Los Angeles restaurants – IAMNOTASTALKER

August 18, 2015September 24, 2019

My Guide to L.A. – Restaurants

I need to preface this post by stating that I am not in any way, shape or form a foodie. I enjoy good, fresh fare, but my meal preferences consist mainly of old fashioned comfort foods (you’ll notice many mentions of different fried chicken entrées in the list below). If a restaurant has bone marrow on the menu, I’m out. But give me chicken strips and ranch dressing every day of the week and twice on Sundays and I am a happy girl. This list of recommendations will reflect that. For those fellow stalkers seeking more of an epicurean experience, I defer to my friend Molly, of the Almost Makes Perfect website. You can check out her L.A. City Guide here. It’s filled with restaurants to delight every palate – as well as other great area recommendations. I should also mention that I don’t do brunch at all, so if you’re looking for good brunch options in Los Angeles, I, again, defer to Molly. My list consists of eateries that serve good, solid staples, have a unique ambiance and/or a historic background. Bon appetit!

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1. Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese (223 North Larchmont Boulevard, Windsor Square) – Simply put, this place serves the BEST deli sandwiches on the planet! I have dreamed about these sandwiches. I have traveled a good 45 minutes out of my way to eat these sandwiches. I have purchased two of these sandwiches at once so that I could have one for both lunch and dinner. There is nothing like them anywhere else. A friend works just up the street from Larchmont Wine & Cheese and I recently asked her if she pops in regularly. She responded, “Oh yeah, that place is the absolute best. Every day I go there convincing myself that an 8-foot sandwich is a completely normal lunch portion.” Yep, that pretty much sums it up! My personal favorite sandwich, the Roasted Turkey Breast on French Baguette, with Swiss gruyere cheese, mixed greens, tomato, sundried tomato spread, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, is pictured below.

The Grim Cheaper prefers the Fresh Homemade Tuna Salad (which, sadly, isn’t available every day) or the Roasted Turkey on Italian Ciabatta (pictured below), though lately he has been opting for the Soppressata Salami, with Spanish manchego cheese, mixed greens, sundried tomato spread, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Truth be told, though, you can’t go wrong with any sandwich choice. The bread is made fresh daily on the premises and sandwiches are served from 11 a.m. until the shop runs out of bread, which they usually do by 3 p.m., so plan accordingly. Thankfully, I have never been unfortunate enough to arrive after the sandwiches have stopped being served, but if I ever do, I’m fairly certain this will be my reaction. Don’t let the long lines, which typically snake past the front door, discourage you – they move exceptionally fast. Oh, and did I mention that the sandwiches are insanely reasonably priced – around $4.50 for a half size (which is HUGE – the sandwiches pictured above and below are both half sizes) and about $7.50 for a whole.

The deli is tucked into a corner of a quaint gourmet market that sells specialty cheeses and meats, imported olive oils and spices, and fine wine. The clerks are exceptionally knowledgeable and well-versed in their fares. Every time we’ve gone in to ask for a wine suggestion, their recommendations have been top notch. In fact, my mom is obsessed with the last wine they suggested and, unfortunately, we cannot find it anywhere in Palm Springs, so I have a feeling we’ll be dropping by Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese to stock up whenever we’re in town. (Note – the shop is closed on Sundays.)

2. The Slaw Dogs (720 North Lake Avenue, Pasadena) – BEST hot dogs in the state! With menu items such as a Mac and Cheese Dog (with macaroni and cheese, bacon, grilled onions, and Dijon mustard), The Picnic Dog (with homemade potato salad, BBQ sauce, onion rings, and a dill pickle spear), and the TNT Super Dog, aka “The Good Timer” (with beer chili, cheddar cheese, bacon, pastrami, French fries, grilled onions, and a fried egg, all wrapped in a giant tortilla), there is something for everyone. The eatery also serves vegetarian options, salads (the potato salad is made onsite each day and is uh-ma-zing!), burgers, and wine, beer and champagne.

My regular order – a turkey dog with melted cheddar cheese and ranch dressing – is pictured below and, let me tell you, it is absolute perfection! If you are looking for good dogs in L.A., my best advice is to skip Pink’s (the lines are long and the dogs mediocre) and go to The Slaw Dogs instead. The place honestly cannot be beat!

3. The Prince Restaurant & Bar (3198 West 7th Street, Koreatown) – One of my favorite meals of my life occurred at The Prince and dining there is nothing short of an experience. Being at the restaurant, which was originally established in 1949 and has not been altered since, is like stepping inside an episode of Mad Men.

The specialty of the house is the Deep-Fried Whole Chicken (pictured below), which is served Korean-style, with sauces, slaw, and a specialty crepe-like bread. During our visit to The Prince, we happened to meet the owner who taught us how to properly eat the dish using chopsticks. Not only was it a fun experience to try something so completely different from anything I had ever been exposed to, but it was hands-down one of the best meals I have ever had. Oh, and everything The Prince serves – right down to the complimentary chips and salsa – is handmade on the premises. I cannot say enough good things about this place! The Prince is one of Los Angeles’ treasures.

4. Don Antonio’s (11755 West Pico Boulevard, Sawtelle) – Hands down the best Mexican food in L.A. I love the place so much that I chose it as the subject of my very first blog post back in November 2007. I initially visited the restaurant because of its many appearances on The Hills (Spencer and Heidi were regulars) and wound up loving it so much that it became our go-to Friday night spot when the GC lived in Santa Monica. I absolutely love the Crispy Ground Beef Tacos, the homemade Chicken Tamales, the Chicken Fajitas, and the Special Burrito. But you honestly cannot go wrong with any menu item. I recently brought my friend Katie, who was visiting from Kentucky, there for dinner and it’s now the only spot she wants to dine at when in L.A. (Thanks to my friend Kim for the photo below!)

5. Vertical Wine Bistro (70 North Raymond Avenue, Pasadena) – One of the best happy hours in Pasadena! This quaint, sleek, dimly-lit eatery, which has the feel of a speakeasy, is reached via an enclosed patio canopied with strings of Edison lights. Though the menu is pricey, the happy hour deals can’t be beat. The food is out of this world (though I am little upset that the Sautéed Mushrooms, my favorite side dish, appears to have disappeared from the menu recently), the service exceptionally friendly, and the atmosphere fabulous.

During one visit, we were lucky enough to experience one of chef Laurent Quenioux’ Foodings and the cheese cart (yes, cart – it’s pictured below!) that was offered was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen! If you can make it to one of the Foodings that take place there regularly, I highly recommend it.

6. Yamashiro Hollywood (1999 North Sycamore Avenue, Hollywood) – Situated 250 feet above Hollywood Boulevard, this restaurant provides some of L.A.’s best views. And the food is pretty amazing, too! The Butter Lettuce Wraps and Yamashiro Crispy Chicken dishes are my favorites. Yamashiro, which means “Mountain Palace” in Japanese, was originally established in 1914 as a private home for two wealthy German brothers. After one of the brothers passed away in 1922, the property was turned into a private club where the luminaries of the day gathered to wine, dine and dance. After falling into a bit of disrepair during World War II, the site, which was modeled after a palace in Kyoto, Japan, was eventually purchased by a developer in 1948 and transformed into Yamashiro Hollywood restaurant.

I could walk around the unique property for hours, taking in all of its ornate detailing and the sprawling seven-acre grounds. The restaurant’s Inner Courtyard, with its retractable roof, sparkling waterfalls, and central koi pond, literally looks like a set taken straight out of a movie. The exterior garden area, which boasts waterways, Japanese flowers, a 600-year-old pagoda and an outdoor bar that is open during the summer months, is absolutely breathtaking.

