Lawry’s carves a new niche

Greer Wylder

Lawry’s Carvery shares South Coast Plaza’s distinction for

specializing in the world’s finest goods.

This is not just another casual sandwich shop designed for hurried

lifestyles. Lawry’s Carvery is the first quick-casual restaurant of

the historic and innovative Lawry’s chain. It only serves true prime,

corn-fed beef that Lawry’s has made famous. It’s the place to find

high-quality meats on the go. Orders are taken at a counter; servers

transport foods to the table. It offers takeout meals too.

Lawry’s, still family-owned and operated, is one of the oldest

restaurant companies in the nation. The Lawry’s story began in 1922,

when brothers-in-law Lawrence Frank and Walter Van de Kamp opened the

Scottish-theme Tam O’Shanter Inn on Los Feliz Boulevard in Los

Angeles. The Tudor-style restaurant has several distinctions. It’s

L.A.’s oldest family-owned restaurant that’s in its original

location.

At Tam O’Shanter, they enlisted innovative ideas in the 1920s to

the restaurant industry. Their business philosophy focused on respect

for customers and employees. They pioneered a code of ethics for

hiring. They refused to discriminate against sex or race and

maintained that all employees (even the owners) be referred to as

co-workers. Everyone shared equal importance. The Lawry’s code of

ethics remains an integral part of the company. Tam O’Shanter also

became the country’s first drive-in restaurant.

In 1938, during the Great Depression, Frank and Van de Kamp opened

their second restaurant, Lawry’s The Prime Rib, at La Cienega in

Beverly Hills. Lawry’s The Prime Rib set the standard for food

service innovations and gave the brothers a chance to serve their

favorite Sunday comfort food, standing rib roasts of beef. In the

midst of the country’s economic depression, Lawry’s The Prime Rib was

an instant hit. The concept of offering one entree, high-quality

prime ribs of beef, was so new that eager customers formed lines for

a chance to get in.

Lawry’s stood apart from other fine restaurants of this era by

discarding fanciful accouterments, like a dizzying array of waiters,

and unapproachable dishes described in foreign languages. Lawry’s

simplified its menu, and guests found it easy to comprehend. It had

all-American appeal. Its signature was in the meal’s presentation.

Specially designed steel carts were brought in to carve beef

tableside.

Americans were also introduced to new dining experiences at

Lawry’s. For the first time, salads were served before entrees,

tossed tableside; the prime rib’s signature side dishes, baked

potatoes and creamed spinach, were established; and the much-copied

and now-standard “doggie bags” were originated for leftovers.

Lawry’s also developed the world’s top-selling spice blends,

Lawry’s Seasoned Salt. Frank experimented with blending salt, herbs

and spices in his kitchen to create the perfect seasoning for Lawry’s

beef. At that time, no other seasoning of its kind was created

specifically for beef. At first, the blend was meant to be a

restaurant exclusive, yet shakers were disappearing from tables. Due

to demand, the seasoned salt was packaged and sold at markets.

The Beverly Hills landmark Lawry’s restaurant remains a top-rated

Westside steakhouse. It’s still at its original location at 100 North

La Cienega, employs its classic serving carts, serves top-quality

prime rib and offers an expanded menu. To maintain high-quality

standards, Lawry’s The Prime Rib has been choosy about opening more

locations. Its select cities include Chicago, Dallas and Las Vegas.

Lawry’s The Prime Rib has also expanded into Asia. The premier

specialty restaurants fit perfectly in Asia, where high-quality beef

is cherished. It’s one of Asia’s most treasured culinary delicacies.

In 1965, Lawry’s expanded its repertoire of restaurants with the

opening of Five Crowns on the East Coast Highway in Corona del Mar.

Carefully copied to replicate an English country inn, the historic

Five Crowns, built in 1936, was once home to a bordello and a

gambling house, as well as a weekend retreat for Hollywood stars. The

popular Five Crowns specializes in prime rib and has received

culinary awards, as well as the coveted Wine Spectator Grand Award.

Lawry’s Carvery serves healthy meals. Premium sandwiches are

Lawry’s Carvery’s specialty, hand-carved and freshly baked bread

served with homemade potato chips. Its signature prime rib original

sandwich -- 4 ounces of prime rib with creamy horseradish and au jus

-- outsells all other sandwiches ($9.99). Other sandwich selections

include four roast beef choices, ranging from classic roast beef with

grilled red onions ($7.99) to a popular bleu cheese sandwich with

crispy onions and arugula ($8.50).

There’s also carved turkey sandwiches, a rotisserie turkey classic

with cranberry-pear relish, Boston lettuce and mayonnaise ($7.99);

and a king of club’s sandwich with turkey, bacon, avocado, tomato,

Boston lettuce and lemon-basil mayonnaise ($8.99). Maple-glazed

rotisserie pork served with bacon, apple chutney, roasted onion and

arugula ($8.50) and barbecue beef brisket slowly roasted and served

with smoky barbecue sauce ($8.50) complete the sandwich selections.

Other lunch and dinner offerings include carvery platter meals --

meats served with coleslaw and a side dish ($11.99 to $14.99). The

six entree salads include an Asian chicken salad ($7.99);

Southwestern prime rib chop ($8.99) and rotisserie turkey Cobb

($8.99). Signature side dishes include horseradish mashed potatoes

($2.50); chilled asparagus with lemon aioli ($2.50); and macaroni and

Tillamook cheese ($2.50).

A new combination special was just introduced for only $6.99. The

Carvery combination plate features a hand-carved sandwich with choice

of USDA prime roast beef, rotisserie turkey, maple-glazed pork or

barbecue beef brisket. It also comes with homemade potato chips and a

choice of market greens salads, Caesar salad, prime rib mushroom

barley soup or turkey noodle soup.

Lawry’s Carvery seats up to 120, with indoor and outdoor seating

choices. Private parties can be arranged from 20 to 80 guests.

They’re developing catering services and a children’s menu.

* BEST BUYS appears Thursdays. Send information to Greer Wylder at

greerwylder@yahoo.com; at 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627.