And the list nostalgia continues. I first discovered french dip sandwiches at T.G.I. Friday’s. And even though I’m not terribly proud of it, Friday’s was a huge part of my adolescence. It was in the same shopping center as the local mall so I spent many social hours being waited on by servers with flair. I took many teenage dates for dinner there (it’s not as bad as it sounds – I was a teenager myself at the time). It was also the only restaurant in town (besides 24-hour diners) that was opened late and allowed pre-pubescent guests.
But this entry is not about T.G.I. Fridays (I have thankfully not been to one in almost a decade), but rather the french dip at Walter Foods in Williamsburg. This is a far cry from my former favorite Friday’s dish.
First off, Walter Foods uses tender, thick filet mignon rather than roast beef cold cuts. The horseradish cream added nice moistness but wasn’t as tangy as I had hoped. The jus for dipping was light, delicious and changed the texture of the sandwich.
The ingredients were fresher and more refined than any french dip sandwich I’ve had in the past, but the flavor was very familiar. It was almost as if Walter Foods has re-constructed a french dip by using the best ingredients and they ended up with the same flavors they began with. This isn’t a criticism because the sandwich was delicious and that’s sort of the point, isn’t it?
The restaurant itself had a nice friendly vibe. The service was personable and efficient. It’s a cute American brasserie with good food. I’d say I’ve come very far since my early T.G.I. Friday’s days. Hey, we’ve all got to start somewhere.
Would Walter Foods’ french dip make my Top 100 of the Year? It’s no doubt the best french dip I’ve ever had, but it only gets a 7 out of 10because with all the fresh ingredients, I would have hoped for something just a bit more spectacular in the flavor department.
