LA’s typically known as a fast-paced city, completely wrapped up in the new, the modern, and the trendy, with little respect for the past. Nothing could be more wrong, though, at least when it comes to food. While LA is definitely the spot to find the newest culinary trends in full force, the residents never forget the classics, from hole-in-the-wall mom-and-pop restaurants (such as El Tepeyac) to classic, old-school diners (like Apple Pan) to the omnipresent LA-style Jewish deli (e.g. Langer’s).

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However, no restaurant really encapsulates the history of LA better than Philippe the Original. Not only is this gigantic deli the birthplace of the French dip sandwich, it’s been open since 1908! That’s over a century of service! In the LA culinary scene, you’re lucky if your restaurant can even survive five years, especially in this economy. Philippe’s, though, is virtually a fossil in an otherwise constantly shifting town, holding its ground as I’ve seen no other restaurant in LA do.

It’s even more impressive, though, after you step inside and realize just what you’re getting. Philippe’s is what most would consider a dump, plain and simple. In fact, it reminds me more of a cafeteria than anything else. You go up to the counters, order your food, and then take it to a whole series of long benches. The seating is, moreover, cramped and uncomfortable, mostly made of simple wood. The deli has very little color, and the little decoration it does have tends to verge on the ostentatiously touristy: old photos on the walls, awards, pictures of celebrities who’ve eaten there, etc. Perhaps worst of all is the mere cleanliness, as the dining area looks naturally dingy, coming from a century of wear and tear, even though I’m sure it’s cleaned quite often.

But that’s the charm of it. Philippe’s seems as though it hasn’t changed at all since its founding, left to fight against the throes of time. It may be uncomfortable, and it certainly feels outdated, but you don’t come to Philippe’s for the comfort or the trendiness. It’s just a simple deli, and it stays true to its roots as few restaurants in LA can. The fact that it’s packed to the brim every single day simply attests to just how much the food is respected.

For good reason, too. Like I said, Philippe’s created the phenomenon that has become the French Dip Sandwich. Before all the Hollywood glitz and glamor, and before all the media attention, Philippe’s was innovating, giving LA its signature sandwich. The sandwich was so good, in fact, that its fame spread by simple word of mouth.

It seems like the recipe hasn’t changed even a drop, either. Philippe’s takes a simple French roll, dips it into the au jus (the meat’s juice), tosses on a large stack of one of five different types of meat, and serves it up alongside some of its famous horseradish mustard, which packs so much heat that even the biggest lover of spice will feel it. I only tried the roast beef variety, but the meat was right on, packing a fantastically savory saltiness, though it was a bit tough. The sandwich is perfect for a quick, cheap, filling meal, costing just $5.75 a piece.

Philippe’s, then, is a refreshing find. In a town full of ultra-modern, ever-shifting restaurants and trends, Philippe’s stands out for not only holding onto its history, but also glorifying it. The food may not be fancy or complex, but that’s not what Philippe’s does best. Instead, it serves up simple, straightforward sandwiches just as it used to nearly 100 years ago (the French Dip was created in 1918). That type of history is something you just can’t argue against. The sandwich may not be for everyone, but it’s about as classic as it gets.

What I Tasted

1. Cole Slaw: As good as they say! It’s very fresh-tasting, as though the lettuce was chopped that same day. As a result of that freshness, the lettuce is extremely crunchy, and you can even hear it cracking in every bite. The mayo mix is, moreover, just right. It’s very light, almost like water, but with an intense flavor. I like that it’s not too rich or cloying. Finally, there’s a subtle citrus-like taste to the slaw, which I find very refreshing. 4.5/5.0
2. Roast Beef Dip: The sandwich is fantastic if all you want is a very simple, bare-bones roast beef sandwich. The meat is almost right. It’s just a little tough, and it’s not served at the ideal temperature (it’s lukewarm and feels like it’s confused between whether it should be cold or hot). The combo with the meat juice and the bread is, however, delicious. On first impression, the bread doesn’t seem too impressive, as it’s bland, and it has a rough crust on top which I find to be a bit weak. Once you eat the bread dipped in the meat juice, though, you just can’t go back. It’s nearly perfect—not overly soggy but smooth as can be, with a deliciously savory saltiness that more than eliminates all that blandness. It’s understandable, then, why the restaurant would choose such a dull, rough bread, since it helps to both hold up under the weight of the meat juice and to absorb the flavor of the savory meat. Still, the sandwich is overall too salty, and the meat can get bland at times, all the worse since it’s just stacked in a decently large mound onto the sandwich. 4.0/5.0

