RIP - Raymond Taix, owner of Taix restaurant

Born just two years before his father Marius Taix opened Taix in 1927, Raymond Taix grew up in the restaurant business. The original location opened at 317-321 Commercial Street (near San Pedro Street) as a 'style pension bourgeoise - a real French dinner' just blocks from the post office during a time when European cuisine was very fashionable in Los Angeles (other 'European cuisine' establishments of the time included the Paris Inn, Marcell Inn, Brandstatter's Cafe Montmartre, Hotel Alexaandria's Franco-Italian Dining Room and Italian Village). Taix French restaurant featured 'typical French lunches and dinners served either family style or with waiter service'. In 1928 (during Prohibition) Marius Taix pointed out "It was to show that a French restaurant can be run successfully without serving wine that I started this one. It's a matter of sentiment too. My father started the first French bakery here in 1885. C'est tres interesant n'est ce pas?" Within a year of opening, Taix was bucking the trend of the usual dine and dance establishment that was popular at that time (a la Cafe Montmartre, Ambassador Hotel and Miller's Cafe Lafayette) with their slogan 'We sell you food , not MUSIC', they featured the cuisine and pointed out they had a seating capacity of 225. Drinking coffee from a water glass after the meal 'instead of a regular cup' was an odd feature of their service.
Raymond took over managing the restaurant from 1950 on and supervised their move to the current location in 1962. Eighty three years and this family owned business is still going strong. Viva la Taix!

R.I.P - Edith Carissimi of Musso & Frank Grill

The Los Angeles Times featured a nice obituary on Edith Carissimi, the 95-year-old restaurateur that (until late 2009) co-owned the legendary Musso & Frank Grill. AKA 'Musso Frank' the restaurant is the oldest in Hollywood, its roots date back to 1919. Edith married into the Grill's 'family'. The original owners, Frank Toulet and Joseph Musso, sold the business in 1926 to John Mosso and Joseph Carissimi (Edith's father-in-law). Joseph passed the reins to Edith's (second) husband Charles and Edith became co-manager upon Charles' death in 1969. She had a pretty amazing life!

*** On a related note, do yourself a favor and read the interesting story of the restaurant's earliest years (when it was known as Frank's Francois Cafe) on page 100 of Gregory Paul Williams' fascinating book The Story of Hollywood which was published in 2005.

R.I.P. - William Binder of Philippe's

I was sad to open the Los Angeles Times this morning and read the obituary of William Binder of Philippe's. Even if you're not a meat eater you've got to make the pilgrimage to Philippes, its always on the list that I give visitors to our fair city.
Mr. Binder married into the family that purchased the restaurant in 1927 from Philippe Mathieu. The original location fell to the bulldozer when the 101 freeway was built but Mr. Binder persuaded his father in law that the restaurant had life in her yet and they located in 1951 to their current location on Alameda. Do yourself a favor and please visit Philippe's, the Binder family has kept it true to its roots.
On a related side note- did everyone catch the Los Angeles Times article on Dolores chili brick in last week's Food Section? Dolores is the chili that is served (deliciously) at Philippes.

R.I.P. - Harry B. Vickman, Vickman's Feed Bag restaurauteur

Though he sold Vickman's restaurant at 1228 E. 8th Street in 1986 (the restaurant closed in 1993), Harry B. Vickman and his wife Barbara will forever be known as the faces of Vickman's Feed Bag (or 'Vickman's' as it became known) restaurant in downtown Los Angeles. Opening at 3am, Vickman's early morning catered to workers from the surrounding Produce District and later in the day became populated by Angelenos from all over the city who made Vickman's a destination. The bakery was legendary and their kiwi tarts helped popularize the fruit in the United States in the mid-1960s.
Vickman's dated back to 1919 when Harry's father Mordecai Vickman, then working for Baron Long at the Vernon Country Club, pooled $3000 with fellow VCC waiter James Ward and opened V & W Restaurant at 1st & Spring. Vickman's moved to their 8th Street location in 1930, Harry joined the operation in 1940 and his wife Barbara began working there in 1970 when Mordecai passed away.

