Grilled lamb kidneys are still on the menu today, as are lamb shanks, braised short ribs, fillet of sole, and many of the other dishes that Chef Rue developed during his fifty-three years as head chef. It seems that Rue wasn’t the only employee to make the restaurant his life’s work. Chef Hellman served for thirty-one years. Indolfo Rodriquez has manned the behemoth grill since 1983. Ruben Rueda has been working at the restaurant for sixty years.
The Musso and Frank Grill is home to many generations. Today, the place is run by Musso’s three granddaughters and their children. Chef JP Amateau is only the third chef to have held the position since the restaurant opened. It’s in his blood; his father, Rod, a Hollywood writer and director, was a regular at the eatery. Waiter Sergio Gonzalez has been working at the Musso and Frank Grill for forty-one years; after stumbling upon the position by filling in for his uncle, it became the first and only job Gonzalez ever held in his life.
Because of the age of the restaurant and the operation of the bar before, during, and after Prohibition, drinks and cocktails are a major part of the dining experience at the Musso and Frank Grill. Behind the bar is Manny Aguirre, who has been the bartender at the establishment for more than twenty years. A star in his own right, he is known as the “Cocktail Ambassador of Hollywood” (and has printed pens to prove it). Once I sat at the bar in the Writer’s Room and asked him if he made old-fashioneds. “I invented them!” he replied—and I would not doubt it. Manny can recall the stars’ preferred drinks: Bette Davis liked a whiskey sours; Drew Barrymore favors champagne. Once, Francis Ford Coppola asked him why the restaurant didn’t serve his namesake wine from Coppola Winery. The next week, it was on the wine list.
The oldest restaurant in Hollywood, 2013.
In 2013, the New York Times declared that the Musso and Frank Grill was one of the top ten “World’s Greatest Old Dining Institutions,” the only Southern California location on the list. In August 2012, the restaurant’s Gibson made the list as one of the top twenty most iconic drinks in Los Angeles. It was also named the number-one spot to order a martini in L. A.
Today, the restaurant’s motto is: “The history will bring you in; the food and service will keep you coming back.” Nothing could be more true.
Fillet of Sole in White Wine with Mushrooms
This dish is only on the restaurant’s menu when fresh sole can be obtained.
Serves 6
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
sea salt
12 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
6 fillets of sole
white pepper
½ cup dry white wine
1½ cups White Wine Sauce (recipe follows)
1. In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté the butter, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly golden. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. Season the fish lightly with salt and pepper. Fold each fillet in half. Place one layer deep in the pan in which the mushrooms were sautéed. Add the wine, cover, and bring the liquid to a boil. Turn the heat to low and poach the fish just below the boiling point, until it flakes with a fork, about 10 minutes. Lift the fish out of the broth and place on a platter. Set aside.
3. Bring the leftover broth to a boil and reduce to one-third of the original volume. Stir in the White Wine Sauce, along with the mushrooms, and simmer for a minute or two. Pour over the fish.
Makes 1 ½ cups
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2 shallots, minced
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup whole milk, at room temperature
½ cup heavy cream, at room temperature
sea salt
white pepper
1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, add the shallots, and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, until golden. Stir in the flour, then the wine, milk, and cream.
2. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until smooth and thickened. Add salt and white pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Charlie Chaplin and his wife, Paulette Goddard, at the Musso and Frank Grill.
The “Back Room” at the restaurant, 1934.
Raymond Burr loved the flavor of these lamb shanks so much that the waiters at the Musso and Frank Grill didn’t even need to ask the actor for his order when he came into the restaurant. They would simply bring him the dish.
Serves 4
4 lamb shanks
1 clove garlic, minced
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
8 medium carrots, sliced into 1-inch pieces
8 small white onions
8 medium button mushrooms, caps only
1 stalk celery, sliced
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 cup peas (frozen, canned, or fresh)
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Sprinkle the lamb with the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Place in a roasting pan and bake for 30 minutes, turning frequently to brown all sides.
3. Add the carrots, onions, mushroom caps, celery, and tomato sauce.
4. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F and roast for 30 minutes, then add the peas and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the meat is tender.
The chefs at the Musso and Frank Grill begin preparing this dish in the morning, so the ribs are nice and tender for the lunch crowd.
Serves 4 to 6
canola oil
6 lbs. beef short ribs
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
all-purpose flour
1 large onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
8