In case you missed it, you missed something good.

Sorry if that sounds like I’m “rubbing it in”, but it’s pretty true. Yesterday, Philippe the Original in Downtown LA had their 5^th annual “Free Chili Day” sponsored by Dolores Chili and it was such a lively event! If you don’t know of Philippe, they’re one of the oldest restaurants in SoCal with a history of serving Angelenos (and tourists) since 1908. They’re famous for their “French Dipped Sandwich” which is made with ham, turkey, roast beef, or leg of lamb on a French roll dipped in natural gravy juices. You can order it with cheese and even add a side like Dolores Chili to make it a meal. You may or may not know of Dolores Chili, but you’ve probably seen them around. They’re distributed in Ralphs, Vons, Bristol Farms, and many other stores and you can even catch them in restaurants like Black Angus. It was cool to see them front and center at this event. They were engaging with customers, offered insight on the brand, and gave people a voucher for a free bowl of Dolores Chili with any sandwich purchase.
Here’s my embarrassing secret: this is actually my first time eating here and (maybe) my first time having a French Dipped Sandwich. There, I said it, it’s out! Part of the reason it has taken me so long to get here is because soggy bread freaks me out. When I see my pastor dip the bread in the wine for communion, I want to stop him. I don’t care if it is the body and blood of Christ, I’d like to keep them separate. I don’t know why I dislike it, but just the thought of damp bread makes my right eye twitch involuntarily. Because everyone loves Philippe’s I figured there had to be something good in their sandwiches. I decided to take the leap to try it out. Today was the best day to conquer my fear because I was able to meet with Philippe’s General Manager, Andrew, who showed me everything about the restaurant and dipped sandwiches. Little did he know, he was easing my apprehension of soggy sandwiches. He showed me how they prepare the au jus by mixing it with beef, celery, carrots, onions, bay leaves, and let it cook overnight. I even got to taste it. I took a look inside the ovens to see how the vegetable bed is prepped and watched the staff slicing bread and creating sandwiches in mere seconds. The work was chaotic yet clearly controlled, and everyone looked like they were having fun.

After Andrew showed me everything, I knew I had to put on my big kid pants and order. Because I’m a noob, I decided to keep it OG like Philippe and went with a straight Roast Beef Sandwich with Swiss cheese, single dipped ($7). I did half Potato Salad ($1.30, scoop) and half Coleslaw ($1.30, scoop), a Pickled Egg ($1.30), Lemonade (0.75 cents), and of course, Dolores Chili ($3.95 per cup)! When it was placed in front of me, I straightened my back and told my tweaking eye to calm down; it was sandwich time. The minute I smelled the sandwich and dove into it, my right ocular relaxed. It was everything positive anyone has ever said. The roll was lightly dipped and the au jus was highly flavored. It ended up making the tender roast beef taste juicy and the Swiss cheese melted so smoothly between the meat and bread that it was a glorious combination. I honestly wish I had done this earlier. I was glad that I chose potato salad and coleslaw, but the slaw was the definite winner of the two. Now the chili was just right. Spicy, thick, and rich. Each bite tasted better than the one before and I was compelled to devour each spoonful until there wasn’t any left. The chili just felt right. A little pro tip from my gut to yours: dip the sandwich into the chili; game changer.
I really like Philippe’s. I love the vibe of the restaurant, the tradition it maintains with payphones and sawdust scattered on the floor, the great portions of food, and the packed chili. It was a fun dining experience and I love dipped sandwiches! So much so, I might go out of my way to get one. You know what, if a sandwich was placed on a table in a room full of fire and was somehow remaining intact, I would pray to have God protect me the way he did with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace because there’s a chance that I’d go in for it.

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Address: 1001 N. Alameda St. Los Angeles CA, 90012
Phone: (213) 628-3781
Hours: 6:00am to 10:00pm, daily
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