The Original French Dip « The Scifen Company

THE ORIGINAL FRENCH DIP

My wife and our lovely daughter made a surprise visit for lunch today. So, we decided to hit up Philippe’s, which is just on the other side of downtown near Union Station. Founded in 1918, Philippe’s is one of the oldest restaurants in Los Angeles and continues to stay true to it’s heritage that is almost 100 year old. About 4 or 5 years ago, I used to eat at Philippe’s about two times per week. Back then, downtown didn’t have all the different hip eateries and trendy restaurants it does today. So, with the birth place of the french dip sandwich about a mile away from our office, it was easy to turn into an addict. One of the things I love most about this place (beside their food) is watching a family that has been eating here together for over 3 generations. I once heard a father tell his son, “My dad brought me here for the first time when I was your age over 30 years ago; just like his dad, your great grandfather, did with him almost 60 years ago.” Now, there aren’t to many place in the world where you can hear that story.

A little advice, if you want to avoid a long line, try to come after the busy lunch crowds like around 2:30.

Here are a few ground rules. Philippe’s is a cash only joint. They didn’t have credit card machines in 1918 and they don’t have them now. Next rule. Don’t give your dirty money to the server because they won’t touch it, so put it in the tray. They will carry the tray to one of the cashiers who will handle your change for the server to carry back to you. Classic!