Tag Archives: liquor
Swingin’ at Maxwell’s Plum
In 1965 impresario Warner LeRoy, son of Hollywood producer Mervyn LeRoy (Wizard of Oz, Mr. Roberts, Quo Vadis), opened Maxwell’s Plum as part of his theater on First Avenue and 64th Street in NYC. Hamburgers and a good wine list … Continue reading
Filed under food, history, restaurants
Let’s do brunch – or not?
Having brunch in restaurants became popular in the 1970s and remains so today. It was not unheard of earlier – a few restaurants offered brunch in the 1930s. The meal itself was older but usually eaten at home. The word … Continue reading
Filed under food, restaurants
Sweet and sour Polynesian
One remarkable accomplishment of Polynesian restaurants was how they lured the male diner without using steak as bait. Who would have believed mid-century Homo Americanus Modernus could swallow so many sugary rum drinks, pineapple chunks, and sticky sauces? Another notable … Continue reading
Filed under food, restaurants
Drinking rum, eating Cantonese
Will the real Don the Beachcomber please stand up and mix me a Zombie? As is true with so many business histories it’s difficult to lock down the true story. Confusion in the case of Don the Beachcomber mainly arises … Continue reading
Filed under restaurants
Cabarets and lobster palaces
Around 1908 Murray’s Roman Gardens in Times Square, pictured here, was just the place to sample the “high life” after seeing the popular operetta The Merry Widow. Murray’s, which has been called “New York’s first theme restaurant,” demonstrated a kind … Continue reading
Filed under restaurants
We eat in restaurants several times a week and yet know very little about their history. I plan to dip into my archive of research and images every so often to present a little tidbit that highlights aspects of our American restaurant culture. Let me know your thoughts.
