Historical Restaurant Mirrors Change In Los Angeles' Food And Drink Scene

Los Angeles' noted Brown Derby restaurant played host to many stars during Hollywood's 'Golden Age.' The eatery was an example of novelty architecture, as it was built to resemble a brown derby hat. The Brown Derby was the first restaurant to serve chiffon cake, a recipe invented by an insurance salesman and later given wide distribution by Betty Crocker.

It is said that the most lasting food legacy of the Brown Derby is Cobb Salad. The dish was created by and named after Bob Cobb, one of the restaurant's owners. Bob's wife asserts that he raided the refrigerator late one night and chopped up some leftovers for dinner. Later that night, some of his Hollywood friends visited the restaurant and joined Bob in sampling his concoction. When several of them began to ask for it on later visits, the rest was history.

The Brown Derby was coined for a restaurant of the same name located in Malverne, New York that was a popular vaudeville hangout. The initial Brown Derby in Los Angeles, known also as the Little Hat, opened its doors in February 1926, directly across from the Ambassador Hotel. It was frequently the site of after-parties following events at the Coconut Grove nightclub. This was the only Derby that was actually constructed in the shape of a hat.

A second LA Brown Derby restaurant was opened on Vine Street, near the famous Hollywood and Vine intersection, on Valentine's Day in 1929. Other Derbies were then constructed in Beverly Hills and in East Hollywood. The latter had a car cafe that followed the then-novel drive-in trend.

The Brown Derby in Hollywood closed down in 1985. The shell of the restaurant was restored and placed atop a strip mall on Wilshire. It is now colored orange and known as the Cafe SheeRi.

In mid-2004, the Derby along with adjacent lots were purchased by a realty company and faced demolition to clear space for a condominium complex. A coalition of interested parties, called 'Save The Derby' sought to prevent the restaurant from being destroyed by getting it designated as an official historical landmark. Validating their efforts, in May 2006 the LA City Council voted unanimously to recognize the entire edifice as an official Historic Cultural Monument of the City of Los Angeles.

In one 'I Love Lucy' show episode Lucy, Ethel and Fred have lunch at the Brown Derby. During the show, Lucy inadvertently causes a waiter to dump a plate of food on famed actor William Holden. Currently, there is a copy of the Hollywood Brown Derby at the Disney-MGM Studios in Florida's Walt Disney World Resort.

Matt Paolini is a food writer for CityBook.com, the family-safe online yellow pages, which carries an extensive directory on Los Angeles fast foods and carry out.

Related Articles:
JellyBasket - Order Palmalito guava jelly by the case or gift basket!
Palmetto Canning Co., Inc. - Contract Packaging in glass or plastic for sauces, marinades, and other food products
CareMetix, Inc. - Contract Packaging for tube filling, form fill and seal, wet or dry chemical products including polyvinyl packaging.

The Brain Food Recipe
In the past it was believed that your intelligence was something that was inherited or that it was a genetics thing. Although this is a possiblity it may not be a total truth. It is now believed that your intelligence can be determined by your environment, life experiences and your diet. So is there a brain food recipe that one can start eating to make them more intelligent?

Adding Sauerkraut to a Football Party Food Lineup
Menu suggestions and recipes for game day parties that will score with guests.

What Should You Know About Food Guide Pyramid?
You?ve heard about it when you were in school, but you really didn?t pay too much attention to it. There?s been some talk about it recently but again you just didn?t have the time to give your full attention to it. Now however, you have enough time on your hands, and besides your kids need help with their schoolwork so you?ll need to learn all about it. What am I talking about? The Food Guide Pyramid of course.

Foods To Avoid With Gout While Dining Out
Gout is a painful condition that is caused by a build up of uric acid crystals in joints. In most cases, this will happen in the big toe, or between the big toe and the one next to it. The overabundance of this uric acid will crystallize and settle in that joint and be pretty painful. Though gout is mostly a problem that men face, women develop gout on occasion. It is like arthritis in nature, but it can be very easy to treat with the right diet and certain medications. It?s a great idea for anyone with this condition to watch what he or she eats. Knowing what foods to avoid with gout will help greatly when you are eating out in a restaurant.

Dining In Cardiff
Cardiff is the largest city and capital of Wales. It is a popular vacation spot that is known for its varied culture. Apart from visiting its famous tourist attractions, another way by which you can bask in its culture is by trying out its local menu that will surely be a feast for your senses. The best way to relax and enjoy in Cardiff is to eat in a special place and have a sip of wine or beer. The Welsh, especially the residents of Cardiff, are known for their fine taste in food. Welsh chefs prepare meals with spices and other secret ingredients that make them very sumptious.

TableTop Media Revolutionizes the Dining Experience with Interactive Promotions and Next-Generation Pay-on-Demand: Built in Collaboration with M
TableTop Media, LLC today unveils its wireless, interactive tabletop device with next-generation pay-on-demand capabilities in the Microsoft Booth (#735) at FS/TEC, the international showcase on technology for the foodservice industry.

Stop the Gout by Eating the Right Food
You probably already know gout is caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood. However, did you know that four stages of gout exist and each stage has very unique characteristics of this painful infliction?

Expanding to San Jose: DINING IN - San Francisco Bay Area's Growing Premier Personal Chef Service Cooks Up Expansion
Celebrating five years in business, San Francisco Bay Area's DINING IN is really cookin'! With the expansion of a brand new eco-friendly kitchen, new menus and programs and tripling business in the last three years, this business is keeping things fresh, healthy and organic and expanding delivery areas to help keep the San Francisco Bay area healthy!

YMCA Pressured to Ban Junk Food and End Partnership with PepsiCo
MeMe Roth and www.ActionAgainstObesity.com launch campaign to expel junk food from all U.S. Day Care, child care, and preschool centers, beginning with YMCA of USA. Petition Signed by Nation's Top Docs: Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard, Dr. David Katz of Yale, Dr. Barry Popkin of UNC, Dr. Melissa Glassman of Columbia, Dr. Ruby Natale of University of Miami, as well as Legendary Actor, Comedian and Nutrition Advocate Chevy Chase. To sign the petition visit http://www.petitiononline.com/YMCAFood/petition.html.

Hurricane Victims Given Gitmo Food Supplies
The prisoners at Gitmo have decided to go on a hunger strike of course this does coincide with their Islamic holy holiday. It costs taxpayers to feed these prisoners who have decided they do not want to eat.