R.I.P. - Kurt Niklas, restaurateur behind Le Bistro and Bistro Garden

The Los Angeles Times had an excellent obit on Kurt Niklas. Niklas arrived in the United States in 1951 and soon became Romanoff's head waiter and later maitre'd until the restaurant closed on December 31, 1962. Following advice from Mike Romanoff to garner investors (in addition to Romanoff's generous offer to hand over his liquor license and restaurant equipment) Le Bistro opened its doors in 1963 at 246 N. Canon Dr in Beverly Hills (now Mastro's Steakhouse). In 1979 Niklas opened the 'less formal' Bistro Garden down the street at 176 N. Canon Dr (now Spago).


Pictured: August 11, 1980- Ma Maison's Patrick Terrail, Le Dome's Michel Yhuelo, Bistro's Kurt Niklas and Jimmy's Jimmy Murphy attend a Thalians event at Scandia. Photo © Berliner Studio/BEImages

R.I.P. - Ethel Ustin, matriarch of Western Bagel

Ethel Ustin and her husband Dave opened Western Bagel in 1947, it's still going strong after all these years. They have 11 locations in Southern California and their main store on Sepulveda Blvd is open 24 hours a day.

R.I.P. - Randy Hoffman, proprietor of Chili My Soul

As a fan of Chili My Soul on Ventura Blvd at Balboa I was saddened to open the Los Angeles Times today and read Randy's obituary. From the L.A. Times:
HOFFMAN, Randal Kent Passed away on June 18, 2009. He was a beloved son, brother uncle, brother-in-law, relative, loyal friend and charismatic to all. His two passions in life, music and the culinary arts, led to his mastering the drums and becoming a most wonderful chef and the proprietor of Chili My Soul.

R.I.P. - LeVonne Eloff, proprietress of Henry's Tacos

LeVonne Eloff moved to California in 1962 to help her father Henry run his taco stand at Tujunga and Moorpark. She'd been there ever since....

R.I.P. - Harold Price, co-founder of Canter's on Fairfax

Harold Price, the co-founder of the Canter's location on Fairfax was 89. Mr. Price and his (then) wife Selma Canter Udko opened Canter's in 1948 a few doors down from their present location. They, along with partners Ben & Jenny Canter moved Canter's to their present home in 1953. Prior to the move the building at 419 N. Fairfax housed the Esquire Theater.

R.I.P - Bob Henry 1920-2008

Bob Henry, I hardly knew ye. According to his obituary, Bob Henry grew up in New York and Rhode Island orphanages before heading West. Once he hit Los Angeles he became a bartender at Cock 'n' Bull and Scandia. It was Scandia's owner Ken Hansen that helped Henry design and open his own joint, Bob Henry's Round Table ('The House of Prime Rib') in the late 1950s. It was his years at Cock 'n' Bull where he learned the secret to Prime Rib perfection -- buy the best beef, age it yourself, layer it in an inch of rock salt and cook with tomatoes, celery and green peppers. Bob Henry's Round Table was at 2460 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA.

R.I.P - Carmen Rocha, Los Angeles Nachos Queen

Carmen Rocha began working at El Cholo in 1959 and is lauded as the person that popularized nachos in Los Angeles. She was 77. Carmen's nachos play a roll in the history of El Cholo - don't forget to check out the staff newsletter which you can find on their site.

R.I.P. Neal T. Baker

We've lost another fast food pioneer. Ok, I'll admit it, I've never been to a Baker's Drive-Thru before. But you can bet after reading the obit of Neal T. Baker I'm making a special trip soon!

R.I.P. Lovie Yancey 1912-2008

The year is so young still and we've lost another burger entrepreneur.

R.I.P. Carl Karcher 1917-2008

I love the Famous Star. Don't quite know why, cause I used to hate them as a kid, but I wish I had one right now. So sad to read about the passing of Carl Karcher but tickled that they had a Carls Jr. catering truck at his funeral. His story is a fascinating one! Read how he built a burger empire with $326.