Who says you can't get a good pastrami sandwich on the west coast? Those who claim that obviously have not been to
The Hat in Pasadena.
There are nine Hat locations throughout the Los Angeles area. The Hat first opened its doors in Alhambra in 1951. It's now over fifty years old and still an LA favorite.
The location in Pasadena is on Lake Street, just off the 210 Freeway and is a local institution. You can't miss the sign; it's a classic 1950 neon sign with a chef's hat. It is a clean, square building with a tile floor and chrome counters. The moment you walk through the doors, you are transported back to another time and era. You order at the counter and then wait for your sandwich to be made and your number called. I label this as fast food, though I'm not sure if that is fair. Each sandwich is made fresh as it's ordered, and something like a hamburger can take a while to make. I for one appreciate the freshness and that nothing is just sitting under a heat lamp, waiting for someone to order it.
I always get the pastrami sandwich here. It's their signature and it can't be missed. The sandwich costs $6.29. Maybe a bit high for fast food, but worth every cent. The sandwich is piled high with warm meat on a fresh bun. It can easily compete with all the great pastrami sandwiches on the east coast.
The kids love their chili dogs and hamburgers. The chili burger is disgusting! It's a hamburger on a bun that has a large portion of chili poured over it, before the top bun is added. It's messy and sloppy. I have never had one but I have been told, it's the best hamburger in LA! Each chili burger requires several trips to the bathroom to clean up your dirty face or try to get that stain of chili off your new shirt!
The other messy creation are the Wet Fries. These are fries that are soaked in gravy. You can tell that in 1951, people were less concerned with cholesterol and fat! On my last visit I did have the avocado sandwich. It's a huge sandwich stuffed with avocado, tomato, and lettuce. It's perfect if a meat fix isn't what you are looking for.
I love the old photographs around The Hat that document it's history. They show a hamburger selling for 25 cents. Today the burgers are $2.29. One thing that has not changed is the service and the level of the product. Both the service and the portions and the taste of the sandwiches are what has kept them in business for over fifty years. There is a philosophy here of doing things right and giving the customer what they want. This is a proven formula, and the long lines here at lunch is all the proof you need that they are doing something right!