As I mentioned, Yamashiro’s most incredible feature is its striking 360-degree views of Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles, Century City, and the Pacific Ocean – views which only get more spectacular at night! I recommend showing up around sunset (the lounge opens at 5 p.m.), so that you can catch glimpses of both the daytime and nighttime views.

7. The Musso & Frank Grill (6667 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood) – Hollywood’s oldest restaurant, The Musso & Frank Grill, or Musso’s as it is more commonly called, was originally established in 1919. The menu, which offers classic comfort foods, steaks and French-inspired fare, was created by chef Jean Rue in 1923 and little of it has been changed since. While the eatery is pricey, the food is fabulous, the service impeccable, the ambiance beautiful, and the history surrounding the place in a league of its own. Musso’s patron list reads like a Who’s Who of the show business and literary worlds and virtually anyone who’s been anyone since 1919 has dined there. For those who do not want to fork out the dough for a meal, I highly suggest grabbing a drink in the “New Room,” a gorgeous wood-paneled space on the eastern side of the restaurant that was constructed in 1955 (it’s pictured below).

8. The Galley (2442 Main Street, Santa Monica) – Santa Monica’s oldest restaurant also happens to serve its best happy hour, which is offered nightly. When I am in SM, The Galley is pretty much the only place I want to eat and I find myself craving their Chicken and Vegetable Tacos (which are only available on the bar menu) on a regular basis. Though the dinner menu is fabulous, too, it is the bar eats that have me returning time and time again. The restaurant, which is a sawdust-on-the-floor/everybody-knows-your-name type of place, was originally established in 1934 and during the heyday of Hollywood such stars as Errol Flynn, Ann Sheridan and Marilyn Monroe were all said to hang out there.

Clark Gable was also a fan of the place and countless props and set pieces from his 1935 flick Mutiny on the Bounty now decorate The Galley’s walls. As you can see below, the restaurant’s interior is quite unique, with twinkle lights draped across every surface and fish netting and other nautical décor lining the walls. The owner, Captain Ron, does his best to make the atmosphere comfortable, casual and fun. You can read Captain Ron’s famous Galley salad dressing story here – it is something of a Santa Monica legend.

The Galley also features a cute back patio area, where patrons can partake of the happy hour and bar menus. The eatery gets insanely crowded come 5 o’clock (especially on weekends), but, trust me, the long waits are worth it.

9. Noma Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar (2031 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica) – Outside of veggie rolls, I am not at all a fan of sushi, or seafood of any kind for that matter The GC is, though, and his favorite sushi place in all of L.A. is Noma Japanese Restaurant. The eatery is tucked inside of a small strip mall in Santa Monica and you could easily drive right by without knowing it was there. Despite that fact, it is always crowded and the waits can be long, but the food is definitely worth it. The GC loves sitting at the sushi bar and letting the chefs pick his selections. He’s never been disappointed with any of their choices and claims the place serves some of the best sashimi he’s ever had. While I cannot attest to the raw fish items, I am particularly fond of their Tofu Salad and Gyoza appetizer.

10. Sur Restaurant and Bar (606 North Robertson Avenue, West Hollywood) – Another one of my favorite ever dining experiences took place at Sur, the eatery featured regularly on the hit Bravo TV series Vanderpump Rules. I would recommend the place to both VP fans and non-fans alike. The food is exceptional (the Crispy Chicken Breast is TO DIE FOR), the prices shocking reasonable, the décor stunning and the atmosphere fun. Add to all that the fact that the Vanderpump Rules cast actually works at the restaurant and poses for pictures with fans, and you have one of the most unique dining experiences in L.A. I ate there with my good friends Kim, Katie, Lavonna and Kaylee for my birthday last year and we had a blast. You can read about our experience here. A blogger I regularly follow (who I won’t name) recently dined at Sur and described it as “meh,” which had me seriously rethinking ever visiting her site again. I mean, if she doesn’t like Sur, how can I ever take any of her other opinions seriously?

11. The Old Place (29983 Mulholland Highway, Agoura Hills) – The Old Place is situated inside of a wood-paneled structure originally built in 1914 that once housed the Cornell Post Office and Country Store. A local couple named Tom and Barbara Runyon established a restaurant on the site in 1970, offering only two meal items – hand-carved steak and steamed littleneck clams. Tom and Barbara’s son took over the eatery in 2009 and re-vamped the menu, adding numerous delicacies of the comfort food variety, but left the interior of the 40-seat site pretty much untouched.

To say that the place is unique would be a vast understatement. Tom created the restaurant’s booths out of actual doors which once hung in a San Francisco hotel, the columns located at the end of each booth originally stood in the Santa Barbara Mission, and the bench at the 30-foot antique bar was fashioned from an actual wooden diving board. The food is also some of the best I’ve ever had and the wine list is fabulous. Be forewarned, though, the eatery is tiny (5 booths, 3 tables and a bar) and waits are long, but oh-so worth it! While waiting for a table, you can peruse the selection at the Cornell Winery & Tasting Room, which is located next door. (The Old Place is closed Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so plan accordingly.)

12. Malibu Café (327 Latigo Canyon Road, Malibu) – Another spot where dining is an experience! To call Malibu Café a restaurant, though, would be doing it a disservice. Don’t get me wrong, the “Nouveau Barbeque-style” fare is downright delicious, but the outdoor eatery (and yes, that’s one of the seating areas pictured below – isn’t it divine?) has so much more to offer than just food.

Malibu Café sits in the middle of the sprawling Calamigos Ranch, which was originally established in 1947. Restaurant patrons are able to wander the picturesque 120-acre property, much of which has appeared onscreen in the countless movies and television shows that have been filmed onsite. The eatery also features waterways, live music, games for children and adults (billiards, anyone?), and paddle and pedal boat rentals. It is the perfect spot to relax with a glass of rosé on a warm afternoon.

13. Russell’s (30 North Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena) – I am not a breakfast person. It may be the most important meal of the day, but I can always be counted on to skip it. Just give me a Starbucks iced latte first thing in the morning and I am good to go! My mom absolutely LOVES breakfast, though, and I figure some of my fellow stalkers do, too, so I would be remiss if I did not include Russell’s on this list. The tiny eatery, which was originally established in 1930, is my mom’s absolute favorite spot in the world for breakfast. If we are anywhere in the vicinity of Pasadena and do not make it to Russell’s for breakfast, it is not going to be a good day for her. While the eatery does serve a fabulous lunch and dinner (it is especially known for its burgers), it is the morning meals that most people rave about and that websites constantly tout as the best breakfast in town.

14. The SmokeHouse Restaurant (4420 Lakeside Drive, Burbank) – One of L.A.’s oldest eateries, The SmokeHouse was originally established in 1946. It moved to its current location in 1949 and very little of it has been altered since. The dimly-lit, red-boothed restaurant evokes the aura of Old Hollywood. It is exactly the type of place I’d imagine Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. sipping martinis in during the heyday of Tinseltown.

The SmokeHouse serves up old school hearty classics (which is my preferred fare) such as Beef Stroganoff, Tournedos of Beef, Creamed Spinach with Bacon, and Barbequed Baby Back Ribs. The meals are fabulous and the servings huge. We are such fans of the place that we even ate Christmas dinner there one year. Thanks to its proximity to the studios (Warner Bros. is right across the street), countless celebrities have also been known to drop in (George Clooney is such a fan he named his production company Smoke House Pictures), so be sure to keep your eyes peeled if you dine there. And I cannot more highly recommend partaking of “The World’s Greatest Garlic Bread.” It’s delicious!

