Saturday, May 7, 2011

Some historic L.A. Eateries

I started thinking about historic L.A. Eateries, and thought I'd post a few items about them.  Of the three, two of them are in the Valley but I couldn't help but add Musso & Frank in Hollywood, we'd drive from our home in Studio City over Cahuenga to get there, it really wasn't that long of a trip.  It just feels like part of my experience growing up in the Valley.  Actually, it's only now as an adult that I've come to appreciate what a good location Studio City is in.

Musso & Frank Grill has been around since 1919.  I saw an entry on Blogging LA about it and am now feeling the urge to go.  I remember going there as a little kid, with my family, often with my maternal Grandmother.  She used to get sweetbreads to which of course I thought "YUCK"!  (I still think that).  I would always get the ground beef steak, and nothing else.  It's a grand old place that I need to take the family to.

Miceli's has been around since 1949.  There's two - one in Hollywood and one in Studio City - of course  I would go to the Studio City one all the time as a kid.  The thing about Miceli's is the bread rolls, I don't think I've ever had better.  The pizza is the floppy, thin, fold Brooklyn-style kind that I can scarf all night.  And they have live singing throughout the restaurant, which is decorated like well, an old Italian village.  The whole thing is pretty schmaltzy, but as I'm thinking about old school restaurants this one is one of my faves.

The Bear Pit in Mission Hills was probably my absolute favorite place to go -- it's been around since the '40s and is still there, and I really want to go back.  I haven't been there in probably 25 years and it's funny, I don't remember much about the food, but I do remember the sawdust floors and the delicious BBQ baked beans.  Hope it's still the same.

Then there's the places that I just absolutely loved, but are no longer here -- Amber's Chicken Kitchen (Encino), Victoria Station (up at Universal Studios), Hampton's Hamburgers (in Burbank).   Shame they're gone...

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