How can you pass up a sign like this?
Well I guess if you're a vegetarian, it would be easy, but we weren't, so in we went...
We'd tried Philippe the Original in LA's Chinatown the summer prior and we wanted to make the comparison of French Dip Sandwiches ourselves. Both proclaim their businesses to be "the first" to invent these sandwiches. It seems like a moot point since both establishments have their share of fans and detractors.
The interior was like an old-time bar straight out of the 1800's. The swanky aura gave this place character. We were seated at one of the booths at the end. Our server was also the bartender, a young tattoed gal who was quite friendly and helpful.
You may also see their menu online here:
This was one of the two sandwiches we ordered that morning. Both were served with a pickle and a cup of their delicious juice/broth that you can dip the sandwiches in. The side was potato salad which had a nice mustardy dressing (the kind with seeds not the gross yellow kind which I hate).
Just look at that juicy meat...
The sandwiches were equally as delicious as Philippe the Original. I think these were better since we had the juice to dip it in. At Philippe, the bread is lightly dipped and you get no side of the broth.
I wouldn't mind going here again!
Articles:
"Cole's French Dip in downtown LA serves history with your food" Examiner, May 2013
"Philippe vs. Cole's - a downtown French dip showdown" Tabletak at Larry's, March 2011
"Coles vs. Philippes - 30 sandwiches in 30 days" LAWeekly, Nov. 7 2011
"French dip sandwich rivalry" Huffinton Post, May 2013
+ a link to TravelChannel's video
Although both sandwiches look the same, I think one was beef and the other was pastrami.
Cole's French Dip
118 E. 6th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 622-4090
213nightlife.com/colesfrenchdip + their fb page and reviews from that four lettered site & foursquare
Of the two, atmosphere wise, I thought Cole's was much swankier BUUUUUT foodwise, Bert and I differed. He liked Philippe better because their meat was just more juicy and Bert liked their horseradish better. I, on the other hand, liked the choice of having the cup of broth to dip my sandwich with. I normally don't like soggy bread but just a quick dip was enough to soften the sandwich and make it easier to bite. The meat was pretty good as well!
Before heading over to Little Tokyo, there was one more stop because it's never too early in the morning for dessert I say...
4 comments:
This place does look super swanky! Okay, I don't... like my sandwiches to be dipped FIRST. I want to do it myself. And control the dipping. I have a feeling I'd prefer this spot, though I haven't been to either. Lightly dipped still sounds like too much to me, haha. Which meat did you end up getting?
Oh, I forgot to write the meat, it was pastrami!
I'll have to amend the post and include that.
Yes, I don't like my food to even be lightly dipped at all, although at Philippe, it wasn't dipped to where it was noticeable. I would be PO'd if my food was soggy though, ha ha.
Wet food sucks!
I've never heard of this place! We just went to LA last weekend and had the pastrami burger at The Hat (have you been?). I don't like pastrami all that often - I thought french dipped was just roast beef for some reason. I also like the 'dip' on the side so I can control the dipping. What a weird statement.
There is no "The Hat" in LA. Did you mean, Alhambra, Temple City, Pasadena or Monterey Park?
My husband is the one who likes pastrami...a lot. Too bad it's not that healthy otherwise we'd eat it all the time, ha ha. I think we had the roast beef. I don't know why I wrote pastrami. Oops. Better fix that.
As for Cole's, I remembered seeing it during a previous visit and when I looked it up later, knew we had to come back to try it so we could compare it with Philippe the Original.
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