Ghost Diner

A survey of old eats with SoCal’s Restaurant Historical Society.
by Lucinda Michele Knapp

Los angeles has this bad habit of knocking over the architectural gems most dear to us, Alzheimering our history. But with the help of some feisty, preservation-minded Angelenos, a few gems have dodged the demented wrecking ball of this amnesiac city-including the recently saved Derby. That’s where the Southern California Restaurant Historical Society will be meeting this Saturday in a public celebration of the legacy of L.A.’s famed Brown Derby restaurants (the Los Feliz Derby is the last remaining).

In the meantime, these culinary historians implore you to visit the hidden bits of Los Angeles that still nurture a sense of the past. Here’s a cruelly edited short list; see, timelines can be delicious!

Cole’s Pacific Electric Buffet, 1908
OK, you probably already know this one. You don’t? For shame! Arguably the oldest continuously operating bar and restaurant in L.A., it’s located in the Pacific Electric Railway building that once ran all of L.A.’s Red Cars-once the tallest building west of the Mississippi. The bar exudes the sensation of a lost era, while mysterious sectioned walls seem like they might slide back at any minute, revealing a hidden speakeasy. Word on the street is that with the loft invasion, there might be a remodel on the horizon. Eew.
118 E. 6th St., Downtown. (213) 622-4090.

Lowenbrou Keller, 1960s
The nondescript, blank façade of Lowenbrou Keller belies the absolute mind-fuck that awaits you inside. The interior looks as though you’ve stepped through a warp in space and time to emerge inside a Tyrolian mountain castle circa 1780.  The service is equally antique: slow, but with love. Your best bet is to make reservations a few days in advance so they can grab one of their aunts to come help make the strudel. If you are the type of person who is easily upset by things taking too long, don’t bother.
3211 Beverly Blvd., K-Town. (213) 382-5723.

Pie ‘n’ Burger, 1963
The best burger in L.A., and the Zagat Guide stands by me on that one. Its diminutive exterior hides a gorgeously spare, retro interior: The Formica counter, swivel stools, old-school ice-cream-soda blender, and the ancient cash register all remain. There’s one waitress that’s been there since the restaurant opened, and the baker’s been the same since 1971. Maybe that’s why the pies are so heavenly, vastly superior to House of Pies. They’re handmade, with light, flaky crusts rich with real butter. And yes, their burgers are better than In-n-Out. (Sorry Ethel.)
913 E. California Blvd., Pasadena. www.pienburger.com.

The Prince Restaurant, 1942
Once the most elegant restaurant in Los Angeles, the new Korean owners have wisely changed nothing (other than perhaps the oil paintings on the walls).  The Prince was once owned by Ben Dimsdale and his cousins, who owned the nearby Secret Harbor (now the HMS Bounty). The juxtaposition of Korean culture, good food, and music full of 1940s ambiance makes this a fascinating place. Several of the scenes from the movie Chinatown were filmed here.
3198 W. 7th St., K-Town. (213) 389-1586.

Frank ‘n’ Hanks, 1933
This is a great stumble-in-for-cheap-drinks kinda watering hole.  Its weathered wood shows its age. The ambiance is a bit austere but completely authentic. Add this one to the register of bars supposedly frequented by accomplished drunk/local son Chuck Bukowski; but, as is the case with many of those joints, no one here seems to know who he was.
518 S. Western Ave., K-Town. (213) 383-2087.

Hank’s Bar, 1959
Founded by Hank Holzer in 1959-a former boxer who died in 1997-this place has a very loyal following of odd regulars and the occasional musician or downtown artist. Knick-knacks and weird ephemera dot the ancient wooden walls, deeply lacquered with layer upon layer of varnish. Hank’s is actually the last bastion of a day when most bars had popcorn and peanuts on hand-they also have hot dogs at times in a serve-yourself bar towards the rear of its labyrinthine interior, which seems a bit more dubious. The bartender pours the best kamizakes this side of a WWII aircraft carrier.
Stillwell Hotel, 840 S. Grand Ave., Downtown. (213) 623-7718.

The Power House, since 1947 (or ‘52, depending on your source)
If you look up the word “dive” in the dictionary, you’ll see a picture of the Power House. It’s an absolute mess, with the bench seats falling apart, the concrete floor reminiscent of a small prison yard, and a whacked-out ’80s mural in the back. It’s not lovely and burnished or even haunted, but damn! It’s old. And at Ground Zero of Hollywood, no less. How’d it survive becoming a lame tourist attraction? Like a roach outlasting Armageddon, apparently.
1714 Highland Ave., Hollywood (323) 463-9438.

Redwood 2nd Street Saloon, 1943
This historic bar has moved over the years, but during that time it’s been a hangout for L.A. Times staffers. Past visitors include Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy and … Mickey Cohen. Apparently, this place wasn’t patronized and had to close. But the Southern California Restaurant Historical Society overheard sources say the Redwood’s coming back in September, courtesy of the folks who reopened the Golden Gopher.
316 W. 2nd St., Downtown. (213) 617-2867.   LAA

Visit http://www.latimemachines.com/ for more historic restaurants hotels and bars.