Best Beef Dip ... Where are You???: On the Road in San Francisco

In Search of the Perfect Beef Dip

It sounds simple, but it's not. And surprisingly, not everyone likes them. For the lovers of the mighty beef dip, this is unbelieveable. A group of beef dip fans are out to find the best dip in Edmonton. Over the next months, we will endeavour to feast on dips throughout Edmonton and beyond in search of beef dip perfection! And we will be sharing our impressions.

A good dip consists of a good bun or roll that doesn't break down in the dipping process. It must be hard on the outside (not stale) and soft on the inside. There is nothing worse than having your beef dip experience ruined when the bun becomes a soggy mess after being dipped. The roast beef should be tender and sliced thin enough so it's easy to bite into.

And the au jus, well that's the deal breaker. It needs to have the right balance of beef renderings with the right spices to enhance the flavour.

Au jus comes the French phrase that translates to "broth or with gravy". The flavour of au jus can make or break the entire beef dip celebration. And of course, au jus must be in a container that is large enough so the beef sandwich can be dipped easily.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

On the Road in San Francisco - July 9, 2010

I had no plans to have a beef dip while on vacation, but there it was on the menu ... French Dip and I couldn't resist. Remember that beef dips were invented in the U.S. I was at Lori's Cafe for breakfast, but it was almost noon. Bacon and eggs or a beef dip. How could I resist? And I wasn't disappointed. Beef dip on a French bread, au jus and coleslaw. Heaven!

Americans just know how to do it. The plate arrived with a sandwich cut in half and generous serving of tender roast beef. I ordered coleslaw as my side and the au jus came in a cup that was big enough to accommodate the sandwich being dipped. Very simple and very pure.

The first bite was a surprise. The crust of the bread was hard, but when dipped the bread inside broke down and became a little gummy. It was actually a little weird. But the more I dipped and became accustomed to the breakdown in the bread, the better it tasted. The beef was excellent, moist and tender. The au jus was more of a broth, but that worked just fine. Not too salty and very tasty.