15. James’ Beach (60 North Venice Boulevard, Venice) – In the 2009 comedy I Love You, Man, Sydney Fife (Jason Segel) declares that the Grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos served at James’ Beach are “the best fish tacos in the world.” And while I have not sampled the fish version (as I said, I am not into seafood), I can attest to the fact that the Grilled Tofu and Half Rotisserie Shelton’s Chicken versions are some of the best tacos I have ever tasted. The Venice Beach eatery, which was established in 1996, serves up a wide array of what they call “Modern American Comfort Food” and pretty much everything on the menu is fabulous. The vibe is casual and laid-back and the outside patio area is a favorite with celebrities. This is my go-to Venice Beach spot.

16. The Original Farmers Market (6333 West 3rd Street, Fairfax) – One of L.A.’s most famous and popular landmarks, The Original Farmers Market was conceived by businessmen Roger Dahlhjelm and Fred Beck who proposed establishing an outdoor marketplace on 30 acres of vacant land owned by oil tycoon Earl Bell Gilmore. Their vision became a reality in July 1934 when a dozen or so farmers showed up and sold goods out of the backs of their trucks. The market became so popular that permanent stalls were erected just a few months later. Today, The Original Famers Market is an L.A. institution, housing over 70 permanent stalls comprised of shops, restaurants, bakeries, specialty grocery stores, meat and fish counters, and produce stands, employing more than 700 clerks, and serving up over 16 different varieties of native foods to an average of 3 million yearly visitors!

You can literally find any food item at The Original Farmers Market (from French cuisine to Chinese specialties to freshly made doughnuts) and it is one of the best spots to grab a meal if you’re with a large group because there’s something for everyone. The best part of all? The market is a big time celebrity hot spot. The Los Angeles Times even declared it one of the top ten places to see stars in L.A. They’re right. I’ve never gone there and not seen a celeb.

17. Taverna Tony (23410 Civic Center Way, Malibu) – This restaurant doesn’t just serve some of L.A.’s best Greek food, but some of L.A.’s best food in general. While there are healthy items on the menu, this is the type of place where I would suggest tossing all dietary concerns out the window. If you’re going to cheat, this is the spot to do it – and might I suggest doing it with the Flaming Saganaki Cheese appetizer. It is not hyperbole to say it may be the best thing I’ve ever eaten in my life.

Other bonuses – the prices at Taverna Tony are shockingly reasonable especially considering the location (it’s situated inside the Malibu Country Mart), the ambiance is adorable, and the place is such a celeb hot spot that dining there almost guarantees you a star sighting.

18. Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery (1517 Lincoln Boulevard, Santa Monica) – When the GC lived in Santa Monica, this was our go-to deli. It’s not as good as Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese, but it’s a pretty close second. I am extremely picky about my deli meat (meat in general, actually) and Bay Cities Italian Deli uses quality slices and carves them thin, which I love. Bread for the sandwiches is baked fresh daily and while I prefer the Turkey Special, the Godmother (comprised of salami, mortadella, capicola, ham, prosciutto, provolone, mayonnaise, mustard, onions, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, Italian dressing and hot pepper salad) is the one that most people rave about. The deli, which was founded in 1925, is housed inside of an absolutely charming little gourmet market that serves specialty cheeses, wine and housewares. I love walking down the aisles perusing the countless unique finds. Bay Cities is jam-packed at all times, so be forewarned – if you choose to dine here, you are in for a wait. And it is closed on Mondays, so plan accordingly. (Photo via the Bay Cities website)

19. Lovebird’s Café & Bakery (921 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena) – My favorite Pasadena deli, Lovebirds is a spot that I used to visit regularly when I lived in Crown City. Everything served is made fresh on the premises and while you can’t go wrong with the bakery items, soups or salads, the eatery is most well-known for its fabulous sandwiches. Lovebirds Chicken Salad Sandwich is the best I’ve ever had (I think it’s the unusual addition of grapes that makes the mixture so tasty), but truth be told all of the offerings are great. The GC changes up his sandwich order pretty much every time we visit and has never been disappointed. The site serves up some great espresso drinks, as well, and the prices are extremely reasonable. There are several locations dotted throughout L.A. (including two in Pasadena!), but the one at 921 East Colorado Boulevard in my favorite. Even Charlie Sheen is a Lovebirds’ fan and has been known to stop by the Alhambra outpost.

20. Figaro Bistrot (1802 North Vermont Avenue, Los Feliz) – A charming little piece of Paris located right in the heart of Los Feliz. Figaro Bistrot could not be more adorable with its French-inspired décor, tiny sidewalk bistro sets, gilded mirrors, flower-shaped sconces, zinc-plated bar and Parisian soundtrack. The setting is nothing short of magical and walking through the doors transports one directly to the City of Light. Figaro Bistrot also serves up one of the best happy hours in Los Angeles. The food is fabulous, the prices reasonable, and the ambiance parfait! There is nothing not to love about this place.

I hope this list brings my fellow stalkers some culinary delight! I will most likely be adding to/removing from it as time goes by due to the sad fact that restaurants so often close or change. (Read: the Formosa Café, which was originally on this list. I even went out to take photographs of it a few months back, but by the time I sat down to write this post, I learned that the historic 90-year-old property had been extensively remodeled and that the results were horrific. Needless to say, I had to nix it, which is sad as it used to be one of my favorite spots.) So check back regularly for new updates.

Be sure to check out yesterday’s post about my L.A. hotel recommendations if you haven’t yet.

May 13, 2015May 12, 2015

Latest Discover Los Angeles Post – Movie and TV Restaurants

Be sure to head over to Discover Los Angeles today to check out my latest article, about restaurants featured in movies and television shows.

December 5, 2011December 4, 2011

The Daily Grill at LAX from “Friends With Benefits”

While watching Friends With Benefits this past July, I just about fell out of my theatre seat when I realized that one of the flick’s more pivotal scenes had been filmed at the Daily Grill restaurant inside of the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport – an eatery that I am very familiar with. As I have mentioned previously on this blog, my best friend, Robin, lives in Switzerland and comes to visit me just about once a year. He always flies in and out of LAX and every time we take him to the airport for his return flight, we grab one final cocktail together at the Daily Grill. The eatery long ago came to be known as “the sad restaurant” in my family’s lexicon, as, knowing that the hour to say good-bye is near, we are all invariably in tears by the time the check arrives. Flash forward to this past November when, as I mentioned three weeks ago in my post about The Grill on Main in La Quinta, Robin’s mom, Doina, who is my mom’s best friend, flew out to America to surprise my mom on her 60th birthday. At the end of her eight-day visit, we made our regular pilgrimage to the Daily Grill (that is me and Doina pictured above), which I was extremely excited about as it meant that I could finally blog about the place.

The Daily Grill at LAX, which opened its doors in January 1997, is actually the largest full-service airport restaurant in the entire United States (it measures 8,300 square feet!!!) and features a full bar, a private dining room, and what are easily the best chicken strips I have ever eaten in my entire life! In fact, on this particular visit, we ordered three servings of them (!!!!) as we could just not seem to get enough. Best of all, unlike other airport eateries where a single slice of take-out pizza can cost upwards of $7, the Daily Grill is very reasonably priced. (On a random side-note – while doing research for today’s post, I discovered that there are SEVEN Starbucks stores located inside of LAX! SEVEN! According to the Expect Delays travel blog, Starbucks outposts can be found inside of Terminals 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8! Now, that’s my kind of place! Winking smile )

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In Friends With Benefits, the Daily Grill appeared in the scene in which Dylan (aka Justin Timberlake) and his father, Mr. Harper (aka Richard Jenkins), grab a bite to eat – sans pants – shortly after Mr. Harper arrives at what is supposedly Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. It is actually pretty ironic that the Daily Grill masqueraded as an East Coast location in the flick, as Friends With Benefits poked quite a bit of fun at movies that try to pull one over on their audience by having locales in Los Angeles stand in for those in New York.

