Hobo Steak
Maude Salad
Carrot Soufflé
Cock ’n Bull
Welsh Rarebit
Moscow Mule
Florentine Gardens
The Best Meatballs
Roasted Garlic Bread
Romanoff’s
Strawberries Romanoff
The Mike Romanoff
Hollywood Palladium
Virginia Baked Ham with Cherry Sauce
Cherry Sauce
Ciro’s
Crabmeat Cocktail
Tiny Naylor’s
Patty Melt
Chocolate Malt
Scandia
Cold Cucumber Mint Soup
Chicken Salad Kon-Tiki
Curry Dressing
Vinaigrette Dressing
French Dressing
Caesar Dressing
Miceli’s
Garlic Butter Cheese Bread Loaves
Hamburger Hamlet
Onion Soup Fondue
Party Brisket
Pungent Sauce
Brisket Broth
Custard Lulu
Ben Frank’s
French Toast Princess Anne
Lawry’s California Center
Mexican Lasagna
Black Bean Salad
Creamed Corn
L’Escoffier at the Beverly Hilton
Cappuccino Soufflé
Trader Vic’s at the Beverly Hilton
Indonesian Rack of Lamb
Pake Noodles
Crab Crepes Bengal
La Scala
Leon Chopped Salad
Leon Dressing
Cyrano
Cold Vichyssoise
Chez Jay
La Jolla Potatoes
Dan Tana’s
Chicken Piccata
Ma Maison
Quiche à la Ma Maison
Chicken Salad
Chicken Roulade
Salsa
Carlos ’n Charlie’s
Spicy Tuna Dip
Charlie’s Freeze
Spanish Martini
L’Ermitage
Lobster Mousse
Tomato Sauce
Chocolate Mousse
Vanilla Sauce
Hamptons
German Red Potato Salad
Gazpacho with Sour Cream and Dill
L’Orangerie
Steamed Chicken and Vegetables with Wine Sauce
Wine Sauce
Le Dome
Roasted Wild Goose with Apricot Stuffing
Apricot Stuffing
Chopped Salad
Michael’s
Grilled Chicken with Tarragon Butter
William’s Little Italy
Spago Sunset
Goat Cheese Pizza
Chicken with Garlic
Macadamia Tart
72 Market Street Oyster Bar & Grill
Meat Loaf
Spicy Corn Chowder
Ceviche
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
PHOTO CREDITS
WHILE I WAS PUTTING THIS BOOK TOGETHER, ONE BIG QUESTION I WAS OFTEN ASKED WAS WHERE I GOT THE RECIPES. Many of them came from the Los Angeles Times food section archives, which go as far back as the 1920s. Old books from the restaurants themselves were another source. Many food magazines also had columns that highlighted recipes from the establishments. I even watched old television programs featuring the restaurants’ chefs, and took down notes to reconstruct the recipes.
Many of the restaurants happily sent me their recipes. There were, however, a few places that couldn’t provide theirs, and I had to improvise. One of these recipes was C. C. Brown’s Hot Fudge Sauce, which is manufactured and owned by Lawry’s Restaurants. I’ve indulged in the gooey topping both in the 1970s and today at Lawry’s The Prime Rib, and I’ve also purchased a jar of the sauce. All three versions tasted different to me. Was it because I wasn’t eating it out of a silver goblet at C. C. Brown’s? Maybe. In any case, I created my own milk chocolate sauce recipe for this book, trying my best to get as close to the original as possible.
For very popular dishes that I couldn’t obtain recipes for, I chose not to include them in the book—such as Chasen’s chili. In my research, I found about seven versions of the restaurant’s famous spicy chili. Since I’ve never eaten it myself (or had it flown to me on a movie set), I had no reference for choosing the most authentic version. After I obtained the recipes for each of the eateries, I tested each one using the exact same ingredients if at all possible. For some of the recipes—such as those including MSG—I made substitutions. I now invite you to try these recipes yourself and taste the same delectable dishes once enjoyed by the stars of this bygone era.
Chef Keith Hull in the kitchen at Miceli’s.
DRINKS
Mai Tai (Formosa)
The Mike Romanoff (Romanoff’s)
Moscow Mule (Cock ’n Bull)
Navy Grog (Don the Beachcomber)
Spanish Martini (Carlos ’n Charlie’s)
William’s Little Italy (Michael’s)
The Zombie (Don the Beachcomber)
APPETIZERS
Ceviche (72 Market Street Oyster Bar and Grill)
Crab Crepes Bengal (Trader Vic’s)
Crabmeat Cocktail (Ciro’s)
Lobster Mousse (L’Ermitage)
Pake Noodles (Trader Vic’s)
Spicy Tuna Dip (Carlos ’n Charlie’s)
SOUPS, SALADS, & SANDWICHES
Cantonese Chicken Salad (Bullocks Wilshire Tea Room)
Chicken