Always an Event at Lawry's

We waited over 30 minutes for a table, even with a reso. Had I not been with a group, I would have left and gone to a number of other places. It was two days before Christmas, one of the busiest nights of the year. There were over 100 people waiting for their tables, really.

I made the best of it and took to the sport of people watching. Most people were coming and going in large groups. I observed a family with 3 small children have their photo taken in front of the Christmas tree. Nearly every person leaving the restaurant left with a doggie bag, for good reason: individual portions look like they are meant for cave men.

When we finally were seated, we were 6 around a large table, my least favorite type of seating arrangement because you can hardly hear what the people are saying on the other side. The noise level was so loud anyway. The huge dining room was packed to the brim and 2 groups of carolers moved from table to table singing songs of all denominations including Hanukkah carols.

For all of my dismay with the crowd and noise level, I still enjoyed the evening. This is such a ole' fashioned place; not much has changed since 1938 including the menu, decor and servers' funky costumes. Even the"Famous Original Spinning Salad" show is the same. The server brings the big salad bowl, takes a container of French dressing in her hand, then raises her arm as high as it will go and pours it into the bowl like a waterfall.

Everyone at the table had prime rib. Each Prime Rib Dinner comes with a salad, Yorkshire pudding, mashed potatoes and whipped creamy horseradish. A man with a mobile carving station served up the dinners, one by one. The salad, sides and hot bread were tastier than the meat. For dessert we had apple pie and pumpkin cheese cake, both a little too sweet for my taste.

Overall, dining at Lawry's was an event. The tradition is better than the food.

Lawry's The Prime Rib
100 N La Cienega Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 91101
(310) 652-2827



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Bokx 109

Hidden away in the basement in a small hotel in Newton, I discovered this place purely by accident one night last week when I stayed overnight at the Indigo Hotel.

The wood paneled steakhouse specializes in beef. I wasn't in the mood for meat. Instead I had creamy mac n' cheese as an appetizer then the Scottish salmon to follow. Both were good. The mac n' cheese was a little too rich for my taste, that didn't stop me from eating it though. The salmon was cooked perfectly, a pleasant surprise. My favorite things at this restaurant weren't on the menu, but served gratis to every table.

Cotton candy was a prelude to dessert. They have different flavors daily. The cherry flavor I ate tasted oddly of Sucrets (the cough drops). Eating it stirred up childhood memories of county fairs and sore throats.

My favorite treat came in the bread basket: sweet, crisp crackers unlike any others I've ever had. They are made from a raisin nut log (with cranberries and walnuts) from Iggy's Bread of the World in Cambridge, a well known baker, similar in quality and popularity to La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles. The crackers were so good I asked for the recipe and scored a few of them for the road. I've included the recipe below for those of you who want to make them at home. These crackers go well with cheese.

Sweet Crackers

Ingredients:

1 loaf of high quality bread with cranberries, raisins and nuts (or any loaf you like)
Good quality olive oil
Organic sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Slice bread in 1/4 inch slices. If you can, have the bakery slice them on a machine, using the #2 width.

3. Lay the bread slices on a baking sheet covered with a Silpat non-stick, baking mat or parchment paper.

4. With a spray bottle, spritz the slices with olive oil, covering them lightly.

5. Then take a hand full of sugar and sprinkle sugar loosely over bread.

6. Bake for 5 minutes at 350 degrees. Crackers can last approximately 1 week in an airtight container. Make sure they are cool before storing.

Bokx 109
399 Grove St
Newton, MA 02462
617. 454. 3399