Philippe’s - 1001 North Alameda Street Los Angeles, CA 90012
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When it comes to L.A. eateries it is hard to argue that there is a restaurant more synonymous with the French Dip sandwich than Philippe’s. The proclaimed home of the original French Dip sandwich, Philippe’s attracts hundreds of of patrons each day. In other words they move a lot of sandwiches. I found it a bit odd that the home of the French Dip does not offer a side of au jus like every other diner in the world. The real question is why? Therese, who took my order, explained since they sell so many sandwiches, if they gave everyone a little cup of au jus, they would not have enough juice to go around. So while the juices aren’t exactly flowing at Philippe’s they are highly savored and appreciated like water in the desert. I guess I can respect that they don’t whip up a batch of insta-au-jus but rather keep it real with the actual drippings rendered from their roasted meats. While the sandwich lacks that juice dripping succulence, the beef is thin sliced, tender, and has enough meaty goodness (and super hot mustard) to make it a rather enjoyable sandwich. And while the sandwiches price is on par, the cost effective sides, and really cheap drinks like a 65¢ glass of iced tea, or a 5¢ cup of coffee make it a very good deal. Wow-wee!
The Jerry’s Deli menu had everything from falafel sandwiches to pizza to pastrami’s and French dips. I was very concerned of the wide variety. Usually a big menu means that the restaurant can do many things okay, but nothing great. I stood corrected, or rather sat corrected as I dipped into my sandwich. Jerry’s in general is a bit pricey, but the French Dip was bigger than the average. The fries were bland, the slaw was okay, but the juice was the greasiest I’ve ever dipped into. The beef was piled high and it was very tender and moist, and this is before I dipped it into the au jus. The au jus was one of the best I’ve had in recent memory. There were little pools of grease collecting on the surface of the cup. Big points from GreaseWeek! Jerry’s has a few locations, but the advantage of the one in Westwood is that Diddy Riese is right around the corner. $1.50 ice cream sandwiches are one of the rare deals still left in this town.