In the scene, Dylan and Mr. Harper dine in the northeastern-most section of the restaurant in the area overlooking the ticketing counters.

That area is pictured above.

And I, of course, just had to pose for a pic in the spot where Dylan and Mr. Harper sat in the flick. Smile

Our super-nice waitress answered all of my silly little questions about the filming of Friends With Benefits and even informed us that the filmmakers had covered over one of the Daily Grill’s overhead lights during the shoot and had forgotten to uncover it afterwards. As you can see above, it is still covered over today! So incredibly cool!

According to the Friends With Benefits production notes, the scene in which Jamie (aka Mila Kunis) hops on a baggage carousel and starts handing out luggage to various travelers was also shot at LAX, although I am unsure of exactly where.

Our waitress also informed us that a scene from the 2005 flick Rumor Has It involving my girl Jen Aniston had been filmed on the escalators located just outside of the Daily Grill, which I could NOT have been more excited about. Our waitress was working during the time the scene was filmed and said she watched Jen ride up and down those escalators for pretty much an entire day! How incredibly cool is that? I would have absolutely DIED!

The escalators have been remodeled since the time Rumor Has It was filmed and no longer have palm trees planted in between them, but otherwise look much the same as they did onscreen.

And I, of course, just had to pose for a pic in the spot where my girl stood in the movie. Smile

Until next time, Happy Stalking! Smile

Stalk It: The Daily Grill, from Friends With Benefits, is located at 380 World Way in Los Angeles, on the Mezzanine Level of the Tom Bradley International Terminal inside of the Los Angeles International Airport. It is located outside of the security checkpoint, so you do not have to be traveling to dine there. You can visit the restaurant’s official website here.

March 23, 2011March 22, 2011

The Original Pantry Cafe

Well, it is shaping up to be restaurant week at iamnotastalker.com because for the third day in a row now here I am with yet another eatery to blog about – this time Downtown Los Angeles’ historic Original Pantry Café which first opened almost nine decades ago in 1924. While I had actually known about the landmark restaurant for many years due to the fact that it has long been one of the Grim Cheaper’s boss’ favorite breakfast joints, it wasn’t until fellow stalker Lavonna recently informed me that my girl, Miss Marilyn Monroe, had once dined there that I realized the place was also a stalking location. Just a few of the other luminaries who have patronized the legendary restaurant over the years include Humphrey Bogart, Sammy Davis, Jr., former President Bill Clinton, former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, and Martin Luther King, Jr. So a couple of weeks ago, while out doing some stalking in Downtown Los Angeles, the GC and I decided to hit the place up for lunch.

The Original Pantry Café first opened for business in 1924 in a storefront located one block west of where it stands today. The tiny eatery consisted of one counter with seating for fifteen, a hot plate, a grill, and a sink. The place became extremely popular from the get-go thanks to its hearty servings and reasonable prices and hungry patrons formed lines that wound around the block out in front of the eatery on an almost daily basis. The Pantry flourished even during the Depression years and, in 1934, expanded its sitting area by adding a dining room. In 1950, the State of California took over the space where the Pantry was located in order to build a freeway onramp and the restaurant was forced to move to its current location at the corner of 9th and Figueroa Streets, where it has remained to this day.

On the day of the move, breakfast was served at the Pantry’s original location in the morning and then dinner was subsequently served at the new locale at night, so the restaurant, which is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, actually has the distinction of being able to say that it has never closed and has never been without a customer since its first day of business back in 1924. And to prove it, as you can see in the above photograph, the restaurant’s front doors are sans locks. In 1980, the Original Pantry Café was faced with demolition once again, but Richard Riordan, the future mayor of the City of Los Angeles, stepped in and purchased the property and some neighboring storefronts for $3.5 million. Thankfully, he left the exterior of the property, as well as the restaurant’s menu, exactly as they had been since the new location first opened in 1950. The interior has, sadly, been remodeled quite a bit in recent years, though. On October 5, 1982, the restaurant was declared Los Angeles’ Historic-Cultural Monument Number 255. Today the pantry, which can seat 84 patrons, still has customers lining up around the block on a daily basis, with some guests waiting up to two hours before being served.

When we showed up to stalk the place, though, there was no line and we were seated immediately – which should have been a clue. I am sad to say that our meal was not very good, which was highly disappointing as the place serves up mostly comfort food – my favorite . But from what I have since learned from the GC’s boss, the Original Pantry Café is definitely a breakfast place, so it looks like we just picked the wrong time to stalk it. Apparently the Pantry’s breakfasts are out of this world, which is why the place usually has large lines during the morning hours. And while our lunch left quite a bit to be desired, I have to say that the Pantry was definitely a cool place to hang out.

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The Original Pantry Café is also a filming location. In the 2000 movie The Million Dollar Hotel, the Pantry was where Detective Skinner (aka Mel Gibson) got into a fist fight with Tom Tom (aka Jeremy Davies). The movie was filmed before the recent remodel, though, so the restaurant is largely unrecognizable from it.

In 2007’s Knocked Up, the Pantry was where Ben Stone (aka Seth Rogan) told his father, who was played by actor Harold Ramis, that he had gotten a girl pregnant.

Big THANK YOU to fellow stalker Lavonna for telling me about this location! Smile

Until next time, Happy Stalking! Smile

Stalk It: The Original Pantry Café is located at 877 South Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles. You can visit the restaurant’s official website here. The Pantry is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

February 11, 2011February 10, 2011

The Little Door Restaurant from “Monster-in-Law”

One restaurant that I have long wanted to stalk, but could just never seem to find was the adorable little outdoor courtyard spot where Kevin Fields (aka Michael Vartan), his mother, Viola Fields (aka Jane Fonda), and his new fiancé, Charlie Cantilini (aka Jennifer Lopez), lunched towards the end of the 2005 romantic comedy Monster-in-Law. Then, as fate would have it, back in September while trying to track down the French restaurant where Brenda Walsh (aka my girl Shannen Doherty) and Donna Martin (aka Tori Spelling) accidentally ate veal brains during Season 2 of fave show Beverly Hills, 90210, I came across the website for The Little Door on West 3rd in Los Angeles and immediately recognized it as the restaurant from Monster-in-Law. I added the spot to my “To-Stalk” list and the Grim Cheaper and I finally headed out there this past Saturday night to grab some cocktails. And I have to say the place was AMAZING!

The Little Door, which was opened in 1996 by French-born brothers Frederic and Nicolas Meschin, is easily one of the most adorable restaurants I have ever had the pleasure of dining at. The property, which is actually a converted former schoolhouse, is made up of four different dining areas: the Blue Room, the Winter Garden, the Patio, and the Piano Room. The most popular area, and the area where Monster-in-Law was filmed, is the Patio, a romantic garden setting complete with trees, trickling fountains, twinkle lights, and a retractable glass roof that is opened during the summer months. (The room is also very dimly-lit, which is why the above photographs came out so poorly.) The Little Door has been named “Most Romantic Restaurant of L.A.” and it is not very hard to see why. It is easily one of the romantic places I have ever visited. The staff was also incredibly NICE and lacked any sort of that fancy-L.A.-restaurant-type snootiness. In fact, the bartender and I talked non-stop about celebrities while we were there, which was refreshing as many servers in L.A. try to act like they are above the whole Hollywood thing, when in reality over 90% of them are actors. Winking smile And while the eatery is on the pricier side, the food is absolutely FABULOUS and I honestly cannot recommend stalking the place enough!

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In Monster-in-Law, Charlie, Viola,and Kevin meet up for lunch in the Patio area of The Little Door whereupon Charlie finally turns the tables on her soon-to-be horrendous mother-in-law Viola and announces “It’s my game now!”

