Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-24

who discoursed over their wine in the
Buon Gusto until the first morning
car rounded Telegraph Hill are some-
where in a dryer land, sadless and
wlneless.
There were too, those places known
TO every r-goer-Zinkand's the
Louvre, Techau Tavern, all famous
for the cheer they spread at midnight,
when the homeward bound stopped in
for n chat, a salad, a rarebit and a
friendly glass. Here, i'm a way, was
the center of San Francisco's social
life. Here the wealthy of the avenues
and the respectabl with funloving
hearts and the gayer folk who
frolicked amid the wine glasses, met
together and listened to the music of
the orchestra and saw the day pass
into the morrow. Happy rendezvous of
ell classes now fallen.
Instead we now eat as our fathers
ate in the pioneer DAYS, minus the
cheering draughts of red liquor. Yes
terday the hungry did not scan a
dozen bills of fare and ask for cock
tail to give them appetites for turtle
soup and bass au gratin. Instead the
hungry man lit fire in the gas stove
or went to a chop house and ordered
nam and eggs with coffee strong. Or,
in case of a full purse, went down Fill
more street, or Eddy, or Golden Gate,
watching for the inspiring sign paint
ed on the window sill, Chicken DIM
ner Today"
And this Is where the unique of all
San Francisco institutions, the saloon
luncheon, is most sorely missed. There
was Haquette's Palace of Art, Otter
sens, Duncan Nicholl's, George Daho-
-. IoI> L 4 tlf, Nlan
lieu, the Hoffman. Here for Is cents
or two bits got either a substantial
luncheon on the style of forty years
ago, or a salad, soup. fish, an entree. a
glass of wine and black coffee, They
were on every street and of all Amer
lean towns San Francisco alone dis
played the familiar sight of women on
shopping tours lunching in big saloons
at tables next to those occupied by
business men and hasty lunchers.
Their fare was. good, their atmosphere
fresh and amusing; the San Francis
can misses them.
But still San Francisco is famous
for her restaurants. The old ones are
departed some for q short time, others
for a longer time, but she still has the
largest in the world-Desmond's
undoubtedly several of the smallest
so small that they are on. two wheels,
and the bill of fare can be printed on
q visiting card.
The crowds that patronize them are
the same old crowds, with the same
old light hearts. In many a Fillmore
street eating house yesterday habitues
of the big restaurants of before the
fire met over wooden tables to discuss
solid meats and vegetables with all the
laughter and 1esting and merriment
that made San Francisco's restaurants
of the old days the admiration of the
world.
1t will not be long until there are
once more places where the best of
cooks will prepare the best of dinners
for the best of diners. Already the
signs are up for many of the old res
taurants. Some are going into tenn
porary buildings; most into houses
leased for the purpose and refitted.
Until these are ready for business,
however, there will be little dining out
with wine and fine victuals. The reign
of bacon and eggs is not yet over, and
boiled water is supreme still. St.
With most of the restaurant diners
yesterday the boiled water was the
cruelest blow. For San Franciscans
are not used to dry meals, and water
according to the consensus of opinion
was not the proper lubricant. But, as