Fedora's Pizza & Deli

Tried the pastrami sandwich, classic style. Really liked it, really traditional. Don't plan on kissing anyone afterward though...onions will attack!

When it comes to pizza joints, I'll buy from the local guy rather than a chain any day.  Even a small chain.  According to some of the yelp reviews, this place looked like the kind of place that jewels are found.  

Uhmmm...not this time.

My GPS led me to a marginal neighborhood.  Not a bad one, just a down in the heels kind of area.  The place is a corner building.  You walk inside and there is a dining area with about 6 tables and a counter, with the kitchen being behind the counter.  Your first thought is "Holy Shit, is this place filthy!"  Even the stains had stains.   The guy behind the counter, I wasn't sure if he was the owner, or the village wino who takes out the trash for a bit of liquor money.  Turns out he was the proprietor.   When considering the order, I had to look at the menu above the counter.  There is one paper menu, a beat up Xerox copy that the person taking the order uses for a crib note.  Menu is basic, a variety of pizzas, sandwiches, gyros and a couple of salads.  

I ordered a sausage and mushroom pizza and this took about 20 minutes to have ready.  A large costs about $17 bucks.  I took the pizza back to the hotel room and found it adequate.  Crust is of medium thickness and chewy, tons of cheese, abundant sausage and canned mushrooms.  Sauce was rather bland, the mushrooms were soft and rather mushy, like they were old, sausage was OK but there was a weird aftertaste, anise seed maybe?

Eyeballed the sandwich prices, 4 bucks for a half and 6 for a whole.  Watched the guy make a few and they do look good and well stuffed.  So perhaps I should have went with a sub.  Two words of advice, when placing your order, speak loud and clearly, the man seems to have hearing problems and two; bring cash, the place doesn't take credit cards.

What makes this place interesting is that you can laugh about it after you've visited the place.  Probably a lot more fun if you knocked back a dozen beers before entering the place.

This was recommended to me by someone whose car broke down in front of it 10 years ago. Otherwise, how else would you stumble upon Fedora's. It doesn't seem to invite customers in, but the food makes you glad you took the chance.
Had a pizza and a sandwich, I think an Italian combo. They were both good. I will definitely return.