The Little Door was also featured in the Season 2 episode of Entourage titled “The Abyss”, in the scene in which Eric Murphy (aka Kevin Connolly) and Sloane McQuewick (aka Emmanuelle Chriqui) discuss the fact that Vinnie Chase (aka Adrian Grenier) no longer wants to be in the movie Aquaman.

Besides being a filming location, the restaurant is also a big-time celebrity hotspot. Just a few of the stars who have dined there recently include Russell Brand, Katy Perry, Jim Carrey, Britney Spears, Gary Oldman, Scott Weiland, Mark McGrath, Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Scarlett Johansson, Ryan Reynolds, Eva Longoria, Tony Parker, Jay-Z, Jessica Alba, Christina Aguilera, Posh Spice, David Beckham, Lisa Marie Presley, Pink, Tara Reid, Salma Hayek, Nigel Lythgoe, and Paris Hilton. The list literally goes on and on! In fact, the GC and I spotted Dennis Haysbert, who played President David Palmer on the hit television series 24, having a quiet dinner while we were there. So incredibly cool!

While we were dining, our bartender informed us that an episode of Entourage had also been filmed next door at the Little Door’s sister restaurant, Little Next Door. So, after we finished eating, we ran right over to stalk the place. Little Next Door, which is a full-service restaurant as well as a bakery and a café, is an absolutely adorable little spot and is already on my list of places that I need to re-stalk in the very near future.

Little Next Door popped up in the Season 4 episode of Entourage titled “No Cannes Do” in the scene in which Eric and Vinnie have a production meeting with independent film director Billy Walsh (aka Rhys Coiro) and actress Anna Faris, who played herself on the series.

Little Next Door is also a celebrity hotspot and such stars as Rachel Bilson, Lo Bosworth, Tyra Banks, Jessica Biel, Audrina Patridge, Michelle Trachtenberg, Ali Larter, and Isabel Lucas have all been spotted there.

On a side note – Ever since seeing Blair Waldorf (aka Leighton Meester) gorging herself on macarons in the Season 4 episode of Gossip Girl titled “Juliet Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”, I have been dying to find a bakery that sells the tiny French cookies so that I could sample some for myself.

So, when I saw a myriad of them on display in the bakery case at Little Next Door, I just had to purchase a boxful. And, let me tell you, they were simply AMAZING! Like the best cookies I have ever had in my entire life! Macarons, which consist of flavored ganache sandwiched between two almond meringue cookies and are not to be confused with the similarly-named macaroons that are made out of coconut, are light, airy, flavorful and literally melt in your mouth! It is no wonder that Blair Waldorf is obsessed with them! Because I am diabetic, I only sampled a bite of both the chocolate and Dulce de Leche-flavored macarons, but the Grim Cheaper tried a few of the other flavors and absolutely LOVED them all! The cookies aren’t sold in many places in L.A. that I have found, but let me tell you, if you can get your hands on some, you simply must try them!!!!

Until next time, Happy Stalking! Smile

Stalk It: The Little Door restaurant, from Monster-in-Law and “The Abyss” episode of Entourage, is located at 8164 West 3rd Street in Los Angeles. Contrary to what was shown on Entourage and in Monster-in-Law, the eatery does not serve lunch, but is only open for dinner beginning at 6 p.m. nightly. You can visit the restaurant’s official website here. Little Next Door, from the “No Cannes Do” episode of Entourage, is located at 8142 West 3rd Street and is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

February 1, 2011February 1, 2011

Susina Bakery & Cafe from “90210”

One location that I have been on the lookout for for almost two years now is the café where Adrianna Tate-Duncan (aka Jessica Lowndes) ran into former boyfriend Navid Shirazi (aka Michael Steger) in the Season 1 Valentine’s Day-themed episode of 90210 titled “Of Heartbreaks and Hotels”. What can I say? Because I am such a coffee fiend, I am an absolute sucker for any sort of filming location that involves a café of some sort. For whatever reason, though, I just could not seem to find the place and, after a few months of looking, promptly forgot about it. Then, two weeks ago, the Grim Cheaper and I were out doing some stalking in the Beverly Hills area when we decided to grab a quick bite to eat. In a fortuitous turn of events, I consulted my Blackberry to find restaurants near to where we were stalking and happened upon the website for Susina Bakery & Café. Thanks to its distinct yellow-colored walls and cherry wood décor, I recognized the place immediately as Navid and Adrianna’s coffee shop. And while we did not end up eating there that day, I quickly added the restaurant to my ever-growing To-Stalk list and finally dragged the GC out there this past Saturday afternoon for a late lunch. Yay!

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Susina Bakery & Cafe, which originally opened in late 2002 under the name Sugar Plum Bakery, resembles an old-fashioned European patisserie and was designed by Bill Brzeski, the award-winning production designer responsible for the look of such films as Matilda, As Good As It Gets, The Hangover, Catwoman, and Stuart Little 1 and 2. The shop was founded by Jenna Turner, a chef who grew up in the business thanks to her mom who owned and operated SugarPlum Bakery in Deal, New Jersey. After receiving a Masters in Business and training under such legendary chefs as Wolfgang Puck and Fred Eric, Jenna teamed up with pastry chef Anna Delorefice to open a bakery of her very own. The place was a virtual overnight success, with such stars as Halle Berry, Audrina Patridge, and Oliver Martinez all stopping by for a bite to eat. In 2004, the duo changed the name of their restaurant to Susina, which means “plum” in Italian, so as not to be confused with the commercial bakery Sugar Plum, Inc. in Virginia Beach.

And while the cakes and sweets at Susina are rumored to be out of this world, because I am diabetic, I regretfully was not able to sample any. But I did absolutely fall in love with the “Kiss Me”/”Hug Me” cookies pictured above. Aren’t they adorable?!?! And I can honestly say that Susina’s cobb salad was hands down one of the best I have ever eaten in my entire life! I honestly don’t know what was in that thing, but it was unlike any other salad I have ever before experienced! I literally ate every last bite – there was not one scrap of lettuce or morsel of blue cheese left in that bowl! It was simply A-MA-ZING! The GC also loved his homemade turkey and white cheddar cheese panini. Susina is also absolutely ADORABLE and it is not very hard to see how it ended up being featured as a location on 90210.

In the “Of Heartbreaks and Hotels” episode of 90210, recently-broken-up former flames Navid and Adrianna accidentally run into each other at Susina Bakery & Cafe on Valentine’s Day and awkwardness, of course, ensues. It was quite lucky that we happened to stalk the bakery when we did as it was all dressed up for Valentine’s Day, much the same as it was when it appeared on 90210.

The “Of Heartbreaks and Hotels” episode of 90210 will always hold a very special place in my heart as it marks the first time that fave actor Matt Lanter appeared as bad boy Liam Court on the show. But I digress.

Oddly enough, Susina Bakery & Café VERY closely resembles a different coffee shop (pictured above) where Adrianna and Navid, who have once again broken up, accidentally run into each other in the Season 2 episode of 90210 titled “Another Another Chance”. And unfortunately, as was the case with Susina, I am having quite a bit of trouble tracking this one down. Ideas anyone? It seems to be some sort of a florist/cafe and if I had to guess I’d say it was located somewhere in the San Pedro/South Bay area.

I honestly cannot recommend stalking Susina Bakery & Cafe enough! The food and ambiance are both FABULOUS and the prices are very reasonable, which pleased the GC to no end. I have a feeling the restaurant is going to become one of my regular haunts in the very near future.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! Smile

Stalk It: Susina Bakery & Café, from the “Of Heartbreaks and Hotels” episode of 90210, is located at 7122 Beverly Boulevard, just off of North La Brea Avenue, in Los Angeles. You can visit the restaurant’s official website here.

