Olvera Street & Philippe's

A few of my friends from college and I decided to get together today and since we are all from Los Angeles, it made sense to go on an L.A. adventure.  So, why not a trip down Olvera Street and lunch at Philippe's?  Sounds good to me. 

It marked my first trip on the Los Angeles metro.  I always bagged on our public transport system, but after conquering Barcelona, with Liz's help, I thought I would give it a shot.  You know, it turned out pretty well and I actually found other places I could stop off by using the metro.  Only problem is I would have to drive to a station or get dropped off.  There were a couple of moms with their kids on the train and  I heard them saying that they try to take the metro weekly on Saturdays out to breakfast, a new place each time.  Now that would be fun!  I even saw people in Northern California taking the train to different cities, biking or running, then taking it back.  A cheaper method and less hassle than driving for sure!

Arrival at the famous Union Station.  A quick and uneventful trip, much faster than driving and I happened to encounter some interesting individuals.   

What a selection!

I remember the coconut bar (red, white, and green) from when my mom brought it back from her annual 4th grade trip to Olvera Street.  I adore coconut, but this was just TOO much. 

Interesting forms of candy found at Olvera Street

Toasted coconut ball - even tastier after being put in the fridge.  

Pumpkin and sweet potato?  Apparently they are some of the best.

Pan Dulce

I had eaten at Philippe's once before.  It's one of the oldest restaurants in Los Angeles and is well-known for its continuous operation since 1908.  They also claim to be the inventor of the French Dip Sandwich.  The restaurant seems to be fashioned from an old apartment and is has a number of old-fashioned traditions such as wood shavings on the floor, rows of tables and stools for a number of people to eat at upstairs and downstairs, and historical newspaper articles adorning the walls. Even the form of payment remains cash only and once you place your cash on the little tray, the woman behind the counter runs it over to the sole cashier.  

Ordering from the old-fashioned menu on the wall...all customers packed into the building, standing in lines, on top of the sawdust on the floor.

They are known for their hot mustard sauce and oh my goodness, that mustard is HOT! I can handle it to a certain extent but at first taste, I was crying.  We all sampled the beef French dip ("freshly" dipped according to Philippe's - the top of the bun is dipped in au jus right before it is placed on the sandwich and handed to the customer) 

Next time, maybe the turkey or ham will get a chance, but for today, we experimented with beef, different cheeses, it was agreed that jack cheese versus American was the way to go, mustard, cole slaw, and potato salad. I think my cole slaw addition ($1.50) was a great pair to the semi-dry beef and lack of sauce for my taste) Jesus and Katie also picked up a slice of red velvet cake, which lacked the delicious cream cheese frosting but was still quite sweet. Iced tea and lemonade are quite popular drink options, beer and wine is sold, and all soda comes in a can.

Only in Southern California - forecast for  early January

A great day in Los Angeles. Finally getting to know where I live. Almost the new year!