61518 Tue Jul 13 16:57:29 -0700 2004 4 2 Los Angeles Area 0 326548 A third less expensive than the Bandera french dip, but not a bargain. Less meat, less flavorful, and the bread is like the stuff they use at The Hat. Comes with steak fries and unremarkable cole slaw or fresh fruit. (Fresh fruit & french dip? That's like doing a jumping jack after smoking a pack of Lucky Strikes) Tue Jul 13 16:57:29 -0700 2004 0 Robert Lu 1 326695 Always take the slaw over "fresh fruit" and try to deny myself the fries. (They're nothing to write home about, but I am not a fan of thick-cut fries anyway). I haven't had Bandera dip or Houston's version, but I would have to disagree on the flavor part. I find Taylor's PR (dip or beef) to be about as good a bang for your buck as anywhere. Add some fresh horseradish, and it works for me. The La Canada locale is about a half mile from my work, so we tend to defer to the lunch specials quite often, and find it worthwhile for the price. At $10.50 (Taylor's lunch menu), I'm astonished that there is a $30 french dip sammy out there (according to the math above). It must be one helluva sandwich. Wed Jul 14 10:29:18 -0700 2004 326548 0 cagey 2 326715 Your math is incorrect or you misread the original post which said Taylor's is a third less expensive than Bandera. If Taylor's is $10.50, then Bandera's would $15.75. Wed Jul 14 12:05:35 -0700 2004 326695 0 NinoHB 3 326719 My bad. I thot it read "a third the price." ($30 was crazy sounding to me too). So head for Bandera I guess. Wed Jul 14 12:12:04 -0700 2004 326715 0 cagey 4 326725 And for something about half less the price of Taylor's and similar to Phillipe's, there's Union Street Carver in Irvine for $5.35. Link: http://www.unionstreetcarvery.com/ Wed Jul 14 12:42:05 -0700 2004 326719 0 NinoHB