November 23, 2010November 23, 2010

The Whisper Lounge – One of Michael Buble’s Favorite L.A. Restaurants

Last week, Michael Buble’s tour marketing manager, Tory Class, who I follow on Twitter (@ToryonTour), sent out a link to a recent interview the cutie crooner had done with The Hollywood Reporter during which he named his five favorite places to hang out in Los Angeles. I, of course, watched the video immediately and just about died when he mentioned the Whisper Restaurant and Lounge at The Grove as one of his favorite area restaurants, being that the Grim Cheaper and I had just dined there a few months prior. I, unfortunately, did not take any photographs of the place at that time, though, so I promptly added the eatery to my ever-growing “To Stalk” list and informed the GC that we would be dining there that very weekend. And we, indeed, did, this past Saturday night. Ironically enough, Michael actually mistakenly referred to the place as the “Viper Lounge” in his interview, but being that there is no such restaurant at The Grove and being that there is only one spot there that has the word “lounge” in its name, I was able to figure out which establishment he was talking about.

The Whisper Restaurant and Lounge, which first opened in January of 2004, is owned and operated by billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso (no relation to actor David Caruso), the man who was the brains behind both The Grove shopping center and the more recent Americana at Brand in Glendale. The eatery was modeled after the private supper clubs that thrived during the heyday of Hollywood and was designed to resemble a 1940’s speakeasy (hence the “whisper” in the name), with dim lighting, dark wood-paneled walls, large leather booths, an indoor/outdoor canopied patio, and Rat Pack music on the stereo. It’s a very quiet, intimate spot and both the GC and I fell in love with the place immediately. Being that it is on the pricier side, though, I almost fell right off my bar stool when the GC announced that he couldn’t wait to bring my parents back there as he knew that they would also love it and suggested that we do so this upcoming weekend!

In The Hollywood Reporter interview, Michael mentioned that the restaurant serves “the best flat crust pizza ever” and I have to say that I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment. The GC and I opted for the Wild Mushroom and Truffle version and it was nothing short of A-MA-ZING! The couple dining next to us ordered the Pizza Margherita with prosciutto added to it and, holy schmoley, did it look good. I am going to have to sample that myself on my next visit there. The Grilled Baby Broccoli with Garlic Butter side dish that I ordered was also spectacular – easily the BEST broccoli I have ever eaten in my entire life. I was seriously tempted to lick my plate clean. Winking smile

The service was also impeccable and lacked any sort of the typical L.A. snootiness that is usually found in upscale Hollywood-area restaurants. The bartender was INCREDIBLY nice and, because she had only worked at the Lounge for two months, was not sure if Michael Buble had ever frequented the place, so she sought out a few of the more veteran servers to find out for me, and, sure enough, they confirmed that the singer is a regular patron. So incredibly cool! While we were dining, we also had the pleasure of meeting the Assistant General Manager, a SUPER nice man named Eric Todd, who was very excited to hear that Michael had mentioned the eatery in a recent interview and did not think I was at all weird for stalking the place because of it.

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Apparently, Michael Buble is not the restaurant’s only famous fan. In fact, the place seems to be a veritable celebrity haven. Just a few of the stars who have been spotted there recently include Halle Berry, Kim Kardashian, Kris Kardashian, Bruce Jenner, Spencer Pratt, Heidi Montag, Keanu Reeves, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Leah Rimini, Lauren Conrad, Jessica Simpson, Lara Flynn Boyle, Vivica A. Fox, Nick Lachey, David Spade, Sam Worthington, former Bachelor- contestant Jerry Ferris, and Antonio Sabato, Jr. And while we, unfortunately, did not spot any celebs while dining at the restaurant, we did see actress and former Real World-er Jacinda Barrett and her husband, actor Gabriel Macht, and comic book legend Stan Lee, who was doing a signing at Barnes & Noble, while walking around The Grove earlier in the day.

Michael Buble’s Five Favorite Places in L.A.

You can watch Michael Buble’s Hollywood Reporter interview by clicking above. And for those who are not able to watch, his five favorite Hollywood haunts are as follows: 1. Koi Restaurant, 2. The Chateau Marmont hotel, 3. His house in West Hollywood, 4. The Grove and the Whisper Lounge, and 5. Disneyland! Because I am an absolute Disney freak, I was incredibly excited to hear that last one. Of the park, Michael says, “When I walk in there now and I go through the gates, I’m seven years old. I go right back. I just, I can’t get enough of it.” Love it! And congratulations are also in order here as MB won his very first American Music Award this past Sunday night for Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist! Whoo-hoo!

Justin Bieber’s AMA Speech

On an AMA side note – I just have to say that I absolutely LOVED Justin Bieber’s speech after winning Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, in which he acknowledged the King of Pop, saying, “I want to thank Michael Jackson because without Michael Jackson, none of us would be here.” Love it! Then when he called Usher up on stage after winning the Artist of the Year award, I literally got tears in my eyes! (You can watch his Artist of the Year award speech by clicking above). What can I say? I love me some Biebs!

New Kids on the Block and Back Street Boys 2010 AMA’s Performance

I also absolutely LOVED LOVED LOVED the NKOTB/BSB performance! It was – dare I say it – the best performance of the night and, because I’ve had New Kids on the Blocks songs on my iPod for as long as I can remember, so think I am going to have to get myself some tickets for that tour!

On another side note – While doing some stalking in Hollywood this past Saturday morning, the Grim Cheaper and I spotted the above-pictured Tom Cruise look alike in the forecourt of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and I just about died from excitement! The guy looked SO much like the movie star that it was absolutely UNCANNY. The GC and I both did a double take and for a few brief moments I actually believed he was the real Tom Cruise doing some sort of a press appearance at the legendary Hollywood theatre.

The guy was being absolutely MOBBED by people wanting to take a photograph with him and I have to admit that in the ten-plus years that I have lived in Los Angeles, never once have I paid – or been tempted to pay – to have my picture taken with the faux celebrities or superheroes who make their living on the Boulevard, but I HAD HAD HAD to get my picture taken with Tom. Smile There was absolutely NO way I was going to let that opportunity pass me by.

Until next time, Happy Stalking!

Stalk It: The Whisper Lounge is located inside of The Grove shopping center, near where Farmers Market Place meets Gilmore Lane, across the street from the Wonderland Bakery, in Los Angeles. The restaurant’s exact location is marked with a pink arrow in the above aerial view. You can visit the restaurant’s official website here, its Facebook page here, and you can follow the Lounge on Twitter here. The Whisper Lounge is currently hosting a “Blues Beats, Exquisite Eats” event each Sunday night, with live jazz music and a five-course tasting menu. You can find out more information about “Blues Beats, Exquisite Eats” here.

