Memory Lane – The Flame, Countryside, Illinois

Posted on April 1, 2015 by The Jab

This blog is primarily intended to celebrate classic and historic restaurants that still exist, but occasionally I will be posting about a restaurant that is gone or recently closed.

photo from The Flame facebook page

The Flame was opened in the suburbs outside of Chicago in 1958 by Peter Makris.

early postcard from The Flame facebook page

It was remodeled sometime after the postcard photos above and below were taken.

postcard from The Flame facebook page

sign in 1970s - photo by The Flame facebook group

postcard from The Flame facebook page

In its heyday The Flame restaurant expanded to locations in Chicago (The Flame East in Lincoln Park Tower, which was reportedly frequented by employees of the Playboy Club) and Florida (in Palm Beach, North Palm Beach, and Stuart). The chain also opened several locations of Lord Chumley’s Pub in Florida and one in St. Charles, Illinois (still there, but remodeled).

postcard from The Flame facebook page

Many celebrities and sports figures were regulars at The Flame, including Evel Knievel and Jack Costanzo, the famous drummer who performed there every Saturday night in the mid-1990s.

tree lounge in the 1970s, – photo from The Flame facebook page

Inside the bar was a large tree covered with flowers and colored lights, and Christmas ornaments in season. I’m not sure when this feature was added as it doesn’t show in early postcards, but it was known as the Tree Lounge eventually.

recent photo from The Flame facebook page

In 2003 I dined there and it looked like it does in the more recent photos above and below.

recent photo from The Flame facebook page

I don’t recall much except we ordered steaks. I always wanted to return but never made it out there on subsequent visits to Chicago in 2005, 2007, and 2010.

photo by Dean Curtis, 2003

Sadly, in 2012 the owner, Peter Makris’ daughter Nanci Makris, passed away. Her family decided to close the restaurant at the end of the year.

photo from The Flame facebook page

The Flame had a final blowout on New Years Eve, 2012. Local photographer Jeffrey C. Johnson created a book with photo memories of the closing night at The Flame. Also check his Flickr for some great photos of The Flame.

The building has been stripped and remodeled for a new restaurant called Outriggers Flame. A few of the elements of the original decor are still there, such as rock walls and wood paneling (strangely, not an outrigger is to be found), but the tree lounge, booths, stained glass, and lamps are gone.

“Casa El Pisto” – Taberna San Miguel, Córdoba, Spain

Posted on March 19, 2015 by The Jab

Don’t miss Córdoba on a trip to Andalusia, Spain. Its old town is the largest urban area in the world declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. But it’s walkable, with charming narrow streets and paths, like this one:

photo by Dean Curtis, 2014

On Plaza San Miguel, next to the 13th century San Miguel church, is a famous restaurant that dates back to 1880, Taberna San Miguel, also known by the popular name “Casa El Pisto” (pisto is a Spanish dish like ratatouille, with eggplant or zucchini , tomatoes, onions, and peppers).

photo by CasaElPisto.com

photo by Dean Curtis, 2014

Many famous Spaniards have been regular customers at Casa El Pisto over the years, including the bullfighter Manolete. A section of the restaurant has a memorial to him.

photo by Dean Curtis, 2014

“The camel is an animal that doesn’t drink, don’t be a camel!” – photo by Dean Curtis, 2014

The bar and beautifully tiled dining rooms are filled with historical artifacts: artworks, photographs, and documents. I dined in the courtyard, which had tiles with humorous inscriptions on them.

courtyard – photo by www.theaustralian.com.au

One of the specialties in Córdoba is salmorejo, a thick, chilled type of gazpacho made with tomatoes, bread, olive oil, and seasonings, and topped with ham and/or hard-boiled eggs. The version at San Miguel is excellent.

photo by Dean Curtis, 2014

I used lots of bread to wipe the bowl clean. Bread from San Francisco?

photo by Dean Curtis, 2014

Casa El Pisto’s menu includes other regional specialties such as rabo de toro (bull’s tail), pisto (ratatouille), manitas de cerdo (Pig’s trotters), and carrillada ibérica al vino viejo (Iberian pork cheeks cooked in wine). I had the rabo de toro, which was very tender and flavorful.

photo by Dean Curtis, 2014

I love their business card designs!

