Also as I always do, I turned to Jerry and said, “Wanna get something to eat?” He quickly answered, “Yeah, I could eat,” and we were on our way. Jerry had tried to get me to check out Sam’s a few different times, but for some reason or another, it never worked out, but this day it did.
Sam’s World Famous Steak Sandwich is located on Carson St. in Lakewood, but this is not where they started. The first location was in Bellflower on Lakewood Blvd., but in 2009, a car crashed into the building, burning it down. Dave, the owner (yes, I know his name is not Sam), tried to rebuild, but as Bellflower does to so many, he got tied up in the bureaucracy that is The Friendly City, forcing him to just walk away. Two years later, he reopened at this location, and I am so glad that he did.
The new location is not small. There are about 12 tables and it’s usually very busy. I ordered the steak sandwich, because I had to know what it was all about. Jerry got the pastrami, because it looked good and he had been eating the steak for his whole life. We also ordered fries because there always has to be a starch, right? As soon as we were done ordering, we moved to the photo book that showed the wreckage of the first stand, and the owner Dave came out and talked to Jerry and I. He talked about his Dad and the picture on the wall that was taken in 1957 with cars all pulled up to the joint. It was nice to get the history, but I was here for the food.
We found our seats and soon after, the tray of wonderfulness showed up. My large steak sandwich was just that: LARGE. It was made with a fresh soft bun, mustard, thinly sliced dill pickles, tomato, lettuce and a big tenderized, marinated piece of steak. The meat is so good. The marinade brought out the flavors of the beef and the tenderizing allowed all of the accouterments to mix, making the sandwich so much easier to chew. The mustard and pickles balanced the meat very well, while the tomato and lettuce helped mellow and merge the flavors together. I don’t know if it is world famous, but I will say it is the best I have ever had. Jerry enjoyed his pastrami, but I doubt that it was anywhere near as good as my meal.
Go in and try it for yourself; you will not be disappointed. They have combos, specials and family packs. You can call in your order and pick it up or eat there. They also offer free WIFI, so if you have to work through your lunch, just take your laptop. But be careful. You’ll need both hands for that sandwich.
Until next time, keep eating Long Beach,
Cliv
Sam’s World Famous Steak Sandwiches is located at 3205 Carson Street Lakewood, CA 90712, (562) 420-6585