The Hat World Famous Pastrami

[QueBert]

I wanted the most unhealthy lunch I could assemble today so I decided to hit up The Hat. I'm sure anyone in the SO Cal has at least heard of them. This isn't my first trip there, but it's been a good while. It's not close to me, not exactly far either though. 9 words "GOD DAMN THAT'S A LOT OF CHILI CHEESE FRIES!" By far the biggest order I've seen anywhere, one is easily splittable between 2 or 3 or maybe even 4 people. I'm not much of a sharer so I got my own order, with the fries extra cripsy for added flavor, texture and fat. I forgot to get them topped with Pastrami thou so I blew the "most unhealthy" goal. I'm still pretty sure even with just Chili & Cheese my calorie and fat content was higher then even the biggest of combo meals from a major chain like MCDonalds. I think the order contains 2 whole potatos, 2 cups of chili and 1/2 a block of cheese. DELICIOUS!

followed it up with a Pastrami Burger, which is a Hamburger topped with Pastrami, I forgot to tell them to add Chili so I blew making it the most unhealthy lunch for a 2nd time Washed it down with Orange Bang, which tastes like Orange Juice with sugar added and thicker, almost like an Orange Julius just not quite as thick. Dunno why you don't see this drink many places, because it's really really good.

what a meal, I couldn't finish it all so dinner will be the rest of what's left. Place was fuckin PACKED to the max. If anyone lives close to one and hasn't been I suggest you do. If you can't stomach eating like an absolute pig who doesn't care about Heart Attack, they have Turkey Sammiches and a few other items that aren't bad for you and not loaded with calories and extra delicious fat. I vote The Hat for teh wins.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Nothing in California passes as a respectable deli. If you want real pastrami you get it in New York City.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Sounds delicious.

Best Chile Cheese burger/fries I've had are from Tommy Burger. I will have to hit up this place next time I'm in SoCal.

 

[uclaLabrat]

Man, I used to eat two of their chili burgers and split some fries or onion rings with my friends. I moved away from the one in brea, and hadn't been there in a while. Like 3 months ago I went to the one in lake forest with another buddy of mine, had ONE burger and some onion rings. My GI tract began the insurrection shortly thereafter.

 

[sygyzy]

The Hat really is the best pastrami. I completely agree with QueBert.

 

[Daishiki]

The Hat and Tommy's are my favorites for chili cheese fries down here. My co-worker thought he could handle an order of fries himself. He learned how wrong he was when his order came out.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Nothing in California passes as a respectable deli. If you want real pastrami you get it in New York City.

have you been to The Hat? It's NOT a deli, doesn't even try to be. "nothing in California passes as a respectable deli" Have you ever heard of Jerry's Deli in LA? it's easily better than 97.5% of Deli's on the East Coast, or anywhere for that matter. NY might have some awesome delis but the typical one ain't that much better, NY does have more that are better than the average deli in Cali but The HAT owns, that's why it's packed from open till closing, and it's big inside. Does The Hat have the best Pastrami ever? I don't know, and you don't either because you haven't eaten Pastrami everywhere. I have eaten it at maybe 100 deli's and res truants over the year and The Hat's is close to the top of the list. Jerry's is better, but it's also much more expensive and you can't get an order of Chili Cheese Fries there big enough to feed an entire family

to Fmr12B Tommys is unquestionably the best chili cheese fries anywhere, we were going to go there but decided on Hat. I could eat Tommys Chili Cheese Fries every day, they just added a Chili Cheese Breakfast Burrito to the menu a few months ago.

2 Eggs + Crumbled Sausage + Cheese + Chili + Tortilla. I don't see how it could be anything but good. I approve of Chili for breakfast.

