When reflecting on the origins of a sandwich, many times, the name reflects the city of their origin. Hamburg, Germany is know for coining the term Hamburger. Philadelphia has the Philly cheese steak. Even if it is not in the name, it is sometimes reflected in the vernacular of the language, as is evident with New Orleans’s Po’ Boy sandwich. So it may come as a surprise to some that Los Angeles is home to the French Dip Sandwich. The real problem is figuring out who exactly created it.

Philippe's the Original and Cole's P.E. Buffet both claim to have the distinction of inventing the French Dip and to this day it is still debated. The French Dip sandwich is traditionally characterized by roast beef on a roll of French Bread and served with the natural roasting juices knows as au jus. Both of these venerable institutions were established in 1908 but their stories on how they were created differ.

Philippe Mathieu, the original owner of Philippe’s, made the claim that in 1918 while making a roast beef sandwich for a policeman at his deli, he accidentally dropped the French roll into the pan with the au jus. The cop, as the yarn goes, decided to have the sandwich anyway and then came back the next day with his fellow officers for a “dipped” sandwich. The name of the sandwich itself is either derived from Mathieu’s heritage (he was a French immigrant), the bread itself, or the dubious claim that the officer’s name was French. But as Philippe’s website conveniently puts it “The answer is lost to history.”

Popularly, the French Dip sandwich is accompanied with a side of the au jus to dip the sandwich into, but at Philippe’s the two halves of the French roll are dipped once into the au jus or can be double dipped. The sandwich can be served with cheese or Philippe’s own hot mustard which they bottle and sell at the gift stand. The thinly sliced roast beef, although the staple, is not the only type of French Dip served. Turkey, ham, roast pork or leg of lamb are other delectable options. The lamb with blue cheese is considered by Esquire magazine as one of the Top 25 sandwiches in the country.

Philippe’s moved from their original location to make way for the Hollywood 101 Freeway to its current location, a block north of Union Station, in 1951. Still it has a classic feel to it that is rare this day in age where known chains or hip restaurants that are more interested in concepts than food, dominate the landscape. Philippe’s is the embodiment of no frills. Where a cup of coffee is still 9 cents, sawdust covers the floor, and communal style seating give a sense of community and family that is almost completely singular to Philippe’s in Los Angeles.

What has brought people coming back for nearly 100 years is the sandwich itself. Although admittedly small, and on first taste may not leave you breathless, the sandwich has the same effect of a great home cooked meal. Even if you have had hundreds of different French dips in your day, Philippe’s gives you the feeling that you were raised on theirs. Other people obviously feel this way too as they serve over “a million specially baked French rolls, 200,000 pounds of beef, 100,000 pounds lean eastern pork, 36,000 pounds spring lamb, [and] 37,000 pounds of baked ham” each year.

Cole’s claims to have been serving the sandwich months after it was opened by Henry Cole in 1908. Their story is that a patron asked if the chef could dip the roll into the au jus, as it was too tough on his gums - a story which may not be all that flattering to the bread itself - and the French Dip was born. Another distinction Cole’s contends to is having the very first check cashing service.

Although both Philippe’s and Cole’s were established in 1908, Cole’s opened just a few months prior to Philippe’s making Cole’s, which is designated as Historical Landmark #104, officially the oldest bar and restaurant in all of Los Angeles to be run from the same location. The location is the basement level of the Pacific Electric Building (hence the P.E.) which was the main terminal for The Pacific Electric Railway, also knows as the Red Cars. For a city known for its traffic congested highways Los Angeles was linked to Orange, Ventura, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties in what was once the worlds largest interurban electric mass transit service until its closure in 1961.

Cole’s is much more austere than its counter part. Not the family affair that Philippe’s is, Cole’s is located near Skid Row and devoid of parking so accessibility is not one of its strong points. Yet despite the fact that the harder clientele was made up of the kind of regulars who receive phone calls at the bar but this didn’t stop purveyors of the sandwich from always coming back. Entering Cole’s is not far off from entering a time warp. Almost everything from the Tiffany shades to the mahogany bar are original to the building. Like Philippe’s there is sawdust on the floor, but Cole’s is adorned with, and practically a shrine to the old Pacific Electric Railway. Some of the tables are even made from sides of the red cars.

