Philippe's French Dipped Sandwich

Since it was my first time in Los Angeles, I had to try some iconic eats! I stopped by Philippe The Original for their famous French Dipped Sandwich for lunch. The historic deli opened in 1908 by Philippe Mathieu, who claimed the distinction of having created the â€œFrench Dipped Sandwich.â€

Philippe’s

Lunch Time

So how did the French Dip come about? One day in 1918, while making a sandwich, Mathieu accidentally dropped a sliced French roll into a roasting pan filled with juice still hot from the oven. The customer, a police officer, said he would take the sandwich anyway and returned the next day with some friends asking for more dipped sandwiches. There you have it!

Philippe’s

Salads and Pickles

Order Up

Deli Counter

I lined up in front of the long deli case display to place my order. The specialty of the house can be made with either roast beef, roast pork, leg of lamb, turkey, pastrami or ham that’s served on a freshly baked French roll that’s been dipped in the natural gravy of the roasts. You can also add Swiss, American, Cheddar, Monterey Jack or Blue cheese.

Baked Goods

I ordered mine with roast beef and Monterey Jack. You can have it as a â€œsingle-dipâ€, double-dipâ€ or â€œwetâ€. I went with the double-dip where both slices of the roll are dipped into the “jus”. I also had to try their homemade macaroni salad and a lemonade to drink. All the food is placed on a cafeteria tray and you’re off to find an open seat. I sat at the counter against the wall.

Dining Tables

Philippe’s

Roast Beef French Dip

Macaroni Salad

I gotta say, I thought the sandwich was really good. The bread held up nicely, but was still soft. The warm jus was flavorful and not too salty. The roast beef is pretty well done and standard, but it all worked for a satisfying sandwich. The tangy macaroni salad was good too. I grabbed a squeeze bottle of their just-as-famous hot mustard and it made things even better!

Double Dipped

Hot Mustard

No regrets about stopping by Philippe’s for their famous French Dipped sandwich!

After lunch I decided to head to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). I always try my best to check out an art museum in every city I go. Located on Museum Row and adjacent to the La Brea Tar Pits, the LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States.

Museum Time

LACMA

The museum is home to the popular Instagram-worthy Urban Light sculpture by Chris Burden. The installation consists of restored street lamps from the 1920s and 1930s. You’ll also find various works from major artists like Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, and Pablo Picasso.