LA strip mall’s $38 sandwich divides fans as it’s crowned one of America’s best

Pita pilgrimage.

A beloved Glendale deli has been hailed as “sandwich heaven” by the New York Times.

Famed for their day-making, budget-breaking brisket basturma sandwich, Yerord Mas Bakery and Deli opened earlier this year in a former strip mall donut shop.

Chef Arthur Grigoryan has staunchly defended his viral, violently contested, $38 sandwich from critics who have called his hand-held heaven absurdly overpriced.

As Grigoryan previously told the LA Times, the controversial price reflects the $12 worth of top-tier ingredients that it comprises and the rent, labor, utilities, equipment, maintenance and insurance that support its divine design.

Each sandwich is laden with at least half a pound of Australian Wagyu, which costs about $11.50 per pound and can take up to a week to prepare.

Further, the dairy he uses is local, the bread is organic, and the price is, for many, well worth the experience.

The NY Times describes the freshly baked, fermented pita bread that the sandwich is served on as “a marvel.”

That pocket is layered with Wagyu brisket seasoned with fenugreek, smoked paprika, and cumin.

As part of the transformation from dead to divine, the brisket is cured, smoked, and finally steamed a process that, according to the NY Times, ensures “the meat is buttery, the fat beautifully rendered.”

The basturma sandwich is stacked with Persian pickles and Gruyère cheese and generously baptized with Grigoryan’s housemade Mornay sauce.

Though the sandwich’s heft is matched by its price tag, the NY Times notes that many Los Angeles eateries sell lesser dishes for the same price or more.

Moreover, it’s a lot of bite for the buck.

In May, L.A. Times restaurant critic Bill Addison called the sandwich “phenomenal, a statement piece of excess and engineering … easily enough to feed two people.”

Predictably, the sinkhole symposium that is Reddit has been rife with diner discourse.

“Arthur has been perfecting this for years now, literally over a decade. He’s kept prices as low as he can despite everything being from scratch and relying on his heritage,” defended one commenter.

“I ain’t paying no $38 for a damned sammich!” declared someone that no one asked.

“Complete ripoff; this should not be normalized,” cried another commenter.

“If the sandwich is big enough for two people, why not do half the size and chop the price in half, making it more accessible,” questioned another.

“The sando is good. tender. Sumptuous. Smoked. Best batsturma I’ve ever had. It’s cut thick and stuffed into a freshly made pita. The pita is also the best pita I’ve ever had,” praised one reviewer.

In addition to defending his price point and passion for excellence, Grigoryan has famously refused to offer takeout at his Glendale hot spot.

He defends his sit-down-only stipulation on the restaurant’s website, explaining that his food, anchored and inspired by his Armenian heritage, “is made to be eaten fresh…hot, perfect, and right here at the table. It was not built to sit in a box, steam itself to death, and show up at your house as a sad little shadow of what we worked hard to make.”

Touché Arthur.

Another topic of online furor is that the restaurant has no bathroom (customers in dire need are directed to Trader Joe’s down the street) nor does it offer booze.

However, fans say it more than makes up for what it lacks in basic amenities and intoxicants with the pure glory of flavor.

In response to the controversy and via Instagram, Grigoryan issued the following statement:

“To anyone who misunderstands what we’re trying to do or sees restaurants only through the lens of hype: that’s okay. We know who we’re cooking for, we know what we stand for, and we will keep doing the work with the same purpose and conviction that brought us here.”

For the food devout and the sandwich curious, Yerod Mas is open Wednesday through Sunday from 5 PM-10 PM.

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