Sunset on the Guadalquivir River at the end of my wonderful day in Córdoba – photo by Dean Curtis, 2014

Casa El Pisto – Taberna San Miguel
Plaza de San Miguel, 1, 14002 Córdoba, Spain
phone +34 957 47 01 66
Open Mon-Sat 12:00pm – 4:00pm, 8:00pm – 12:00am, closed Sunday

Don Arturo, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Posted on March 11, 2015 by The Jab

I’ve been to South Florida many times and had a lot of Cuban food there. I’ve tried Cuban food in California (Southern and Northern) and it just doesn’t come close. So if you’re going to Florida, trying Cuban food should be on the top of your list. Miami has some famous Cuban restaurants that serve good food, but my favorite Cuban restaurant in Florida is in Fort Lauderdale.

photo by insidefortlauderdale.com

Don Arturo Restaurant opened in 1970 and the decor is 1960s American-Spanish (or Conquistador), with artworks of Spanish explorers and bullfighters, shields, wine barrels, trellises of ivy, hanging plants, and original colonial style furniture.

photo by insidefortlauderdale.com

photo by Dean Curtis, 2011

The restaurant’s menu has both Spanish and Cuban dishes, but I’ve always ordered from the Cuban section. They make a juicy and tender ropa vieja – stewed, shredded beef, which I’ve ordered on more than one visit. Pork dishes are also good choices, such as lechon asado – roast shredded pork (see photo), masas de puerco – pork chunks that reminded me of carnitas (tender chunks of pork refried to form a crust on the outside), pork filet, and pork chops. They also offer four different steaks, some chicken dishes, and several shrimp and fish dishes. Prices are reasonable, especially the lunch combination plates that range from $6.95 to $13.95 (the dinner menu is à la carte).

roast pork with maduros (sweet plantains) and black beans – photo by Dean Curtis, 2011

Here’s an example of how some people just don’t get the appeal of classic eateries with vintage decor that Le Continental appreciates (a review of Don Arturo from New Times of Broward/Palm Beach):

Nestled in a cinder-block building, Don Arturo is dark. Gothic chandeliers emit flat light, while red velvet curtains blanket windows. Plaques pepper wood paneling with medieval fighters in full regalia. The cobwebs-meet-garage-sale-décor is depressing. Too much space in between empty tables exacerbates our isolation. We drink with gusto to shift the imposing mood.

“Flat light”? What is that? “Depressing”? I don’t feel that way at all at Don Arturo! That review was depressing! And I like dark restaurants (though it’s not really very dark there): they are a soothing escape from the outside hustle and bustle. Bright restaurants often feel harsh to me.

photo by Dean Curtis, 2011

Don Arturo
1198 SW 27th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
(954) 584-7966
Open Mon-Sat 11:00am – 9:00pm, Sun 5:00pm – 9:30pm

Taberna Antonio Sanchez, Madrid, Spain

Posted on February 25, 2015 by The Jab

This gorgeous bullfighter’s tavern opened in 1830 and was purchased in 1884 by Antonio Sanchez Ruiz, who renamed it after his bullfighter son, Antonio Sanchez, who retired from bullfighting in 1922 after being seriously injured.

photo by Rafa Gallegos on Flickr

The decor is mostly original from 1884, including the beautiful zinc bar and carved wood bar, tiles, lamps, antique cash register, and clock.

