L.A.'s Legendary Restaurants. George Geary
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Название: L.A.'s Legendary Restaurants
Автор: George Geary
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Кулинария
isbn: 9781595808011
isbn:
When Bernstein died in 1976, Quon became the sole owner of the café. In the last years of Quon’s life, he arrived at the café every morning at around 5:00 AM to have coffee and breakfast, and worked until 9:00 PM, managing the kitchen and staff from his favorite corner booth (which also happened to have been Ava Gardner’s favorite). In December of 1993, Quon passed away from chronic heart failure. Today, the café is run by Quon’s grandson, Vince Jung.
The Formosa has fought two major threats in its near-century of existence. In 1991, the Friends of the Formosa preservation group was formed to fight Warner Bros., which owned the property the café sat on at the time and wanted to turn it into a parking lot. Actors and other frequenters of the café got involved, and the Formosa was saved; the parking lot was constructed a few blocks down from the eatery instead. In 2001, another fight to save the Formosa ensued when the West Hollywood Gateway Center—a two-story shopping center that would take up a full city block—was proposed. Although the Formosa was left alone, it was suddenly in the middle of West Hollywood’s largest shopping complex.
Lacking customers, the Formosa paired up with the Red Medicine Restaurant team in early 2014 to revamp its menu, calling it “Red Med at the Formosa.” Although the café’s new offerings were well-received, the partnership lasted only three months. The Formosa then brought in sixth-place Top Chef winner Brian Huskey, who added eclectic dishes to the menu like Korean brisket with Asian slaw and fried chicken sliders with sweet potato and sambal aioli. They also put On the Rocks winner Joseph Brooke behind the bar, where he whipped up tasty, Asian-themed concoctions like the Canton Iced Tea (which contained jasmine and black teas mixed with vodka, lemon, mint, and soda). This team lasted a few years.
In July 2015, the inside of the Formosa went through a complete transformation. All of the 8 × 10 glossies were taken down, the red interior was painted a battleship gray, and a rooftop garden bar was added. The menu changed drastically, featuring new items like microbrew beers and toasted cheese sandwiches. The shell of the red train car is all that remains of the original Formosa design.
Many think of the Formosa as just a dive bar, while others appreciate its historical value. Lem Quon felt that the Formosa’s success was due to the fact that everyone who came into the restaurant was treated like a star. “I never looked down on people,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “Here at the Formosa, we always make small people feel like big stars. We are all the same.”
Outside the Formosa, 2006.
It’s been said that Don the Beachcomber made very first mai tai, but this version is unique to the Formosa.
Serves 1
1 large, tall glass filled with crushed ice
3 oz. 151 rum
1 oz. amaretto liqueur
½ medium lime
½ medium orange, juiced
1 splash pineapple juice
1. Pour the rum and amaretto into a tall glass filled with ice. Mix in the orange juice and squeeze the lime juice on top. Pour in the pineapple juice, and stir.
2. Decorate with citrus wedges.
The dark red interior of the Formosa, lined with 8 × 10 glossies, 1991.
Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball at the Brown Derby, 1952.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
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