Dear John's

101 Best restaurants of Los Angeles

@latimes

"#93 Actor Johnny Harlowe opened Dear John’s in 1962 under the advisement of his pal Frank Sinatra, or so the story goes. Its dim, wood-paneled room is a tableau from another time, and it won’t be around for much longer. In April 2021 the building will be razed to make way for a new development. Meanwhile, three accomplished new owners — chefs Josiah Citrin and Hans Röckenwagner and entertainment executive Patti Röckenwagner — are throwing the place an extended farewell. For a time-capsule romp featuring tuxedoed servers, heavy-pour martinis and continental cooking that’s far better than it needs to be, this is a party worth attending. The menu is pure midcentury swankery: shrimp cocktail blasted with horseradish, oysters Rockefeller, chicken Parm that gushes like chicken Kiev, lobster Thermidor nipped with tarragon, and, of course, tableside Caesars. The bar might be where you wind up having your meal: It’s the easiest place to find a walk-in seat. Reservations, particularly earlier in the evening, have been tough to secure. It makes sense. The human psyche loves the ephemeral: We want in on a farewell to a vestige of Hollywood power and glamour before it’s gone forever. Full bar. Lot and street parking. Credit cards accepted."

Rémi Ferrante Hartman

@blastmagazine