Alan Richman recently revisited his childhood favorite, Katz’s Deli. He wasn’t happy. Me? I’m happy. I just picked up a half-pound of chopped liver from the 2nd Avenue Deli. For my money (and I forked over $8 for a small amount of something that is essentially made with scraps), their version is the best. And while I’ve never tried Katz’s, I don’t doubt Richman’s assessment that it’s awful. But the thing is, a lot of the food at Katz’s is awful, and it shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone familiar with the place that most of what Richman ate was lousy. What they do well (pastrami, hot dogs, knockwurst) they do exceedingly well, and while some of the other stuff isn’t bad (LEO pancake style, french fries, salami, pea soup) most of the rest of the menu is horrid. That’s just how NY deli is, I think. Places tend to have a couple of dishes that they excel in, and everything else is order at your own risk. Personally, I like this kind of vaguely cranky, old-timey specialization. And really, if you order a cheesesteak or fried chicken at Katz’s then you deserve what you get.