Philippe's: Delicious Food, Transit-Friendly

My friend Thea had never been. My friend Jay's gonna move away. Those were two very good reasons why I had lunch at Philippe's today. Though, looking at the photo accompanying this post, does anyone really need a REASON to go to Philippe's?

Tucked near the neighborhoods of Chinatown and El Pueblo/Olvera Street and virtually a block or so away from Union Station (the Alameda side, not the Vignes), is one of LA's oldest restaurants - Philippe's.

The first thing to greet you at Philippe's is probably the sawdust on the floor. Then the rest of the classic eatery kind of falls in line with the time warp: the iconic cluster of photos and posters, the row of telephone booths, the walk-up counter ordering and pickup, the tables and benches to dine on...

The story goes that Philippe Manthieu (who established the original Philippe's in 1908) created the French Dipped sandwich. It might have been by accident. It might have been by random request. It might have been all business. Who knows? Regardless of the rhyme, reason, and origin for the existence of the French Dipped sandwich, you can't go wrong with one here - try complementing it with Philippe's brand of spicy mustard.

And since you're already there, how about a slice of pie? We had pecan and dutch apple. And drinks are a steal when you go the lemonade, iced tea, and water route.

Anytime's a good time to go to Philippe's (except in the hours when it's closed). Today was my first time at Philippe's around lunch time. It's busy, but that nice kind of busy where you feel like you're with the hustle and bustle of the world.

Speaking of hustle and bustle, Philippe's proximity to LA's Union Station makes it easily accessible by LA Transit. Walkable from Union Station (remember Alameda side, not Vignes - I'm trying to make up for walking out the wrong way today), hop on the Red Line or the Gold Line toward Union Station and get yourself a sandwich!

For more information on Philippe's visit ExperienceLA.com.

-Charity Tran, ExperienceLA Web Coordinator