 Philippe The Original
Philippe's falls into a peculiar category of restaurants that every big city seems to have: places that still exist seemingly just because they always have and always will. Where things are done how they've always been done, whether or not that's any good. Where the food itself is secondary to the history, even if the history isn't that interesting. Nostalgia and tradition preserved in aspic … or, in this case, meat juice.
The claim to fame here is "the original" French Dip sandwich, and of course there's an equally old rival (Cole's) that also claims to have originated it. See also the Juicy Lucy, the Philly Cheese Steak, the Maxwell Street Polish, or any other local greasy delight that fed pre-WWII working stiffs. It was the 4AM dinner/breakfast of choice for L.A. dockworkers back in the day, and now it gluts the stomachs of locals and tourists alike.
I've eaten here numerous times—it's precisely the kind of place anyone from out of town loves to try—and yet I'm not sure anyone has ever walked away smackin' their lips and proclaiming "MAN, that was good!" Myself included. It's not that the food is bad, it's just that the food kind of doesn't matter. It's more about the experience: the excitement of the people in line, the sawdust on the floor, the rats … okay, okay, so they did clean the place up a little after being shut down for awhile. You won't necessarily get Dockworker's Disease. 🤷
You can get your French Dip with beef, lamb, pork, ham, turkey, or pastrami … my personal go-to is a lamb dip with swiss, as wet as possible (anything less than double-dipped here is double-dry). The hot mustard (made in house) is a must, as is the lemonade. The sides are nothing special, though they hit the mark; I usually get some potato salad or cole slaw. Some people swear by the chili; it's your typical diner chili. As far as places any given "L.A. essentials" list will steer you toward, Philippe's is certainly worth a visit, just for what it is … but it's far more "point of interest" than "meal of interest." I prefer the food at Cole's, which is more of an actual restaurant. When I'm in the mood for sightseeing, I usually just go on the "Grim Sleeper" bus tour.
Review by La Fée, January 2009
|
