Back in this post, I mentioned Johnie's Coffee Shop, an L.A. landmark that is no longer really a restaurant. It was a restaurant but now it just plays one on television. TV and film companies rent it out as a filming location and it's been in more movies than Michael Caine. Our friends over at Eater LA recently got a tour inside the place.
While you're over at that fine site, they have a list up of 26 Classic Restaurants Every Angeleno Must Try. Here's a rundown on them from my Lifetime Angeleno perspective…
- Philippe the Original — Terrific (and cheap) dip sandwiches in a very old building with very old prices and very old clientele. Fortunately, the food is fresh so any time I'm in the area…
- Cole's — Great old quasi-cafeteria but in a bad neighborhood with (sometimes) very bad parking. You can get much the same chow easier at Philippe but try Cole's some time just for the feeling of history that comes with the food.
- Musso & Frank Grill — Billed as the oldest surviving restaurant in Hollywood, this is a superior place to eat steaks, chops, seafood, chicken pot pie when they have it…almost anything except the Italian dishes, which I find substandard. Any item on the daily menu with the word "braised" in it will be delicious and your waiter, who is not an unemployed actor, will be super-efficient.
- Dan Tana's — Never been here. Keep meaning to. Haven't gotten around to it.
- Polo Lounge — Every time I've been there, it's because someone important insisted on having a breakfast or lunch meeting there. That's a good reason to go and as far as I can tell, the only one.
- Tam O'Shanter — Another oldie, this one run by the folks who own Lawry's. I used to love the place, then I had several bad meals in a row there and dealt with Management that responded to my polite complaints with the attitude of "We're a legendary restaurant and no one else is complaining so you're wrong." So I now love the place from afar.
- Pacific Dining Car — Not unlike Tam O'Shanter. Loved it. Had an ugly time with a Manager who insisted I was wrong about an inedible steak — and who scolded our server who sided with me. I always thought the Pacific Dining Car was overpriced for what you get and that visit ended my love affair with it.
- Formosa Cafe — This used to be a fun, folksy place to get traditional Chinese Food. Then one day, apparently under new management, it went all trendy and "Asian Fusion" on me and stopped offering anything I wanted to eat. So off my list it went. I don't think people go there to eat, anyway. They go to drink and if they're hungry, eat.
- Taix French Restaurant — Never been there. I'm indifferent to French restaurants so I've never been motivated to try this one.
- El Cholo — Never been there. I rarely see anything I want to eat (or given my food allergies, can eat) at Mexican restaurants. I've only been to a few, always under protest, and this is not one of them.
- The Galley — Decent, friendly seafood served in an environment that's usually so crowded and cramped, you want to take your entree out to the parking lot and eat it there.
- Tom Bergin's — This Irish Pub was wonderful once but it went so far down in quality, I stopped going there. So many others did as well that it closed. It's reopened under new management and I haven't been back yet.
- Pink's Hot Dogs — This world-famous hot dog stand is proof that world-famous (and a much-promoted celebrity clientele) does not equal good. It just ain't worth the long lines or cramped seating. Skooby's and Carney's (among others) have better dogs.
- Lawry's the Prime Rib — A class act all the way, and they really do serve the best Prime Rib in the business. Did I ever tell the Jack Nicholson story on this blog? I must have. Anyway, make sure you get the creamed corn and that you help yourself to the free homemade potato chips in the waiting area.
- The Apple Pan — Once, and I'd like to think forever, one of the greatest burger stands in the state. My last two visits were disappointing but I'm not ready yet to give up on the place.
- Langer's Delicatessen — Hailed by many for the best pastrami in the country. The location and limited hours make this deli less than desirable and I'm sorry…I don't think the pastrami's worth the effort. But then I prefer corned beef to pastrami anyway so maybe you don't want to listen to me on this vital topic.
- Canter's Delicatessen — My favorite deli…and it's open 24 hours. If you ever have a cold, go there, eat the Chicken-in-the-Pot and you'll be cured in 20 minutes.
- Taylor's Prime Steak House — Good, folksy place to get a decent steak without having to take out a Reverse Mortgage on your home. Not a good location, though and you may have to climb many stairs to your table.
- The Fountain Coffee Room — Never been there. Never heard of it before this.
- Yamashiro — High up (too high for me) on a mountain top, it serves eclectic Japanese cuisine that looks to be too eclectic for my tastes and allergies. So I've never been.
- Dominick's — Like Dan Tana's, I hear good things about it and keep meaning to try it.
- Dresden — Never been there. Dresden is right across the street from Il Capriccio, which is one of my favorite restaurants in the world…so when I'm dining in the area, that's where I'm dining.
- Du-Par's — This is a historic chain of coffee shops that's terrific for Breakfast, so-so for other meals. They're open 24 hours but at 3 AM, I prefer Canter's.
- The Original Pantry — If you're Downtown and you want a decent economy steak, it's fine…and fun. They're also open 24 hours but beware: When you sit down, they try to serve you cole slaw without even asking. The best thing I can say for the Pantry is that even that doesn't keep me away.
- Casa Vega — Another Mexican restaurant I've never been to.
- Tito's Tacos — Need I explain?
If I'd made up this list, it would have had most of these places plus the original Tommy's, Carney's, The Palm, The Grill on the Alley, Andre's, a couple of stands in Farmers Market, maybe Zankou Chicken, Nate 'n Al's, The Smoke House…I'm not sure where to stop because I'm not sure of the geographic restraints of the list. But it ain't a bad list even if some of those places do serve cole slaw.