The South Seas Cafe on Pacific Blvd, San Diego, in 1955. Photo, Pea Hicks collection. The post From the Archives: The South Seas Cafe, San Diego appeared first on Classic San Diego ..read more

As far as food brand mascots are concerned, did you know that Chef Hector Boyardee was a real person? Born Ettore Boiardi (1897–1985) in Piacenza, Italy, he emigrated to New York City in 1914. He eventually became Plaza Hotel’s head chef, then opened his popular Cleveland restaurant Il Giardino d’Italia. His partner and brother Ricardo Paolo Boiardi was maître d’ at the Persian Room restaurant in the Plaza Hotel. The Boiardi family grew the business into a nationally known brand of canned Italian “alimentary paste.” By 1930, his instant spaghetti dinner in-a-box was marketed under the phoneti ..read more

THE HURRICANE James “Jimmy” Charters, CIRO’S, London, 1930 Jimmie Charters, sketched by Hilaire Hiler for Charter’s memoire, 1937. For a decade before the rum cocktail as we know it appeared in 1940, the Hurricane was a whisky-based drink! Variations appeared starting with James “late of Ciro’s” Charter. In the early 1930s, Agua Caliente resort in Mexico used their house blend “Johnnie Aggie” Scotch whisky (think Johnnie Walker). 1 ounce fresh lemon juice 1 ounce crème de menthe 1 ounce London dry gin 1 ounce Scotch whisky Shake with ice, and double-strain into a small coupe. Title page o ..read more

Publishing Kickstarter Project Live, Ends October 15, 2022 SAN DIEGO, CA, September 20, 2022 — Today, little is known about “Passionola,” a passionfruit-flavored cocktail syrup once popular from the 1930s through the 1960s. In a new book from Classic San Diego Books, authors Gregorio Pantoja and Martin S. Lindsay uncover its origins and lost history. It is a detective work, a culinary and cultural history, a biographical review, and a cookbook all centered around cocktails’ most mysterious ingredient — Passionola — now known generically as “fassionola.” Developed by a German immigrant drugg ..read more

The historic Tiki-Modern port-cocheres at the Half Moon Inn on Shelter Island, San Diego is being renovated. Its deteriorating laminated wood beams were recently damaged by a too-tall truck, requiring its removal. Preservationists and tikiphiles alike asked if it would ever come back. Yes, it’s back! The hotel entrance’s sweeping design originally resembled the prow of a fishing boat, complete with a large lantern in the form of a Pacific island fish trap. It was designed by Delbert E. Long of Hiram Hudson Benedict Associates (architect for the Half Moon Inn) with Stephen Crane Associates ..read more

When the Town and Country Hotel added a convention center to their property in 1969-70, the Atlas Ballroom foyer included two mid-century glass mosaic tile murals, in the style of Millard Sheets, Ben Mayer, and/or Sue Hertel. For decades these were covered over, and were “re-discovered” during the property’s 2019 remodel. The first features San Diego historical subjects (1969 celebrated the City’s bicentennial), and is very similar to one of Ben Mayer’s murals for the Norwalk, California Public Library. Town and Country, Convention Center, Atlas Ballroom foyer, 1975 The post Town and ..read more

Caesar’s Salad, Restaurante Caesar’s, Tijuana. Many have claimed to, but who really originated Caesar’s Salad? Here are ‘the usual suspects’ — Alex Cardini, Caesar Cardini, Jack Clapp, Peter Frigerio, Giacamo Junia,  Edmund Lowe, Paul Maggiora, Innocente Pedroli, Livio Santini, and Manny Wolfe.  This article focuses on Giacomo Junia. Join me for ‘A Tale of Two Caesars,’ my talk on the origins of Caesar’s Salad, presented by the Culinary Historians of San Diego, at 10:30am PST, Saturday, March 20, 2021. Learn about the restaurateurs Alex and Caesar Cardini, origins of Caesar’s Salad ..read more

In Remembrance… With sadness, we remember some of the classic San Diego establishments that have shuttered in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Restaurants come and go, but when a family favorite closes up, it’s almost like losing a loved one… Updated 1 Aug 2020. The Souplantation (1978 – 2020) The Souplantation started out in San Diego and grew into a nationwide chain of nearly one hundred all-you-can-eat, self-serve buffets. As of 2020, they are all closed. It was founded by Dennis Jay (bartender at Springfield Wagon Works), Steve Hohe, and Ron Demery. But with COVID-19 mandated closures ..read more

Exterior of the Aloha Cafe, Tijuana, Mexico, 1949. Photo by Earl Leaf, Michael Ochs Archives/Getty. The Aloha Cafe, Tijuana (1928-2011) — The Tijuana/San Diego trans-border area’s first pre-tiki bar, was sporadically located on Avenida Revolución (then known as Main Street by Americanos) — for over eighty years! It changed hands, was burned down and rebuilt several times, but stood the test of time until a fire in 2011 finally shut down the place. The bar was first opened as The Aloha Cafe during Prohibition 1928 by Fernando ‘Frank’ Blanco Cota. He’d previously lost The Anchor Cafe in a 1927 ..read more

Tiki Book Release ¡Gracias Antonio! Books arrived in the capable hands of Antonio, trucked from the Port of Long Beach to San Diego, California. He made really good time. So our Tiki books (three pallets – 100 cartons) are here. We’re packaging up the orders that are to be shipped, and making plans for book release and pickup parties. Classic San Diego Tiki Book Tour Book Release, Pickup & Signing Parties. I’ll be at these events selling and signing books. If you’re in the San Diego area, come on by! Much Mahalo, Martin S. Lindsay. Tiki Troubles Cocktail Night 7-10pm, Tuesday, Januar ..read more