As an aside, beware the horseradish mustard: It’s so spicy I can’t bear it, and it completely overpowers the taste of the beef. Still, I’ve heard some people come specifically to Philippe’s for the mustard.

Scores

Ambience: 1.0/5.0 (not factored into verdict). Regardless of the score, this restaurant is a landmark, and the environment suits its simple, old-fashioned cuisine.
Service: N/A
Taste: 4.1+/5.0
Value: 4.0/5.0
Verdict: 4.1/5.0. One of the most historic experiences in LA, and well worth a trip, even if the sandwich isn’t quite as legendary as it’s been made out to be.

216 North Orange Street
Glendale, CA 91203

So awhile back I checked out what has been hailed as the best pastrami in LA, Langer’s #19, a pastrami sandwich that, I have to admit, is near perfect. The effect was almost viral. I became a lover of pastrami, and I decided I had to search LA for the best pastrami sandwiches throughout the city. I was particularly interesting in finding a more local sandwich in a better neighborhood and with a far shorter waiting time. Langer’s is fantastic, but by the time you get there and get your table, you’ve already wasted an hour, and I can’t say I like the surrounding area very much. At the same time, I live in Glendale, a suburb somewhat secluded from the popping LA food culture.

Luckily, I happened to find a classic, Langer’s quality deli right in Glendale, at Billy’s Deli. I had heard a few times about Billy’s pastrami before, but after I ate the pastrami at Langer’s, I finally committed to going over to Billy’s to try its take on the classic sandwich.

Upon entering Billy’s for the first time, I was immediately shocked. In contrast to most of the other delis in town, Billy’s is very clean, polished, and classy. Moreover, it feels less cramped because it is not only large, but few people know about it, so the restaurant was half empty when I went. I have to admit, the deli is a bit detached from the “cooler” areas in LA, but at the same time, it’s in a nicer neighborhood, the location is not as dangerous, and the place itself is more comfortable. The menu is also pretty much the same as any any other Jewish deli’s. Specialties are the pastrami, the corned beef, and the matzo ball soup, though there is considerable variety from which to choose.

I have to say, I was quite impressed in general. While the pastrami didn’t live up to Langer’s, it really was an excellent sandwich. While Billy’s may not be the best, it’s a fantastic choice in Glendale, both for its quality of food and for the better ambience. Highly recommended!

What I had:

1. Sky high pastrami sandwich—Pastrami stacked like no tomorrow—like a mountain!—with some coleslaw, on rye bread. The pastrami quality is excellent. It’s salty just enough not to be detracting, and it doesn’t feel too greasy at all. There isn’t too much seasoning either. It’s just very well-cooked, juicy meat, with just enough fattiness to it. And there’s tons of it, to the point that I couldn’t even fit the sandwich in my mouth. Definitely better than what you find at most places. The bread is typical rye bread. However, because of the sheer quantity of meat, the bread contributes almost nothing to the taste and is overshadowed, which isn’t too much of a problem, considering the quality of meat. Also, the cole slaw is rather good. It’s on the sweet side, with a big carrot taste to it. However, it, like the bread, contributes little, since very little slaw is provided compared to the meat. Overall, this sandwich is amazing, and I would take it over almost any pastrami sandwich in LA with the exception of Langer’s. It is much better than Langer’s in terms of meat quantity, but the sandwich is less perfectly crafted and less balanced. 4.2/5.0
2. Matzo Ball Soup—This is my first time trying Matzo Ball Soup, and honestly, I just can’t see what all the fuss is about. Granted, this is a fine cup of soup. At the end of the day, though, it’s just chicken noodle soup with a giant matzo ball inside. I’m not a matzo ball expert, so I can’t comment much on it, but I will say that the ball has a nice texture and butteriness to it. The ball is soaked all the way through, so that it practically disintegrates in your mouth, which is a fantastic feel. For people who like Matzo Ball soup, I’m sure this is great, as many people have said in reviews on Yelp. But, for me, it’s just a solid cup of chicken soup. 3.5/5.0

