Pasadena - two restaurants closed - near Lake & Colorado (Rosemead: hotel, closing)

[ccm123]

I recall both Shanghai Palace and Colonial Kitchen in San Marino, both on the south side of Huntington Drive.

Shanghai Palace had great dumplings and Colonial Kitchen had great American breakfasts. I think the last time I ate at these places was 1991 or 1992. Wow, the memories!

Originally Posted by loloroj

I'm too lazy at the moment to look up Rosecrans, where was that, further east on Colorado, it just doesn't ring a bell. Do any of yass remember Colonial Kitchen in San Marino? It was on Huntington Drive, not far from where I lived in Alhambra. Loved that place. One of the best Chinese restaurants I ever knew was Shanghai Palace, also on Huntington. Man, that was back in the day, over twenty years ago. Where the hell does all the time go?????

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by loloroj

The place I'm thinking about had an Irish name, if memory serves. I think it was down near the flower shop on Lake....

Monahan's? Great atmosphere and food, and a fun bar. Last week I thought about how popular they were...and with overflowing crowds on St Patrick's Day.

[drunk on kool aid]

Originally Posted by robertpasa

The Wolfe Burgers on Lake Ave. closed last fall. It's now a Rounds Burgers. I only ate at Wolfe's once and wasn't that impressed. I like Tommy's more.

The Sabor Cafe recently closed. It was on Colorado across from the Target and Vroman's. It was a larger, pretty nice coffee place. Don't know what happened.

P.S. The Nine and Nine Thai place (Colorado and Oak Knoll) is a great Thai place. It recently moved a few doors westward. The old space is now Noodle and Noodle which has good pho and ramen.

Wolfe Burgers, although not a favorite was a very early gourmet-ish burger joint when I first went there in the mid '80s. I guess they just couldn't compete in an increasingly competitive burger market. I'll miss seeing that neon wolf in the window. Thankfully, the nearby Hamburger Hamlet and Pie-n-Burger are still around.

Speaking of Thai food, longtime resident, A Taste of Bangkok on Colorado Blvd, just east of Lake was closed when construction started on their building. Are they gone for good?

Originally Posted by CA4Now

Was it The Sawmill? Great restaurant and a wonderful salad bar. (And who would ever think that the Chronicle would have ever closed?)

You beat me to it, CA4Now. The Sawmill was a very nice, affordable and convenient watering hole for a long time. Conroy's Family Restaurant a little further up the street is somewhat similar but not as cool.

Originally Posted by loloroj

I'm too lazy at the moment to look up Rosecrans, where was that, further east on Colorado, it just doesn't ring a bell. Do any of yass remember Colonial Kitchen in San Marino? It was on Huntington Drive, not far from where I lived in Alhambra. Loved that place. One of the best Chinese restaurants I ever knew was Shanghai Palace, also on Huntington. Man, that was back in the day, over twenty years ago. Where the hell does all the time go?????

Ouch, Colonial Kitchen is gone?! That was a very interesting little slice of yesteryear. Is the evocative structure gone as well?

Originally Posted by HyperionGap

Both of those were awesome. Used to go there all the time with my Dad when I was growing up. I know Beadles is closed. Not sure about Pasadena Cafeteria.

Also, the Hat or Top's or Conal's or any of the other independent burger places were all far superior to Wolfe's. Not surprised it shut down.

One of the cafeterias was on Green for a long time and then moved to Colorado, near the Post Office but didn't last. Only managed to go to each one once or twice. As far as I know, no cafeterias left in Pasadena.

Until Clifton's reopens in DTLA, are there any classic cafeterias in the LA area? (I'm excluding Hometown Buffet and the like).

The Hat, Top's, Connal's, along with Lucky Boy (the new one on Walnut occupies the old Amy's "Fast Food with a Flair" space), Wonder Burger, Bobby's Place (the former Rick's) all wipe the floor against the usual fast food chains.

Regarding the Chronicle, there is no way the Caltech crowd (beside faculty and upper admin) could keep that high-end place open. Techers can barely keep Super A(ntojito)'s on Mentor or Tarantino's on Green open.

Maldonado's on Green was also really high-end but it closed a long time ago and is now a hair salon??

Originally Posted by loloroj

Wait a minute, was Brotherton's right on Colorado, and they tore it down to build a auto dealership? Was that the one that looked like a farm house? If so, that place was really good.....

I don't know about a farmhouse but there is a barn like building on Sierra Madre?, just north of Colorado that's gone through many iterations including a Peruvian restaurant. It suffered a pretty bad fire a while back but was rebuilt and I think is now a restaurant supply store.

Some other closed Pasadena institutions include Monty's Steakhouse on California and Fair Oaks and the Chinese restaurant (name?) with which it shared the lot. The property has been vacant for years although the Monty's portion was demolished (the sign remains).

The Marie Callender's on Foothill closed a couple years ago but there is some construction going on the former space.

Crown City Brewery at Del Mar and Raymond was one of the earliest craft brew pubs in the area. I remember when it opened in 1988. It closed a few years ago but Congregation Ale House recently opened in its place.

Lastly, pour out a little Guinness for the late John Bull on Fair Oaks which reopened as an El Cholo, only to be shuttered a couple years ago and remains vacant.

Lotsa changes in the Rose City.

[loloroj]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

Monahan's? Great atmosphere and food, and a fun bar. Last week I thought about how popular they were...and with overflowing crowds on St Patrick's Day.

That's it!!!! Monahans! I used to go there for lunch when I worked on Lake years ago, one of the first jobs I had was working in Pasadena. Glad to see that they're still around, the company that I worked for is long gone....