bar – photo by the fork.com

photo by Dean Curtis, 2014

I only had a tapa (complimentary) with a glass of wine there during my Madrid tapeo (tapas bar crawl), but they offer a full menu including specialties from the original recipes such as Cocido Madrileño (a famous local stew), Rabo de Toro (bull’s tail), Olla Gitana or Gypsy Pot (vegetable soup), Callos a la Madrileña (tripe stew), caracoles (snails), and torrijas. The prices are reasonable, with average cost of a starter and main course at 19€ and a set lunch Mon-Fri with starter, main, dessert, and drink for only 9.60€.

photo by the fork.com

Taberna Antonio Sanchez
Calle del Mesón de Paredes, 13, 28013 Madrid, Spain
Phone: +34 915 39 78 26
Open Mon-Sat 12:00pm-4:00pm, 8:00pm-12:00am, Sun 12:00pm-4:30pm

CLOSED – Capp’s Corner, San Francisco, California

Posted on February 18, 2015 by The Jab

Recently I heard a rumor on Facebook that one of the oldest Italian restaurants in North Beach, Capp’s Corner, is going to close on March 17th. I searched for more info and found out they simply can’t afford to stay in business after a huge rent increase. San Francisco, this is starting to get real old. Soon, I fear, much of the old charm in one of the most well-loved cities in the country will be gone, thanks to greedy landlords. I’m hoping Capp’s Corner can survive, but in any case I urge you to visit real soon.

photo by Dean Curtis, 2015

Capp’s Corner was opened by Joe Capp (Caporale), a San Francisco native, boxing promoter, and bookie, and Frank Sarubei in 1963 on the corner of Green and Powell Streets. Joe tended bar and greeted customers at the door in his trademark fedora hat, black suit and tie, smoking his cigar. In the 1960s a dinner at Capp’s, served family style with soup, salad, bread, vegetable, and pasta, cost around $5. In the 1980s the restaurant was purchased by the current owner, Tom Ginella. Joe Capp passed away in 1996.

photo by Dean Curtis, 2015

When you enter Capp’s you see the large carved-wood back bar, which appears to be over 100 years old (the restaurant was a Basque place before 1963). They still use the old manual cash registers at the bar.

photo by Dean Curtis, 2015

The dining room is decorated with simple wooden furniture, checked table coverings, the original linoleum flooring, and many framed works of art and photographs on the walls, making for an interesting browse before or after your meal.

linguine with clams and mussels – photo by sptsb.com

The dinners are served “family style” with a good, thick, house made minestrone soup, a green salad with house made creamy Italian dressing, and French bread (soup or salad at lunchtime). The menu includes several pasta dishes, which come with soup and salad, and many heartier entrees, which come with soup, salad, pasta marinara, and vegetables. The linguine with clams and mussels is very well-regarded (Lawrence Ferlinghetti, owner of City Lights bookstore, is a fan). Also popular are chicken parmigiana, petrale sole, leg of lamb, osso buco, and the NY steak, which a friend ordered on my recent visit. I was impressed by the flavor and size of the steak (only $25 with all the extras is a true steak bargain). I had the osso buco, which was very tender and served with plenty of delicious sauce. And you can bet that I’ll be going back soon for a steak or some pasta with clams and mussels!

Capp’s Corner
1600 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 989-2589
Open for Lunch Sun, Mon, Wed-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, Sat 11:30am-4:00pm
Dinner served Mon, Wed, Thur 4:30pm-10:00pm, Fri 4:30pm-10:30pm, Sat 4:00pm-10:30pm, Sun 2:30pm-10:00pm
Bar is open Mon 11:00am-10:00pm, Wed-Sun 11:30am-2:00am
Closed Tuesdays

Le Continental

dining and drinking with The Jab

Author Archives: The Jab

Memory Lane – The Flame, Countryside, Illinois

“Casa El Pisto” – Taberna San Miguel, Córdoba, Spain

Don Arturo, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Taberna Antonio Sanchez, Madrid, Spain

CLOSED – Capp’s Corner, San Francisco, California

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