July 21, 2010July 20, 2010

24/7 Restaurant from Glamour Magazine’s “Glee Gets Glam” Photo Shoot

One location that I have been ABSOLUTELY DYING to stalk for what seems like forever now is the diner-style restaurant where the girls from Glee – Lea Michele, Dianna Agron, Amber Riley, and Jenna Ushkowitz – posed for the May 2010 Glamour Magazine “Glee Gets Glam” photo shoot. After months of searching for it, though, and having absolutely no luck whatsoever, I had become convinced that the shoot had taken place on a studio set somewhere in Hollywood and not at an actual restaurant. And then last Sunday night fate stepped in and, as so often happens with stalking, I ended up stumbling upon images of the Glee diner while searching for another location altogether. Maddeningly enough, as it turns out, the Glee girls were photographed at a locale that I have not only been to several times, but one that I’ve actually blogged about before – the Standard, Downtown L.A. Hotel. I have a pretty valid excuse at to why I didn’t recognize the place immediately when I first read the magazine, though – the girls were actually photographed inside the hotel’s 24/7 Restaurant, a place which I had never before visited. So, I of course, dragged the Grim Cheaper right out to stalk it this past weekend! 🙂

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And the place did not disappoint! I honestly cannot say enough good things about 24/7! The restaurant’s hipster decor is a definite throwback to the 1950s and is unlike anything else I’ve ever seen in L.A. Apparently photo shoots and filming take place on the premises all the time and it’s not very hard to see why – the diner is bright and funky and completely unique. And the food is INCREDIBLE! As I’ve mentioned before, I am an EXTREMELY picky eater, especially when it comes to chicken, but, let me tell you, I ate up every last bite of my 24/7 Cobb salad. It was AMAZING! And the prices are extremely reasonable, as well, which pleased the Grim Cheaper to no end. To top it all off, the staff was also incredibly friendly and let me take all of the photographs of the place that I wanted. Yay! 🙂

Lea Michele and Amber Riley’s “Glee Gets Glam” photograph was taken in the center booth located just to the right of the restaurant’s lobby entrance.

Dianna Agron and Jenna Ushkowitz posed for their photograph in front of the windows which face 24/7’s patio area.

And, as you can see in this picture, the photograph of all four girls playing around in a bathtub was shot in one of the Standard’s hotel rooms.

And, much to the Grim Cheaper’s dismay, I just HAD to recreate Lea Michele’s pose from the issue’s contents page while I was there. I so wish I could have also been wearing her Marchesa dress while doing so, but unfortunately I didn’t have an extra $6,600 lying around! 😉 Sigh.

I honestly cannot recommend stalking the 24/7 Restaurant enough. For lack of a better word, it is just simply a cool, cool place to grab a bite to eat. 🙂 Note – The magazine images which appear in this post do not belong to me, but remain the property of Glamour Magazine and photographer Peggy Sirota (who also shot these fabulous Jen Aniston pictures for GQ Magazine).

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: The 24/7 Restaurant can be found inside the Standard, Downtown L.A. Hotel, which is located at 550 South Flower Street. As the name implies, the restaurant is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can visit the official 24/7 website here.

July 14, 2010July 13, 2010

The Tam O’Shanter Inn from “Glee”

A couple of weeks ago I dragged my fiancé out to stalk the Tam O’Shanter Inn which appeared in the Season 1 episode of Glee titled “Dream On”. I found this location thanks to an eagle-eyed stalker who recognized the restaurant immediately while watching the episode back in May. And even though I no longer consider myself a “Gleek” (gasp!), I just could not resist stalking the place. And yes, you read that right – I am no longer a huge fan of Glee. In fact, I can’t even really say that I like the series at all anymore, let alone love it like I used to. In my never-to-be-humble opinion, the show has gone WAY downhill ever since it returned from its four month hiatus this past April. I don’t know if it’s due to the fact that it became such a humongous hit in such a short period of time or if the writers just simply got lazy, but somewhere along the way the show lost its heart. It’s become more about the music and less about the characters that I grew to love so deeply in the first part of the season. While the series used to be over-the-top and fun, in recent months it’s become ridiculous and largely unbelievable – Kurt and Mercedes joining the cheerios, Olivia Newton-John asking Sue Sylvester to star in a re-make of her “Physical” video, and Shelby Corcoran – the coach of Vocal Adrenaline – adopting Quinn and Puck’s baby???? Like, huh??? I could go on and on and on. Not to mention the fact that Mr. Shue, who was in my eyes the real heart of the show, has become a complete and total jerk – i.e. cheating on Emma, pretending to be in love with Sue Sylvester (I don’t even know what to say about that one!), and hooking up with his arch-enemy and head of the rival Glee club, Shelby Corcoran. Sigh. The whole thing makes my head hurt. Although I did love it when all of the kids were calling him “Man Whore” in the “Bad Reputation” episode. Anyway, despite all of that, because I loved part one of the series’ first season SO much, I still find it fun stalking locations featured on the show. Which is how my fiancé and I ended up at the Tam O’Shanter Inn two weekends ago.

Tam O’Shanter Inn actually has a long and celebrated Hollywood history. It was first opened in June of 1922 by Lawry’s restaurant chain founders Lawrence Frank and Walter Van de Kamp and has the distinction of being Los Angeles’ oldest restaurant that is still operating in the same location and by the same family. Art director/humorist Harry Oliver, designer of the Spadena House in Beverly Hills (aka the Witch’s House from Clueless), was commissioned to design the original building in what is called the “storybook-style” of architecture. In fact, the restaurant’s original interior closely resembled that of a ride at Disneyland. The property was extensively remodeled and expanded in 1968 at which time it was renamed the “Great Scot”. In 1982, in honor of the restaurant’s 60th anniversary, the original name, which refers to a style of hat worn in Scotland, was restored and it has remained to this day.

In the “Dream On” episode of Glee, Will Schuester (aka cutie Matthew Morrison) takes frenemie and former Glee-club-rival Bryan Ryan (aka guest star Neil Patrick Harris) to the Tam O’Shanter Inn for a drink to convince him to not shut down the Glee club. Will finally gets Brian to concede and the two wind up singing a rousing rendition of Billy Joel’s “Piano Man”.

When we first walked into the Tam O’Shanter Inn, I asked the hostess who greeted us at the door where exactly the “Dream On” episode had been filmed. Well, let me tell you, she could NOT HAVE BEEN NICER! She immediately sat us in the bar area in the exact spot where Matthew Morrison and Neil Patrick Harris were sitting in the episode. She also told us the direction the cameras were facing during filming, what areas of the restaurant could be see in the background, and asked if we wanted to reenact the “Piano Man” scene while she took photographs of us. LOVE IT! I was SO down with reenacting the scene, by the way, but the Grim Cheaper was having none of that! 😉

Filming for the yet-to-be-released Larry Crowne movie, which stars Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks, also took place at the Tam O’Shanter Inn earlier this year. According to the bartender we spoke with, producers had the above-pictured green rug made especially for the filming and then gifted it to the restaurant after shooting wrapped. SO DARN COOL!

Besides being a filming location, the restaurant is also a long time celebrity hangout. Just a few of the luminaries who have been spotted there over the years include Mary Pickford, John Wayne, Fatty Arbuckle, and Tom Mix. Walt Disney loved the place so much that he frequented it on an almost daily basis and on one visit gifted the owners with the above-pictured cartoon, which he personally drew of Lawrence Frank. According to the restaurant’s website, Disney executives dined at Tam O’Shanter’s so often that the place became known as “Disney’s studio commissary”. Apparently Walt’s favorite table was #31, while John Wayne preferred #15.

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I honestly cannot say enough good things about the Tam O’Shanter Inn. I absolutely LOVED the place! Especially their fried calamari appetizer!

On a Glee side note – For those of you who have not yet seen Heather Morris, who plays Brittany on Glee, performing “Single Ladies” live with Beyonce at the 2009 American Music Awards, you can do so now by clicking above. Apparently, Heather was not originally being considered as a cast-member for Glee, but was first called in by series creator Ryan Murphy to teach series regulars Chris Colfer and Jenna Ushkowitz the “Single Ladies” dance for the Season 1 episode titled “Preggers”. Fate stepped in, though, and Murphy ended up liking the actress/professional dancer so much that he immediately cast her in the role of ditzy cheerleader Brittany. And the rest, as they say, is history!

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Tam O’Shanter Inn from Glee is located at 2980 Los Feliz Boulevard in the Atwater Village section of Los Angeles. You can visit the restaurant’s official website here.

