The Hat (Murietta location)

mmm-yoso!!! never takes a vacation, but sometimes Kirk or Cathy leave the general San Diego area and food is involved. Today, Cathy is writing about a place just North of the San Diego County line.  

In 2006, I wrote about The Hat, with another post written on the last day of 2009. This longtime (since 1951) casual, Los Angeles based diner, open for lunch and dinner, known for 'World Famous Pastrami', opened a location in Murietta in September of 2015.

The architecture mimics the original locations,
even the wallboard menu.  Hot and cold sandwiches, chili and a few sides along with beverages are the offerings.  
Order, pay and your number is called.  The bag on the left is filled with a small french fry order ($3.19).
Three of us shared the fries (and we each ate a lot) and this is what we ended up taking home.  

  The roast beef dip ($9.99). The bottom piece of the bread is dipped in au jus before the meat is put onto the fresh French Roll (you can get au jus or gravy if you want to dip more of the sandwich...or your fries...) is my favorite item here.  Thin sliced, tender, lightly seasoned beef is great in its simplicity.  (Although I am spoiled by Philippe The Original, this location and the dip sandwich is close enough to satisfy.)
 The World Famous Pastrami ($9.99)  with mustard and pickle is what The Mister always chooses.  The peppered smoked corned beef is deeply flavored, sliced thin and served on the same French Roll, unless you ask for it to be served on rye bread.  Either choice is going to be great. 
 The side by side of the two sandwich halves shows the dipped beef sandwich was not filled with as much meat as the pastrami, but had only one sandwich been ordered and not knowing the possibility of more filling, the beef dip is satisfactory in size.  
This side order of chili ($1.99) was quite large, meaty (no beans) and spicy (in a good way).  It went well with the fries as well as on its own. 

It's nice to have an outlet of a longstanding traditional restaurant so close.  Mary has been to The Hat.

The Hat, 11 locations. Website open 10 a.m.-11 p.m. daily

Comments

[RedDevil]

Their chili cheese fries were legendary although I was never brave enough to order them--just looked in awe (or fear) at those around me. BTW Bistro de Louisa in RB closed (possibly Chicken Charlie to take its place).

[kat]

looks good!

[Caninecologne]

That pastrami sandwich is pretty hefty looking! My husband will like that!

[Cathy]

We saw two platters leave the counter, RD; one with chili cheese fries and the other pastrami topped fries-So. Much. Food. I like the idea, but not an entire meal. (Thanks for the info; I updated that post and am a little sad)

It is so very good, Kat.

Quite a large sandwich, cc; definitely could be shared. The pastrami is very good. It's not a terribly long drive, but not as close as I'd like.