with the homeless guy laying outside the door greeting you as you entered Canter’s.
Will I go back, perhaps, and I say this only in hoping that I am totally wrong and that I had visited on an off day…… I am saddened to think unfortunately, that I am spot on on what I saw and what the feeling was. After all, I am seldom wrong.