February 10, 2010June 16, 2011

Cole’s Restaurant from “A Lot Like Love”

This past weekend I dragged my fiancé out to re-stalk Cole’s Restaurant, a location that I originally blogged about way back in May of 2008. I first learned about the old time watering hole while watching the DVD commentary for fave movie A Lot Like Love, during which one of the film’s directors mentions that the New York bar scene featured at the beginning of the flick wasn’t actually filmed on the East Coast at all, but at a historic little bar in Downtown Los Angeles named Cole’s. After doing a bit of online research I discovered that COUNTLESS movies had actually been filmed on location at the historic bar, so I, of course, immediately dragged my fiancé right out to stalk the place. Sadly, though, upon arriving we were greeted by a sign announcing that the restaurant was closed for a massive renovation project. 🙁 And I have longed to stalk the place ever since. So, since we were in the area this past weekend, I begged my fiancé to make a little pit stop there and, since he was hungry at the time, he happily obliged. YAY!

Cole’s actually has a few other claims to fame besides being an oft-used filming location, including the fact that it is not only where the French Dip sandwich was first originated, but it is also the oldest continuously operating bar and restaurant in all of Los Angeles.

Cole’s, which was originally known as Cole’s P.E. Buffet, was first opened on December 8, 1908 by an entrepreneur named Harry Cole in what was once the main terminal of the Pacific Electric Building. That very same year, Cole’s main chef, a resourceful young man named Jack Garlinghouse, dipped the bread of a roast beef sandwich in Au Jus sauce in order to soften it for a customer who suffered from sore gums, and, thus, the French Dip sandwich was born. Those sandwiches, and the restaurant itself, became extremely popular with the hundreds of thousands of commuters who traveled through the Pacific Electric Building terminal each day. Twenty-five years later, in 1933, Cole’s was still such a popular spot that on the day California nixed its ban on beer, the bar served up over 19,000 gallons of the stuff to its parched customers. Yes, you read that right – 19,000 GALLONS in ONE day! That same year, Harry Cole’s son, Rawland, who was a bit of an entrepreneur himself, decided to start cashing checks out of the restaurant’s back room and wound up giving out over $1,000,000 each month (and we’re talking 1930’s money!), which was a larger amount than any U.S. bank was giving out during that same time! Cole’s has also had a longtime celebrity following, attracting such notables as Mickey Cohen who was a regular there during the 70’s and even had his own booth.

In 2007, Cole’s was purchased by a Los Angeles area development company named 213 who subsequently began a year-long, $1.6 million restoration process on the historic restaurant, during which its 40-foot long mahogany bar, porcelain penny tile mosaic flooring, and antique Tiffany glass lamps were all brought back to their original glory. The 213 company, which is headed by C.E.O. Cedd Moses, even added a “secret” bar in what was formerly Cole’s storage room. That secret bar is named “The Varnish” and it is so hidden, in fact, that I had absolutely no idea it was there until I read about it online after I got home. 🙁 For their restoration efforts of the legendary restaurant, 213 was awarded the Los Angeles Conservancy’s Preservation Award.

Cole’s specialty is, of course, its signature hand-carved, made-to-order French Dip sandwich which was originated on the premises one hundred and two years ago. There’s actually another L.A. area restaurant named Phillipe’s also laying claim to that exact same feat and the dispute between the two establishments is almost as old as the sandwich itself. But being that in 1974 the City of Los Angeles designated Cole’s a Historical Landmark Site and a State Point of Historical Interest not only due to its significant location, but also to its culinary invention, I think it’s safe to say that Cole’s has won that battle. 🙂 Cole’s French Dips can be constructed out of a variety of meats, including lamb, pastrami, turkey, and the typical roast beef. They can also be adorned with extra meat, Swiss, cheddar, goat, or blue cheeses, and an “atomic pickle spear”. I opted for a turkey French dip, sans the cheese and pickle, and I have to say it was absolutely A-MA-ZING! The meat truly was hand-carved, right-off-the-turkey-type turkey and I loved every last bite of it. What I loved more, though, was the historic aura of the place. It was incredible to be sitting there, dining on my French dip, thinking about the fact that the very sandwich I was now eating had actually been created on the premises over a century ago. Yes, I’ll take my meal with a side of history, please. 😉 I think it goes without saying that I ABSOLUTELY LOVED Cole’s and I honestly can’t recommend stalking the place enough!

In A Lot Like Love, Cole’s stood in for the New York bar where Oliver (aka Ashton Kutcher) and Emily (aka Amanda Peet) make a $50 bet that he won’t be a successful married businessman in six years time.

And I, of course, just had to eat lunch while sitting in the same spot where Ashton and Amanda sat in the flick. 🙂

The side booth area that is visible to the left of Ashton in the above screen capture is no longer a part of Cole’s. It was closed off during the restaurant’s recent remodel and is now a separately owned “secret” bar known as the Association. Yes, there are two secret bars located on the Cole’s premises!

The Association’s unmarked front door is pictured above.

In Jumpin’ Jack Flash – one of my all-time favorite movies EVER – Cole’s once again stood in for a New York bar, this time as the place where Terri Dolittle (aka Whoopi Goldberg) gets kidnapped by a man in a tow truck while making a telephone call from a public phone booth.

It is during this scene that Whoopi utters the infamous line “I am little black woman in a big silver box!” LOL

Towards the end of the movie, Whoopi once again runs by the restaurant on her way back to her office after escaping from the police. Cole’s is also talked about throughout the flick as the place where Whoopi and her pals hang out after work. Ironically enough, back before my very first trip to the Big Apple, I spent HOURS using Google Street View to search New York for this location. It wasn’t until years later, when I stalked Cole’s the first time after watching A Lot Like Love, that realized my mistake. I can’t believe I wasted so much time scouring New York for this location, when the whole time it was literally right in my own backyard! 😉

In Rumor Has It, Cole’s stands in for the San Francisco bar named the Fillmore Pub, where Kevin Costner and my girl Jen Aniston share a dance. Ironically enough, before I knew about Cole’s, I actually spent quite a bit of time searching the San Francisco area for this spot! Which means – you guessed it! – that I not only wasted countless hours searching for this location – not realizing it was the same place featured in Jumpin’ Jack Flash – in New York, but in San Francisco, too. LOL Man, I’m such a blonde sometimes!

The scene where Kevin and Jen kiss outside of the ladies’ room after their dance was really filmed in the bathroom area of Cole’s, as well.

The exterior of the restaurant was also used in the filming of the scene, although they changed the signage to read “Fillmore Pub”. As you can see in the above photograph (which was taken during my first Cole’s stalk) and screen capture, though, the signage used in the movie is an exact match to Cole’s real life signage. Love it!

In Forrest Gump, Cole’s yet again stood in for a New York watering hole. It was used as the spot where Forrest and Lieutenant Dan spend New Year’s Eve of 1971. Sadly, though, not much of the bar is visible in that scene.

On a side note – Located directly across the street from Cole’s is a little place named J &J Sandwich Shop, which is the restaurant which stood in for the Night Owl Cafe in fave movie L.A. Confidential.

And located directly above Cole’s is the ninth floor window from which Bud White (aka Russell Crowe) hung D.A. Ellis Loew (aka Ron Rifkin) in the same movie.

Cole’s has also appeared in an episode of The X-Files, in numerous episodes of both Mad Men and NYPD Blue, and it flashed by very briefly in the 1991 movie Guilty By Suspicion. And, according to legend, the Terminal Bar from 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit, which was in actuality just a set, was based on Cole’s.

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Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: Cole’s is located at 118 East Sixth Street in Downtown Los Angeles. You can visit their website here.