I sucked in the water yesterday. Today, however, there was a delicious sandwich.

The road to becoming a surfer is sometimes riddled with potholes and pit stops. Or it is for people like me with phobias and neuroses to spare. For instance I thought I was making progress, but yesterday, while out with my surfing mentor, I crapped out on some waves again, and again I got a stern lecture. The last time this happened I wanted to go home, crawl into bed and not leave it for the rest of the day because I was just super bummed out. That didn't happen this time. In fact our session led to a sort of epiphany.  It was pointed out that I too often take the path of least resistance or look for the easy way out. I am sort of guilty of that. But I am learning it's sometimes good to have your flaws pointed out -- because then you can start to change them.

Speaking of change, you know what else has been changing, and most definitely for the better?  The Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles. I've been stopping in here occasionally for years, and for years it was pretty much the same, a mishmash assortment of food stands and produce and meat vendors, some better than others. But recently a new batch of places has opened that I'd been wanting to check out, most of all Egg Slut (next time!) and Wexler's Deli www.wexlersdeli.com. Today I had an errand to run near downtown so I decided to hit up the Grand Central Market. Well, if you're looking for really excellent deli and you are anywhere near downtown, go to Wexler's Deli and get one of these:

This sandwich is called the Macarthur Park, and it was created as an homage to the famous #19 sandwich at Langer's Deli on Alvarado. Now, don't get me wrong -- there's nothing wrong with the very old school Langer's either, or that #19, which is still very much one of the best sandwiches on the planet. But unlike Langers, Micah Wexler is taking deli to the next level.  In fact artisan delis have  been popping up from coast to coast in the last couple of years and there's nothing wrong with that either, is there?  Wexler is smoking meats and fish in house and pickling in house and slicing by hand, and I can tell you the results are pretty spectacular.  Now to be honest I had heard some mixed things about Wexler's.  A cousin wasn't too fond of the Corned Beef and even Jonathan Gold, I think, noted that things could be inconsistent until lately.  I can say the Macarthur Park was fantastic.  The Pastrami -- okay it was on the fatty side but we're talking pastrami so that's not bad -- was moist and so, so tender.  The combination of meat, slaw, Russian dressing and cheese is, like at Langer's, almost sublime.  And then there was the bread.  It was that really perfect rye, the crust a little crunchy but the bread soft.   Here's another view, though apologies because it's a little blurry, but I guess I was just too excited to eat!

Look at that beautiful, thickly cut Pastrami!  Really, really excellent!  I had gotten there just before the lunch rush, but now I can understand why a line quickly formed for Wexler's.  See?

By the way, I'm not 100% certain, but I'm pretty sure that's chef/owner Micah Wexler himself who was slicing some salmon behind the counter.  Definitely want to return to try some of that salmon.  As for lunch, the tab came to about sixteen bucks for the sandwich, a drink (Dr. Brown's Cream Soda!) and tip. This is pretty much what you'd pay at Langer's or any other deli in town, but I don't think any other deli will put as much attention and loving into what they make as they do here at Wexler's.

There are still some of the old school vendors at the Grand Central Market, but that's a good thing. The crowd is an eclectic mix of Angelinos -- there are longtime downtown denizens digging into ceviche from Lupita's, there are hipsters here and there. Tourists seem to be in abundance because the newer places have been getting a bunch of press. There were gents and ladies in business attire. There were cops on line at McConnell's Ice Cream and lots of jury duty people on their lunch break.  Everybody seems happy to be here.  So the next time you find yourself in or near downtown at lunch time, get to the Grand Central Market.  You'll be glad you did.