Lunch in Los Angeles
Having spent my early childhood in a city that is well over 1000 years old, I came to appreciate restaurants in LA that have a certain amount of history. Granted they are not hundreds of years old, like the Ratskeller ("Council's Cellar") in my old hometown, however they are nonetheless very special. Even more so in light of the fact that there are very few restaurants that survive past 20 years in the entire city of Los Angeles. Today we had lunch at the Pacific Dining Car. Funny, their website does them absolutely no justice. This restaurant, very similar to my second favorite place listed below, has been run over by the demographic changes that precipitated in LA over the past 50 years or so. As a result the Dining Car is now located adjascent to one of the most densily populated and crime ridden sections of LA. Perhaps thats why it is not as popular anymore. If you've seen "Training Day", you actually saw the interior of it. There is a scene that shows Denzel and Ethan meeting some corrupt Police and DA and Superior Court bigwigs . This meeting takes place in the Pacific Dining Car. Where else can you sit it beautiful leather wingback chairs and enjoy the atmosphere and food of a truly American cuisine - the Steakhouse. This place completely reminds me of a time before the existence of the California Pizza Kitchen restaurant chain. Before Wolfgang Puck broke out of Spago's to start his own chain of cafe's in order to redefine what quality food should be by inflicting BBQ Chicken Pizza's on everyone.
My second favorite old restaurant in LA is "El Cholo". Just as the Dining Car, it has been at the same location since the 1920's. It is in my mind the single best Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles. The walls are covered with assorted pictures and artifacts, including the Chef's knife that was retired after 50 years of service. You should see it, its a blade that has been widdled down from 3 in wide to about .5 in. Amazing. During the 40's it wasn't unheard of to have Errol Flynn pull up in a Duesenberg for a quick bite to eat.
6:00:35 PM 
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