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
The Mike Romanoff (Romanoff’s)
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)
Spicy Tuna Dip (Carlos ’n Charlie’s)
SOUPS, SALADS, & SANDWICHES
Cantonese Chicken Salad (Bullocks Wilshire Tea Room)
Chicken Salad Kon-Tiki (Scandia)
Cold Cucumber Mint Soup (Scandia)
Creamy Tomato Soup (Zebra Room at the Town House of Lafayette Park)
Gazpacho with Sour Cream and Dill (Hamptons)
Lentil Soup with Roasted Pork (Pig ’n Whistle)
Onion Soup Fondue (Hamburger Hamlet)
Spicy Corn Chowder (72 Market Street Oyster Bar and Grill)
The Town House Special (Zebra Room at the Town House of Lafayette Park)
DRESSINGS
Mustard Mayonnaise Dressing (Bullocks Wilshire Tea Room)
Thousand Island Dressing (Tam O’Shanter)
Vinaigrette Dressing (Scandia)
BREADS
Buttermilk Biscuits (Clifton’s)
Garlic Butter Cheese Bread Loaves (Miceli’s)
Popovers (Bullocks Wilshire Tea Room)
Pumpernickel Toasts (Perino’s)
Roasted Garlic Bread (Florentine Gardens)
Sour Cream Biscuits (Brown Derby)
ENTRÉES
Beef Short Ribs with Brown Gravy (Cocoanut Grove)
The Best Meatballs (Florentine Gardens)
Braised Short Ribs (Musso & Frank Grill)
Chicken with Garlic (Spago Sunset)
Fillet of Sole in White Wine with Mushrooms (Musso & Frank Grill)
French Toast Princess Anne (Ben Frank’s)
Goat Cheese Pizza (Spago Sunset)
Grilled Chicken with Tarragon Butter (Michael’s)
Indonesian Rack of Lamb (Trader Vic’s)
Lamb Shanks (Musso & Frank Grill)
Meat Loaf (72 Market Street Oyster Bar and Grill)
Mexican Lasagna (Lawry’s California Center)
Party Brisket (Hamburger Hamlet)
Quiche à la Ma Maison (Ma Maison)
Roasted Tenderloin of Pork (Don the Beachcomber)
Roasted Wild Goose with Apricot Stuffing (Le Dome)
Spaghetti Bolognese (Perino’s)
Steamed Chicken and Vegetables with Wine Sauce (L’Orangerie)
Virginia Baked Ham with Cherry Sauce (Hollywood Palladium)
Whitefish Italienne (Perino’s)
SAUCES
Brisket Broth (Hamburger Hamlet)
Cherry Sauce (Hollywood Palladium)
Pungent Sauce (Hamburger Hamlet)
White Wine Sauce (Musso & Frank Grill)
SIDE DISHES
Black Bean Salad (Lawry’s California Center)
Coleslaw with Peanuts (Tam O’Shanter)
Creamed Corn (Lawry’s California Center)
German Red Potato Salad (Hamptons)
DESSERTS
1909 Brownie Sundae (C. C. Brown’s)
Bread Pudding (Cocoanut Grove)
Cappuccino Soufflé (L’Escoffier)
Charlie’s Freeze (Carlos ’n Charlie’s)
Chocolate Malt (Tiny Naylor’s)
Coconut Cream Pie (Bullocks Wilshire Tea Room)
Cream Cheese Frosting (Clifton’s)
Cream Cheese Icing (Clifton’s)
Custard Lulu (Hamburger Hamlet)
Heavenly Lemon Pie (Bullocks Wilshire Tea Room)
Holiday Fudge Brownies (Schwab’s Pharmacy)
Holiday Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae (Schwab’s Pharmacy)
Hot Fudge Sauce (Schwab’s Pharmacy)
Marshmallow Cream (C. C. Brown’s)
Milk Chocolate Sauce (C. C. Brown’s)
Pineapple Sheet Cake (Tick Tock Tea Room)
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (Clifton’s)