Before leaving Los Angeles, Sony and I decided to have lunch at a little spot in downtown LA's fashion district called Cole's that is famous for it's French Dip sandwich which originated in 1908. The restaurant is very charming, comfortable and cozy. It reminds me somewhat of John's Grill in San Francisco for it's ambiance and flavor. It is located within a historical landmark building and also houses a speakeasy in the back room. We wanted to get a glimpse of the room while there but they were so busy that afternoon that we just did not get a chance to see it.
The waitstaff was friendly and got our food to us very quickly. Because I was going to be flying back home to San Francisco shortly after our lunch I did not want to have a big meal. I don't like flying whether it be 45 minutes or 14 hours and I never like flying on a full stomach. So, we decided to split our order.
We had the Beef french dip sandwich, a side of bacon potato salad and a basket of garlic fries. The sandwich was very tasty on a crisp bun with the au jus on the side which I liked. So many other restaurants deliver the order with au jus already infused onto the sandwich which makes for a soggy mess. This was much more enjoyable. The potato salad had a distinct Mediterranean flavor. I'm not sure exactly what intensified this taste but whatever it was, it certainly made for a unique and scrumptious side dish. The garlic fries were delicious to say the least. Garlic roasted, crispy shoestring fries in a huge basket? You just can't get any better than that. It was truly a tasty afternoon treat and again, had I not been flying I would have had an order myself along with dessert. Next time I'll make sure to have lunch there again on the day I arrive rather than the day I leave.
We had a great time there and we'll definitely be going back again.
It is located on 6th and South Main street. It is very close to Pershing square and accessible public transportation. If you are in the Hollywood area, just take the Metro Red Line to Pershing square and walk a couple of blocks. It takes all of 15 minutes to get there. For more information visit Cole's Home of the French Dip.
Thanks Sone.
