Your next dinner could be Iconic
The entertainment industry is like a river running through every Angeleno. Even if you don’t work in film or TV directly, there’s probably only a few degrees of separation between what you do and what the whole town seems to do. Restaurants have always been the great connector between the celebrity and the average Jane – because, we all need to eat. Still, my favorite kind of star sighting is the brilliance that comes from an iconic restaurant in Los Angeles.
Perhaps you’ve already checked out the 12 Most Classic Restaurants in Los Angeles, but what happens when we’re talking about one of the famous restaurants of the golden age of Hollywood that have long since shuttered their doors. That’s where the Iconic Restaurant Series steps in.
Be sure to read until the end for a special code good only for EatDrinkLA readers to taste a dish with a secret recipe from 1936. It was famously devoured by stars of stage and screen.
What is the Iconic Restaurant Series?
The Iconic Restaurant Series is a collaboration between Brad Saltzman and Chef Michael Montilla. Saltzman is a third-generation Angeleno whose family was in the restaurant business with a series of Simon drive-ins back in the 1930s and 40s. Chef Montilla cooked at Spago before opening his restaurant, Hillside Kitchen.
They are brothers by marriage who have chosen to authentically recreate one dish a month from the most legendary Los Angeles restaurants and bring them right to your home.
What is the first meal?
The first meal they’ve chosen to tackle is the famous Chili from Chasen’s Restaurant, a West Hollywood hotspot that opened its doors in 1936. Stars frequented it, like Frank Sinatra and Alfred Hitchcock, who both had their own booths there. It was also the site of several Academy Awards parties. Chasen’s closed in 1995, and you’ll now find a Bristol Farms where it once stood.
Legend has it the owner, comedian Dave Chasen never shared the recipe and would cook the chili himself every Sunday and then freeze it – believing it tasted better once reheated.
Well, Saltzman and Montilla have managed to get the mythical recipe from Chasen’s grandson and have painstakingly recreated every texture and taste. It will be available for one night only, on January 28th, 2022, before it becomes only a memory once again.
How can I order my own?
Order from the Iconic Restaurant Series page and choose a delivery date and time on Friday, January 28th, 2022. Be sure to choose the Chasen’s World Famous Chili Menu from the drop-down. Hillside Kitchen in Sherman Oaks is coordinating the contactless deliveries all over Los Angeles. A quart of Chili is $39, and you can even gift it to someone in a special box for $7.50. Cheddar Cheese and Corn Bread add-ons are also available.
Lastly, if you want to save 10% off your chili, enter the code EatDrinkLA.com in the PROMO CODE section at checkout.
What’s Next for the Series?
The next dinner is scheduled for February when they will serve something from Ma Maison. It’s the 1970s restaurant that created the local “California nouvelle” cuisine and helped launch Chef Wolfgang Puck into celeb-chef stardom.
Future meals also include dishes from restaurants like the Brown Derby, L’Orangerie, and Perino’s.
Be sure to follow EatDrinkLA for all the glamorous updates.
