There are a number of round items on the menu at Philippe the Original, or perhaps "round-ish" is more accurate.
We're thinking of a stack of syrup-drenched pancakes (which might be more circular, now that we think about it), or the pickled beets (which might be a tad oblong, it's true), or those world-famous pickled eggs, the neon-pink beauties that sit in a large jar near where you order.
But you're right, if you just said eggs are more oval than round, which means just one thing: There's but one round icon at the beloved DTLA restaurant, and while you can't eat it, you can celebrate it, especially when particularly special spring day arrives.
That day?
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It's always when the Blue Crew plays ball at Dodger Stadium for the first time in a season. And that Home Opener? It's happening on the evening of Thursday, April 14, when the Dodgers go to bat against the Cincinnati Reds.
And the round object? It's a baseball, of course.
And while no baseball will be played inside the vintage venue, Philippe's will be heartily welcoming Dodgers fans throughout the day, including those baseball buffs who are stopping by the Union Station-close eatery for a quick French Dip on their way to the game.
The restaurant will be rocking festive blue decorations, as is a long-standing tradition, and employees will also be dressed in their Dodger gear.
Adding to the excitement? "Philippe's is located less than two miles from Dodger Stadium and directly across the street from Union Station where you can catch a free ride with your gameday ticket on the Dodger Stadium Express bus," shares the restaurant.
"Service leaves Union Station every 10 minutes starting 90 minutes before the game."
Jackie Robinson Day will take place on April 15, and there are several more April games to go at the storied stadium, with Philippe's keeping the French Dips warm and macaroni salad cold for fans who are eager to stop by for a bite before they head to Chavez Ravine.
And, yes, all of those round-ish foods, from pickled eggs to pickled beets to hotcakes, are part of Philippe's lore, too, in addition to those legendary French Dips.
True, none of those tasty goodies are as round as a baseball, but the baseball, as an idea, a passion, and a way of life gets its own celebratory stage each spring when one of the oldest hangouts for Dodger devotees welcomes the fans back for another season.