Ambience (compared to other delis): 4.0/5.0
Taste: 4.0/5.0
Value: 4.2+/5.0
Overall Score, for the deli: 4.0/5.0. You may not find the best pastrami, but it is one of my favorites. Plus, you’ll be far more comfortable here than at most delis, guaranteed.

There are only a few places in LA that have been able to survive the rapid change that is so characteristic of the City of Angels. If a restaurant or diner can even survive 10 years, it’s pretty impressive by LA standards. So whenever you hear about a place that’s been serving for over 50 years, you know it has to be good. That’s the type of reputation you can expect from Langer’s Deli, perhaps the most famous delicatessen, known for serving the “best” pastrami sandwich in all of LA.

On first impression, Langer’s Deli doesn’t seem much. I headed there recently for the first time just to grab a quick pastrami lunch. When I arrived, I was shocked. It was in one of the shadiest neighborhoods in LA, right near MacArthur Park. The only place I’ve heard of MacArthur Park is on the news in stories about murders in Los Angeles. The deli itself isn’t the most impressive place either. It’s just a simple diner, with somewhat cramped seats, even though there’s a ton of seating. The service is also rather slow, given how crowded the place tends to be. And yet, people are dying to eat here on a daily basis, to the point that, at lunchtime, you’ll be lucky to get a table without a 10 to 15 minute wait.

There is a reason to all this madness, however. The menu has an almost endless number of options—even if you don’t like pastrami, you can find about 100 different options for sandwiches. I, however, only got the #19, the house’s most popular pastrami sandwich, as I had planned to do from the start. This sandwich not only lived up to the hype, but was just about the closest thing to a perfect pastrami sandwich that I can imagine. If you love good, fresh delis, and especially if you want pastrami, this is the place to go!

What I got:

The #19—Pastrami with swiss cheese, cole slaw, Russian dressing on rye: This sandwich is phenomenal! The cole slaw can be a little overpowering, but it is very good cole slaw, with a really nice creamy richness to it, but also a nice fresh vegetable taste. I had a side of it in addition to my sandwich, and I just gobbled it up. The sandwich itself is a little small for a pastrami sandwich—it’s not overflowing with pastrami, like I’m used to. But the pastrami is so well cooked, moist, and flavorful that it’s easy to overlook this. The Russian dressing (ketchup, mayo, and onions) also blends very well with the pastrami and gives the sandwich a unique flavor in comparison to the traditional pastrami with mustard. Can’t really say much else other than that this sandwich is about as ideal as it gets for a pastrami sandwich. Only flaws: could use twice as much meat, and rye bread has a crispy crust that is at times annoying.

Most other things on the menu are supposedly not quite as good according to most reviews, but the sandwiches everyone at my table ordered received great reviews. My brother got a turkey triple decker sandwich there that he found incredible, and my friend ordered a patty melt that he enjoyed, except for the excess of caramelized onions on the sandwich. The fries, though, tasted tasted like they were microwaved, with some extra salt added to them. Basically, you really should not be coming here for the fries or other sides.

All in all, then, this is the place for pastrami. I really can’t say much about everything else, but the pastrami alone is worth the drive, the bad neighborhood, and the hassle of the wait. Best in the city!

Ambience: 0.5/5.0. Horrible neighborhood and kind of a tacky restaurant.
Service: 1.0/5.0 (but really not important)
Taste (for the pastrami): 4.6/5.0
Value: 4.0/5.0
Overall Score, for the deli: 4.0+/5.0. Best pastrami in town.