Thank you for stopping by to read mmm-yoso!!! during this busy holiday season. Kirk is working some overtime and Cathy is writing.
The Mister and I had a spur of the moment flash this morning (for a reason you'll see at the end) and drove North for a quick bite. { Kirk posted back in 2007, and I wrote a post in 2014 and another post in 2016}.
Philippe the Original has been a Los Angeles staple for 110 years. It's been at this corner location since 1951.
The system is the same as it was in 1908; stand in line, order from the "carver" host ( who will prepare your meal while you stand there), pay (since 2015, they take credit cards!) and carry your tray filled with your order to whatever empty table space you can find. 
There's part of the menu as well as a peek into the kitchen and a jar of pickled eggs.
Action shot of our Host/Carver (Henrietta) slicing a French roll.
Some of our order is ready…
This is a pretty good photo of most of the desserts offered-I was interested in what is in that tray at the 10:00 position in this photo…the red things next to the cookies. 
Our order, counterclockwise. Lemonade (90¢). Single dip lamb sandwich ($9.85). Potato salad ($1.65). Double dip beef sandwich ($8.50). Pickled egg ($1.40). Baked apple ($3). Cup of chili ($3.25). 
Here's a cross section of the double dipped beef and 1/4 of the quickly consumed chunky single dipped lamb. Each was wonderful in its own way. We did use drops of the famous house made very hot French mustard, available on each table. (I still contend that the recipe is partly hot Chinese mustard, since Chinatown is one block away)(the mustard has no horseradish). 
Either a pickle or a pickled egg is necessary with the meal. I love beets as well as pickled anything and the eggs here are ridiculously good. It's that bit of salt/bitter that goes with everything.
Around the third week of January each year, Philippe has a 'free chili day' for the first 500 customers. I've read about it but never tried the chili until today. It is a wonderful, slightly spicy/ hot Dolores brick chili (no beans; proper), served with three crackers. There's nothing else on the menu to go with chili and I can see this comfort cup (or bowl) being a meal choice if we lived closer (and therefore visited Philippe daily).
But really, the baked apple was the necessary purchase of the day. You see, from October until May the baked apples are available daily until they run out. During those other four months you can get a half grapefruit or a wonderful fruit cup. But this simply made, large and delicious treat was a craving. 
Apples are cooked in deep pan in the the oven with a slightly sweet cinnamon syrup. Soft enough to be cut with a spoon (but you still have to hold the apple in place with a fork; it's not mushy), this baked fruit is just the perfect dessert to a hearty meal.
Philippe the Original 1001 N. Alameda Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 628-3781 open 6 a.m.-10 p.m. daily Website
Why did we decide to drive here today? So we could share a meal "live" with my brother and his family in Michigan. Philippe teamed up with Goldbelly in April and has has a six sandwich meal deal; a Christmas gift. The FaceTime meal worked out quite well. 
