Time To bite Down On The Best French Dip In Los Angeles!
You are looking at a legendary “French Dipped Sandwich”, thanks to the iconic LA restaurant “Philippe The Original!”
As a fan of classic eateries, I always wanted to make my way to Philippe’s, which is located about a mile from downtown LA’s Union Station, where LA’s subways and Amtrak trains depart. Since I had a meeting downtown, I decided to finally try one of Philippe’s legendary sandwiches.
More Than One Hundred Years Dipping!
Philippe The Original has a long history feeding Los Angeles. As their website explains:
“Philippe The Original is one of the oldest and best known restaurants in Southern California. Philippe’s was established in 1908 by Philippe Mathieu, who claimed the distinction of having created the “French Dipped Sandwich.” One day in 1918, while making a sandwich, Mathieu inadvertently dropped the sliced french roll into the roasting pan filled with juice still hot from the oven. The patron, a policeman, said he would take the sandwich anyway and returned the next day with some friends asking for more dipped sandwiches. And so was born the “French Dipped Sandwich,” so called either because of Mathieu’s French heritage, the French roll the sandwich is made on or because the officer’s name was French. The answer is lost to history.”
They also have pork dip, ham dip, turkey dip, even lamb dip sandwiches!
This is a beautiful picture of a lamb dip from LA Weekly – but I decided to order up a traditional “beef dip” – so I got in line and perused the menu:
Along with your choice of meat, you have to decide if you want a “single dip”, a “double dip”, or order it “wet.”
I got the “double dipped” beef, which means that both toasted buns are dipped in au jus sauce…a single dip would just be the bottom bun, and “wet” is to put th entire bun and sandwich in!
I just might go “wet” next time, because the au jus is delicious! I got a side of macaroni salad, literally a $1.70 – as you can see the sandwiches are very inexpensive as well – and very filling!
I got some swiss cheese on it, and ordered it on a french roll, and it was a great tasting meal!
If you want to know more about the history of the great restaurant, you can read all about Philippe’s at their website:
I also went to New York last year and had the chance to visit the incredible Katz’s Delicatessan:
Yes, the pastrami on rye is as large as the legend – see the entire menu here:
I hope this post made you hungry, and bravo to Philippe’s The Original – may you serve forever!
I was glad to see Philippe’s busy – so many of LA’s classic restaurants are closing down, like Dominick’s in West Hollywood did a few years back:
Here is a look at the fight to save some of LA’s greatest institutions:
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Yum, looks good! And they do the dipping for you! That’s new to me. 🙂
An (L.A.) oldie, but a goodie. Remember these fondly, especially since I’m forbidden from eating these anymore. 😉
Forbidden! Well that’s not fair!
A long time ago, my Dad and I did a French Dip comparison between Philippe’s and Cole’s, both of whom claim to be the originator of the French Dip. They both had their merits, but my favorite at the time was Cole’s (this was before the place was reinvented and modernized). I loved being able to order straight from the carver. He was an older man, who had probably been carving there for years and it had a certain charm that standing in the long lines at Philippe’s didn’t. Sadly, when they remodeled, the carver was no longer a part of the new image. But, I’m happy it’s still there.
Since I have more business downtown on a regular basis, I am going to try Cole’s as well and may the best french dip win!
I had never heard of a French Dip sandwiich, and now I want one! I have had pastrami on rye, and also Kosher Salt Beef bagels, from Blooms, a Jewish deli in London.
https://glamorousglutton.com/salt-beef-sandwiches-and-blooms-of-whitechapel/
Best wishes, Pete.
They have the pastrami version as well, but this place, now open 108 years, is renowned for the “french dipped” version, which is truly delicious!