 

[FleshLight]

You could've ordered pastrami fries ($9) =)

 

[QueBert]

That's what I meant to order but it slipped my mind, I actually might go back next week and order fries with pastrami and put Tommy's Chili on top, Hats chili is pretty good but Tommy's is like 589.5% better, $9 sounds like a lot of money but this group of Firemen were behind me and some of them ordered the the pastrami fries, it was an obscene amount! I'm a horrible pig of an eater and even I was going "holy shiiit that's a lot of food!" Anyone can finish those by themselves in 1 sitting would be a hero in my eyes.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: sygyzy
The Hat really is the best pastrami. I completely agree with QueBert.

ditto this. i have experienced the hat.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: QueBert

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Nothing in California passes as a respectable deli. If you want real pastrami you get it in New York City.

have you been to The Hat? It's NOT a deli, doesn't even try to be. "nothing in California passes as a respectable deli" Have you ever heard of Jerry's Deli in LA? it's easily better than 97.5% of Deli's on the East Coast, or anywhere for that matter. NY might have some awesome delis but the typical one ain't that much better, NY does have more that are better than the average deli in Cali but The HAT owns, that's why it's packed from open till closing, and it's big inside. Does The Hat have the best Pastrami ever? I don't know, and you don't either because you haven't eaten Pastrami everywhere. I have eaten it at maybe 100 deli's and res truants over the year and The Hat's is close to the top of the list. Jerry's is better, but it's also much more expensive and you can't get an order of Chili Cheese Fries there big enough to feed an entire family

to Fmr12B Tommys is unquestionably the best chili cheese fries anywhere, we were going to go there but decided on Hat. I could eat Tommys Chili Cheese Fries every day, they just added a Chili Cheese Breakfast Burrito to the menu a few months ago.

2 Eggs + Crumbled Sausage + Cheese + Chili + Tortilla. I don't see how it could be anything but good. I approve of Chili for breakfast.

Bay Cities deli in Santa Monica will pwn any NY deli.

 

[mrkun]

The Hat's decent. I live near a The Hat (that sounds funny) and there is better pastrami available in the area (east Ventura County).

Edit: I wonder why they haven't put any of their stores in LA or the Valley.

 

[dudeman007]

The Hat Fing owns.

 

[venkman]

Free Hat!!! Free Hat!!! Free Hat!!!

 

[SampSon]

It's cute that california residents actually believe their delis will top NYC.

 

[funkymatt]

Went to the one in lake forest before, the sandwich was ok, but i make the mistake of ordering 3 large fries.

 

[AccruedExpenditure]

I'm from CA, and I've got to say the Hat is the most overrated place i've been to in SoCal. Disneyland included
-AE

 

[jjones]

Tommy's chili cheese fries and chili cheese burgers. Mmm... Sometimes I miss SoCal, but not enough to want to go back.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: SampSon
It's cute that california residents actually believe their delis will top NYC.

Again, The Hat's not even close to a Deli, and as far as Deli's we have a couple WORLD famous ones, the typical one might not be better than "NYCs" delis where are instantly and magically the greatest ever simply because they're in NYC. In fact if The Hat was in NYC it would be the best Pastrami ever, amazing! I find your comment as cute as NYC'ers who act like the worst NY deli is better then anything out here. It's cool you can have the overall better delis, I'd rather have the best Burgers any day of the week.

Jerry's Deli will hang with anything NYC has to offer if not beat it pretty soundly.

hell the Best Pastrami I ever had was from a hole in the wall fast food place I can't even remember the name of, this thread has nothing to with Deli's, yes a lot of Deli's has Pastrami sandwiches but so do other places too.


to jjones, Tommy's Fed Ex's Gallon containers of their Chili on dry ice or something. It's pretty reasonable, last time I checked about $18 for a gallon not sure how much shipping is. But the Chili is impossible to top so it might be something worth looking into. One time I bought a Gallon and put it on everything I made for a few weeks, Chili Omelets, Chili Nachos, Chili Baked Potato, Grilled Cheese with Chili in it. It's good on anything.

 

[uhohs]

6.79 for a pastrami dip. too much.
and to me it looks like the pastrami dip got smaller over the years as price went up.