Sand Wish List: Cole's in LA

nancyeinhart — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:52:36 PDT

Inspired by this wonderfully Freudian sign comes Sand Wish List, where I'll chronicle the sandwich joints I haven't had the pleasure of visiting but desperately crave. First up: Cole's in Los Angeles, which I had my eye on even before my friend Phil (below left) gave the beef and blue cheese French dip a glowing review. Both Cole's and Philippe the Original claim to have invented the French dip in the early 1900s. Until recently, Cole's was closed, so Philippe won by default. But now Cole's has reopened as both a sandwich mecca and a purveyor of classic cocktails, which is sort of what I think heaven must be like. I am a big Philippe's fan, and really, it doesn't matter who made the French dip first. What matters is whose is better, which is why Cole's is on my Wish List. If you've been to both, let me know what you think is better.

'Wich Trip: LA's Philippe the Original

nancyeinhart — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:03:14 PDT

Philippe the Original is a gravy-laden relic of old Los Angeles and the home of one of America's oldest sandwiches: the French dip. According to LA lore, the dip was invented in 1918 by a French immigrant named Philippe Mathieu, though others give credit to the newly reopened P.E. Cole's. Either way, there's no denying that eating a French dip at Philippe's is a singular experience. Click on the photos to read the story.

Between the Bread

Sand Wish List: Cole's in LA

'Wich Trip: LA's Philippe the Original