Far East Cafe

The meeting was in Little Tokyo, at a Chinese joint called the Far East Cafe. Philip Marlowe was having lunch when, he would recall, "a dark shadow fell over my chop suey." "You found my Velma yet?" Moose Malloy asked. Robert Mitchum, the critics said, made for a classic, world-weary Marlowe in the 1975 film version of Raymond Chandler's "Farewell, My Lovely." And hulking Jack O'Halloran was a fine Moose. But as good as they were, only the Far East Cafe brought absolute authenticity to its role.

Re "Little Tokyo Landmark Plans a Comeback," March 17: Cecilia Rasmussen's article on the Far East Cafe caused me to think about whether or not my grandfather was one of those young Japanese men lined up outside the cafe on Saturday nights. The Far East Cafe represented a place that our family shared Sunday dinners and, as we grew older, it was the place that represented timelessness. Every time we returned to share a meal, the high, wood-paneled booths returned us to a time that was from our youth.

Re "Little Tokyo Landmark Plans a Comeback," March 17: Cecilia Rasmussen's article on the Far East Cafe caused me to think about whether or not my grandfather was one of those young Japanese men lined up outside the cafe on Saturday nights. The Far East Cafe represented a place that our family shared Sunday dinners and, as we grew older, it was the place that represented timelessness. Every time we returned to share a meal, the high, wood-paneled booths returned us to a time that was from our youth.

The meeting was in Little Tokyo, at a Chinese joint called the Far East Cafe. Philip Marlowe was having lunch when, he would recall, "a dark shadow fell over my chop suey." "You found my Velma yet?" Moose Malloy asked. Robert Mitchum, the critics said, made for a classic, world-weary Marlowe in the 1975 film version of Raymond Chandler's "Farewell, My Lovely." And hulking Jack O'Halloran was a fine Moose. But as good as they were, only the Far East Cafe brought absolute authenticity to its role.

For six decades, the Far East Cafe in Little Tokyo, with a huge Chop Suey sign hanging from the building, was part of Japanese American life in Southern California. Countless family milestones, from wedding receptions to funeral gatherings, were marked inside the Chinese restaurant, which offered the type of food that pleased the Japanese palate.

A city block that tells the history of early Japanese American life has been recommended for national landmark status, but final designation awaits a review of earthquake damage to the 1st Street buildings, officials said. "It looks pretty good," said Candice Kim, field deputy for Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Los Angeles).

The meeting took place in Little Tokyo, at a Chinese joint called the Far East Cafe. Private eye Philip Marlowe--this time played by Robert Mitchum, in the 1975 film version of Raymond Chandler's "Farewell, My Lovely"--was having lunch when, as Marlowe recalled, "a dark shadow fell over my chop suey," a hulking ex-con with a bone to pick, the character Moose Malloy, played by Jack O'Halloran.

To downtown diners, the Far East Building in Little Tokyo was the place where steaming plates of almond duck and sweet and sour pork were dished up for decades beneath a neon Chop Suey sign. To Hollywood, the 1896 Beaux Arts-style building was the perfect setting for famed fictional detective Philip Marlowe to meet up with tough guy Moose Malloy in the film version of Raymond Chandler's "Farewell, My Lovely."

When your palate needs a little pick-me-up, try one of these jalapeno specialties. Pink's Among the dogs served at this iconic stand, where you can get your fix as early as 9:30 in the morning or as late as 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, is a jalapeno dog, a 12-inch beef, pork and jalapeno dog topped with mustard, onions and a hefty dose of chili. The millennium dog, which owner Richard Pink likens to a small yacht, adds lettuce, tomato, grilled onion and guacamole.

"A woman looked up toward Cannons Restaurant ... and saw, through the glare of the midday sun, a man dressed in black," began the suspenseful item in the Dana Point News. "He was standing next to a pole on the wall that braces the restaurant perched on the bluff high above Dana Point Harbor.... "The woman couldn't be sure, but, considering the man's dark clothing and where he was standing, she thought that he might be getting ready to take a suicidal plunge. She decided to report her concerns."

The elevator most likely to induce a religious experience in downtown Los Angeles? The most despised artwork in the Civic Center? The best place to have a Raymond Chandler experience near City Hall? Questions you've undoubtedly asked yourselves numerous times. And, now, the Downtown News has answered them. In its current issue, the News publishes the results of a reader survey of local bests, worsts and mosts. The magic elevator turned out to be the 61-year-old Art Deco masterpiece in the Oviatt building on South Olive Street, featuring etched glass doors, Gothic wood interior and pink marble floors.