Getting a sandwich, or just a beer at Cole’s, could also be a history lesson. Mahddi, the owner since 1979, after ringing you up on a register as old as the place itself, would give you a tour of the of the entire property. Showing the back rooms where Al Capone supposedly hung out or the walls are adorned with photos of the many films and television shows shot there, such as Mr. and Mrs. Smith, N.Y.P.D Blue, and Forrest Gump.

The French Dip at Cole’s differs most distinctly from Philippe’s because instead of presliced roast beef, the roast is hand carved and, as most who are familiar with the sandwich are used to, served with a side of au jus. Cole’s Corned Beef Dip is also a highly regarded sandwich in their oeuvre but how do they stack up? In my opinion Cole’s has the better of the two sandwiches because of the higher quality of the hand carved meats and the side of au jus. Yet although I feel it is a better tasting sandwich, Philippe’s still, for whatever reason, has a more classic home cooked taste that brings you back.

Recently the Pacific Electric Building was purchased for loft conversion in the newly gentrified area and 213 Inc., a premier night life company based in Downtown LA, acquired Cole’s in March of 2007. Cole’s is currently closed for a loving and careful restoration to revive its original glory. “We are doing some research internally about who the true ‘originator’ of the sandwich is and we are ready and willing to give Philippe’s a run their money when we reopen.” says Leann Repprecht, the project manager for 213. Although they are planning on bringing in an undisclosed “named” chef for menu creation and recipe development - Cole’s buffet items left less to be desired - they plan on staying true to the original recipe of the French Dip itself. As for when they are planning to start work and reopen the doors of the oldest continuously running business in LA, “Cole’s will be celebrating its 100th Birthday next year so we are planning for a reopen date in early 2008.”

Yet, with all the controversy over Cole’s and Philippe’s, they are not the only institutions that specialize in French Dip sandwiches. The Hat, with numerous locations through the San Gabriel Valley, and Johnnie's Pastrami, in Culver City, have both been specializing in Pastrami Dip sandwiches since the 1950s. The Hat serves an admirable Pastrami or Roast Beef Dip. While in the case of Johnnie’s, there is more to say about the nostalgia of the original 1950’s interior and signage than the dip itself.

Of all the French Dip institutions in the City of Angels, a stand in Sherman Oaks simply called The Dip is where I am most frequently drawn to. Opened in 2002, The Dip, to me, is an improvement on all the classics. The Dip serves all of the French Dip standards like roast beef, turkey, pastrami, pork and lamb which can all be served dry, dipped, double dipped or submerged and served with a side of au jus upon request. The sandwich that brings me back over and over again is the roast beef with smoked mozzarella and a side of au jus.

The Dips’ sandwiches are significantly larger and more succulent than its competitors and offer other great choices on the menu like the amazing Pot Roast Dip, which you can also fill with mashed potatoes. The Turkey Dip with mashed potatoes is like a delicious thanksgiving meal on a bun.

The Dip is also the only French Dip establishment to offer a vegetarian option that isn’t just a cheese dip. The Veggie Dip is filled with peppers, eggplant, and portabella mushrooms, for the non-carnivore.

Recently The Dip has expanded to the Hollywood and Highland Center where it neighbors Grauman’s Chinese Theatre as well as the Kodak Theatre where the Oscars are held annually. After repeated visits over the years to The Dip I was shocked, to see the owner and man behind the counter, Ken Davitian, in some very compromising situations on the big screen playing Azamat Bagatov in the hit comedy Borat. With the popularity of the film, both Dips have Borat posters that adorn the walls of his restaurants which are continuing the tradition of the French Dip as a landmark food of Los Angeles.

It may be lost in history whether it was Cole’s or Philippe’s who originated the sandwich, but when there is such a vast diversity and experience to each sandwich, who really cares?