Los Angeles herald., 1905-07-02
FAMOUS OLD TIME
RESTAURANTSHERE
RESORTS WHICH IN EARLIER
DAYS WERE NOTED
MEALS THAT WERE WONDERS
French Louis q PIoneer--Dol and
Aunc--Jerry IllIsh and His
cafe-Bob Eekert's
MEALS THAT WERE WONDERS


building in which the Levy restaurant
was located is now going on, IL to b'
replaced by a magnificent edific'
which will be occupied by Mr.. Lew
for the purpose Of giving Los Angeles
an unsurpassed resort for nourishinl
the inner man, and the further fact
that the old Downey block, in which
one Of the most famous restaurants oi
Southern California had it's habitat
for years, has already been demolished
to make way for the new federal build.
ing, would seem to render timely g
few remarks about some of the famous
restaurants and restaurateurs of Lol
Angeles.
The Angelic city a generation age
was famous for its chefs. There were
restaurants here at that time in which
Prince Cambaceres himself might vel
have been glad to have refreshed hil
inner man.
One of these was kept by an eccen.
trio Frenchman named French Louis.
1t stood opposite the Pico house. or
ground now covered by the warehouse
of F. w. Braun & Co. 1t was a one.
story structure, running away back
and was elegantly appointed. Louis
himself was a culinary artist of greai
accomplishments, and his chef was 8
man who had been first assistant tc
the chef Of the Emperor Macmillan
both at Miramar, before that unfortu.
nate Hapsburger went to Mexico, and
down to the collapse Of that Napo-
leonic bubble. He managed, in some
way, to get out of Mexico, and fol
years delighted the gourmands of Los
Angeles. After spending some years
near the Pico house, in 1873 he moved
up to the Downey block, where he had
ample quarters. Among his patrons
at both stands were such men as Dor
Freeman, Col. Jim Eastman, Major
Truman and family, Albert johnson
and wife, c. A. Sumner and wife, Col
r. S. Baker and wife, Judge Ansor
Brunson, Nordlinger the jeweler, 'ant
many others, nearly all of whom hav,
passed away.
Gabe Aliens Driver
Once upon thine, away back ir
1872, it occurred to Major Truman ant
Col. Albert Johnson to invite Gabt
Allen to- a dinner at French Louis
They proposed to the old frontiersmar
a regular French dinner. This wal
Gol
to ride his horse into the Bella Unior
barroom, who picked his teeth with q
big jack knife, and who carried ar
extra six shooter in one of his boots
The others hidden to the feast were
Tom Rowan, W. ]. Brodrick, Col. Ne6
Hewitt, Major H. M. Mitchell and Chico
Forster, staunch trenchermen all, with
Louis himself to serve the feast, who
was instructed to give Allen very much
smaller pieces than the others, and tt
see to it that the walters should re-
move no dishes that had been served
until they had been summoned to do sc
by bell which Albert johnson was Il
have charge of.
been disposed Of Johnson would hi
the bell. After the soup the waiter
brought substantial portions of fish t.
all but Allen and only a small portion
to him, which he tucked down in two
mouthfuls, while the others consumed
twelve or fifteen minutes in disposinl
of their liberal allotments. Wine ant
whisky had been literally INDUCED in
and the course of entrees was disposed
of in the usual manner, except as t.
Allen, who was by no means unobser.
want of the situation and began t.
show signs Of restiveness.
Got What He Wanted
Before the others had finished Allen
took from his pocket big revolver and
laid 1t at his right hand on the table;
and, just as Albert Johnson was about
to give his little bell a tremendous
thump, Allen jumped up, grabbed hi.
pistol and pointing it at Albert, said
Hold UP there, Johnson! I've got
mighty tired of your internal OLD
alarm clock. I'm mighty hungry,
want you to know. and 1 don't want
any more id samples. Bring on the
grub"
1t is needless to add that there was a
fair showdown after that.
French Louis made a comfortable
competency in his restaurant and went
back to Paris. suppose he is now dead
as he was man OF apparently fifty
years Of age then.
Louis was succeeded in the Downey
block by Victor Dol. who. with his fam
lily, is still resident in Los Angeles ]
will remark, en- passant, that he wrote
one Of the most interesting and logical
of the articles which appeared in The
Herald's columns in the recent discus
sion Of the saloon question. He has
become quite wealthy through his for
tunate speculations i'm real estate
Dol kept up the traditions OF the
place and even increased them. His