November 2009 Archives

Mmmmmacaroni salad!

Conversation over Ping! for iPhone...

Pally: "Hey, when are you coming down to LA? I've got some friends I'd like you to meet..."

Me: "As soon as I get some time, I'll swing down for a few days. Think the weather will behave?"

That initial chat was over a month ago. Despite my best laid plans (which involved driving my MX5 down the coast and visiting friends along the way), I've not been able to make the drive to LA. I've been just plain busy! Since I returned to SF from Japan, the weather has been cold and rainy and issues have come up with the money pit that required me to go "out there" to fix things. I don't like being flaky (cuz I absolutely LOATHE it when people are flaky with me) so when I found a SFO-LAX same day turn flight on UA for US$100, I went for it. I figure it's been a long time since I've been to LA strictly to putter. Longer still since I had a french dip sandwich from the place that invented the yummy thing. And since I was arriving around lunch time, I figured that this was a sign.

Nah, THIS is a sign!

Phillipe's is an 91 year old Los Angeles institution; basically a deli that makes short orders (and sells cuppa coffees for 9 cents) and french dipped sandwiches with your choice of meat. It doesn't sound like much. A sandwich (with your choice of meat and cheese) dipped whole into au jus. But like alchemy, the ingredients themselves aren't that fantastical; combine everything and it's wonderous!! There's also hot spicy mustard at all the tables for that added kick. Bam.

I arrived at the restaurant just after 1300 and parked in the free parking lot. A very fast 6 minutes later, I was ordering a French Dip Beef with swiss cheese, macaroni salad, homemade custard and a Diet Coke (burp). $12 or so for the entire thing; if I nixed the custard, it would have been under $10.

Ah, what a healthy lunch!

Oh yeah, the whole reason why I came down to LA? I'll have to cover that next time. I did have the fastest sashimi dinner ever and got from Little Tokyo to LAX in 29 minutes during the evening commute. So I accomplished something else besides satisfying my french dip craving...

Three Los Angeles icons: free parking, Phillipe's and an LAPD radio car

Phillipe the Original
1001 N. Alameda St
Los Angeles CA 90012
+1-213-628-3781
http://www.phillipes.com

I spent my last hour in Japan (being in the lounge doesn't count, because since you clear passport control, you're technically "not" in Japan) puttering in 東京駅.

It's been a while since I've needed to go through Tokyo Station on the way to NRT. These past few visits I've been going through Shinjuku Station since it's closer to where I stay during my visits. There's a lot happening in Tokyo Station and the surrounding Marounouchi neighborhood. For one, Tokyo Station has a left baggage service in the basement close to the NE'X tracks so you can check your bag and putter around for the day before making the long slog to NRT. Although both stations have lockers, they won't swallow a 26" roller, that's why it's nice to have the left baggage service at Tokyo Station because Shinjuku doesn't have it. Another bright spot of Marunouchi are the many nice restaurants in the area that includes a branch of A16 and a Cafe that's part of Joel Robuchon's restaurant chains.

Almost feels like being in Paris. Of course, we ARE in Marunouchi...

The best food I found though was inside Tokyo Station itself. There's a branch of Mutsumi-ya in a special Tokyo Ramen Street section of the basement. I stumbled upon this gem as I was wandering around semi-lost for a new place to eat. Mutsumi-ya is a Hokkaido based chain as evidenced by their flagship bowl of corn-butter ramen.

It was very oishii! Corn and butter in the broth...

Unlike most Hokkaido style ramen I've had, this bowl has the satisfying food buzz that you get with good Hakata style ramen. The broth was rich and hearty and very satisfying. And unusually for Hokkaido ramen, the noodles were firm and has the feel of quality. It's easy to mass produce thick noodles (which Hokkaido ramen uses) and many shops cheat with store bought noodles. I don't think Mutsumi-ya does that. It's that good.

The restaurant itself is not designed for lingering; rather it's all about eating and going.

Here's some of their other menu offerings and some credentials