[HyperionGap]

Originally Posted by drunk on kool aid

Some other closed Pasadena institutions include Monty's Steakhouse on California and Fair Oaks and the Chinese restaurant (name?) with which it shared the lot. The property has been vacant for years although the Monty's portion was demolished (the sign remains).

Grand View Palace?




How about the amazing taco truck that would hang out in the parking lot on the northeast corner of Fair Oaks & Holly on Friday and Saturday Nights. That place had the best street tacos in all of Pasadena bar none. Now you actually have to drive down to the one near California and Fair Oaks after hitting Old Town bars (and it's not as good).

[ccm123]

You know your places in Pasadena!

So, Rick's Burger is now gone? Haven't eaten there in years. They had a great, greasy beef and bean burrito, from what I recall.

Originally Posted by drunk on kool aid

Wolfe Burgers, although not a favorite was a very early gourmet-ish burger joint when I first went there in the mid '80s. I guess they just couldn't compete in an increasingly competitive burger market. I'll miss seeing that neon wolf in the window. Thankfully, the nearby Hamburger Hamlet and Pie-n-Burger are still around.

Speaking of Thai food, longtime resident, A Taste of Bangkok on Colorado Blvd, just east of Lake was closed when construction started on their building. Are they gone for good?



You beat me to it, CA4Now. The Sawmill was a very nice, affordable and convenient watering hole for a long time. Conroy's Family Restaurant a little further up the street is somewhat similar but not as cool.



Ouch, Colonial Kitchen is gone?! That was a very interesting little slice of yesteryear. Is the evocative structure gone as well?



One of the cafeterias was on Green for a long time and then moved to Colorado, near the Post Office but didn't last. Only managed to go to each one once or twice. As far as I know, no cafeterias left in Pasadena.

Until Clifton's reopens in DTLA, are there any classic cafeterias in the LA area? (I'm excluding Hometown Buffet and the like).

The Hat, Top's, Connal's, along with Lucky Boy (the new one on Walnut occupies the old Amy's "Fast Food with a Flair" space), Wonder Burger, Bobby's Place (the former Rick's) all wipe the floor against the usual fast food chains.

Regarding the Chronicle, there is no way the Caltech crowd (beside faculty and upper admin) could keep that high-end place open. Techers can barely keep Super A(ntojito)'s on Mentor or Tarantino's on Green open.

Maldonado's on Green was also really high-end but it closed a long time ago and is now a hair salon??



I don't know about a farmhouse but there is a barn like building on Sierra Madre?, just north of Colorado that's gone through many iterations including a Peruvian restaurant. It suffered a pretty bad fire a while back but was rebuilt and I think is now a restaurant supply store.

Some other closed Pasadena institutions include Monty's Steakhouse on California and Fair Oaks and the Chinese restaurant (name?) with which it shared the lot. The property has been vacant for years although the Monty's portion was demolished (the sign remains).

The Marie Callender's on Foothill closed a couple years ago but there is some construction going on the former space.

Crown City Brewery at Del Mar and Raymond was one of the earliest craft brew pubs in the area. I remember when it opened in 1988. It closed a few years ago but Congregation Ale House recently opened in its place.

Lastly, pour out a little Guinness for the late John Bull on Fair Oaks which reopened as an El Cholo, only to be shuttered a couple years ago and remains vacant.

Lotsa changes in the Rose City.

[loloroj]

Originally Posted by HyperionGap

Grand View Palace?




How about the amazing taco truck that would hang out in the parking lot on the northeast corner of Fair Oaks & Holly on Friday and Saturday Nights. That place had the best street tacos in all of Pasadena bar none. Now you actually have to drive down to the one near California and Fair Oaks after hitting Old Town bars (and it's not as good).

I remember Grand View Palace, and I do remember that taco truck, wasn't in the same parking lot where they had that night club, right there in that corner office and retail complex? Right across from the gas station and down the street from the hospital.

A little to the south, any of you ever go to Gus's, on Fair Oaks in South Pasadena? That place was/is great for BBQ, or it use to be, haven't been there in years. And there was a Italian place on Colorado, I think it was the Capri, south side of the street? Best pasta fazole I ever had....

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by loloroj

A little to the south, any of you ever go to Gus's, on Fair Oaks in South Pasadena? That place was/is great for BBQ, or it use to be, haven't been there in years.

I think it's still there. My dad used to drag us there as teenagers....zero atmosphere but the greatest ribs ever. Apparently Gus's has been around since the 1950s.

[ccm123]

Gus's was still there the last time I was in South Pas (around May 2011). Excellent BBQ ribs.

In South Pas, I always liked an Italian Restaurant just north of there called "Carmine's". They had a decent bar and excellent pasta dishes.

Originally Posted by CA4Now

I think it's still there. My dad used to drag us there as teenagers....zero atmosphere but the greatest ribs ever. Apparently Gus's has been around since the 1950s.

[robertpasa]

Originally Posted by drunk on kool aid

Speaking of Thai food, longtime resident, A Taste of Bangkok on Colorado Blvd, just east of Lake was closed when construction started on their building. Are they gone for good?

There was a sign on "Taste of Bangkok" that said they would be reappearing as Tiffany's which is a low-budget coffee place on Colorado a few blocks west of Lake.

There is a good Thai place on Colorado just east of Lake, on the second floor, called President Two but they recently renamed themselves Chilly Mango. But still says "President Two" in huge letters. I can't imaging why it was called that.