Two Los Angeles restaurants have claimed to have created the French dip sandwich:
Cole's Pacific Electric Buffet and
Philippe the Original. Philippe's website describes the dish as a "specialty of the house", and the words "Home of the Original French Dip Sandwich" are present in the restaurant's logo. At Phillippe's the sandwich is served "double dipped", where the cut faces of the roll are dipped in the hot beef juices before the sandwich is assembled (a "single dipped" version in which only the bottom half of the roll is dipped is also offered), while at Cole's it is served "dry" with a side of beef juices. The sandwich can also be requested "wet", where the entire sandwich is dipped before serving, at either establishment. Both restaurants feature their own brand of spicy mustard. The story of the sandwich's invention by Philippe's has several variants: some sources say that it was first created by a cook or a server who, while preparing a sandwich for a police officer or fireman, accidentally dropped it into a pan of meat drippings. The patron liked it, and the dish surged in popularity shortly after its invention. Other accounts say that a customer who did not want some meat drippings to go to waste requested his sandwich be dipped in them. Still others say that a chef dipped a sandwich into a pan of meat drippings after a customer complained that the bread was stale. Cole's account states that the sandwich was invented by a sympathetic chef, Jack Garlinghouse, for a customer who was complaining of sore gums. Some accounts tell Philippe's version of events, but assign the location to Cole's. The mystery of the sandwich's invention might not be solved due to a lack of information and observable evidence. File:French Dip Sandwich.jpg|A French dip File:French dip.jpg|French dip, with bowl of
jus for dipping ==See also==