Lawry's The Prime Rib
Lawry's/ˈlaʊəriːz/ is an upscale gourmet restaurant chain specializing in prime rib and the brand name of a seasoned salt blend spun off by the restaurant founders that evolved into a food products company today owned by McCormick & Company.
The original location on Restaurant Row on La Cienega Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California, was opened in 1938 by Lawrence L. "Lawry" Frank and Walter Van de Kamp. There are now several additional locations in the United States and worldwide. The company is still operated by the families of the founders, with Richard R. Frank, grandson of Lawrence Frank, serving as president and CEO.
For many years Lawry's carvery was unique in having only a single entrée on its menu, standing rib roast. It now offers alternatives such as vegetarian specials and lobster tails, but retains its focus on carved-to-order roast beef served table side from a large metal cart.
History
In 1922 Frank and Van de Kamp founded the Lawry's company and created the Tam O'Shanter Inn restaurant in the Atwater Village district of Los Angeles, California, which claims to be the oldest restaurant in Los Angeles still operated by the same family in the same location.
In 1938, the two opened Lawry's The Prime Rib on La Cienega Boulevard in Beverly Hills.
In 1947 Lawry's restaurant moved from its original location on La Cienega across the street and a few yards further south to a larger, mostly windowless, strikingly modernistic building designed by Wayne McAllister. In 1993, it moved to a new building on the original site. McAllister's building is now occupied by The Stinking Rose, a well-known garlic-themed Italian restaurant.
In 1956, just prior to the 1957 Rose Bowl Game between the Oregon State Beavers and the Iowa Hawkeyes, Lawry's entertained the two competing teams. The Beavers were fed a prime rib dinner at the Beverly Hills restaurant and the Hawkeyes the same on the Pasadena City College football field following their practice. This started an annual tradition of hosting both Rose Bowl-bound teams, although following the inaugural event with Iowa, the Big Ten teams were served outside Rose Bowl Stadium from 1957-1962. By 1963, when Illinois and Washington both dined at the restaurant on separate nights prior to the 1964 Rose Bowl Game, the two team events had become known as "Lawry's Beef Bowl." The Beef Bowl has expanded to the Dallas, Texas, location for the two Cotton Bowl participants.
In 1974, Lawry's opened a satellite in Chicago's River North district, followed by restaurants in Dallas in 1983 and Las Vegas in 1997. Internationally, Lawry's opened in Jakarta in 1997, Singapore in 1999, Tokyo in 2001, Taipei in 2002, Hong Kong in 2006, Shanghai and Osaka in 2008, and Seoul in 2013. However, the Chicago, Jakarta, and Shanghai locations are now closed.
Seasoned salt
While operating the Tam O'Shanter, Frank created a special seasoned salt for use there, which was available only to customers.
In 1938, Lawry's opened The Prime Rib on La Cienega Boulevard in Beverly Hills and began marketing its signature seasoned salt in retail stores. This marked the beginning of a food products company under the Lawry's name that today sells a wide range of seasonings and flavorings. The line was sold to Lipton/Unilever in 1979, which in turn sold it to McCormick & Company in 2008.
Restaurant menu
Along with roasted prime rib of beef, the restaurant is known for its Yorkshire pudding and its signature "spinning salad," introduced when the restaurant opened in 1938 and still included with every entree. At the time of its founding, salads usually consisted of a combination of fruit, cottage cheese, and gelatin; Lawry's restaurant was one of the first to feature a green salad as an integral part of every meal. The salad is prepared table side by a server who spins a large metal bowl of greens atop a bed of ice, which is then dressed with "Vintage classic dressing with sherry wine". The salad dressing is sold in bottles at the restaurant but not at retail.
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen whole baby carrots
- In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar and cornstarch; mix until the cornstarch is dissolved.
- Add the brown sugar and butter and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until thickened.
- Add the carrots and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until heated through. Serve immediately.
***Mmm, veggie sides are perfect go-alongs for any main.
1932 – Petula Clark, English singer
1940 – Sam Waterston, American actor
National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day on November 15th encourages us to prepare for the upcoming holidays. Get together a soap and hot water-filled bucket, disinfectant, a sponge, and a garbage bag. Then you will be ready for the day!
With family gathering and a large turkey waiting to be roasted, cleaning out the refrigerator makes sense. Not only will we need room before the meals, but we also need space for all of the upcoming leftovers. Many dread this job. However, it is an important task nonetheless.
Due to our hectic and busy lifestyles, the cleaning of the refrigerator gets neglected. Hence the creation of National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day. There may be a surprise or two found at the back of the shelves. Things are often pushed back as new food is put in the front and gets forgotten.
However, those who clean their fridges more often tend to waste more food. There’s plenty of advice available on the frequency of fridge cleaning. Understanding food labels and the meanings behind “sell by” and “best by” dates are also important. These labels don’t necessarily mean a product has gone bad, but that the quality is best by the date on the label. However, “use by” leaves some of us wondering.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Some suggestions for your refrigeration cleaning are:
- Empty each shelf.
- Completely wipe down the inside of the refrigerator.
- Wash drawers and underneath the drawers.
- Throw away all expired food.
- Throw away any moldy food.
- Get rid of anything that you do not use.
- Vacuum condenser coils.
- Vacuum out under the refrigerator.
- Restock shelves and drawers with good food.
- Enjoy your nice, clean, organized refrigerator.
NATIONAL CLEAN OUT YOUR REFRIGERATOR DAY HISTORY
The home economists at Whirlpool Home Appliances created National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day in 1999 to encourage people to clean out their refrigerators in advance of the upcoming holidays. At that time, the company even had a toll-free hotline that people could call into for cleaning tips.
Refrigerator FAQ
Q. How often should I clean out my fridge?
A. Clean your fridge every week or two. A good rule of thumb is to clean the fridge before you go grocery shopping. This habit not only makes room for the new groceries but prevents you from over shopping. While you’re disposing of any science projects, take a hot soapy rag and wipe down the shelves and doors. Take stock of the cheese, eggs, and butter. That ranch dressing should last another week and the mayo, too.
Q. Things are always getting lost in my fridge. How do I fix that?
A. Those items that get shoved to the back are easy to forget. Did you know that many of the shelves on today’s models slide forward for easy inspection? That’s right. Just lift up and pull forward. Other tricks include see-through, labeled containers, lazy Susans, and dividers.
Q. What temperature should I set my refrigerator?
A. According to the Food and Drug Administration, 40°F or below is the ideal temperature to keep food safe and chilled.
