Barney's Beanery

On Tuesday, Laurie had a work related issue, in part because we didn't get back from Las Vegas Monday in time for her to get in at least a half day's work in Santa Barbara.  She had some official documents that now had to be hand delivered to another lawyer's office on the 17th floor of a posh office building on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles.  I volunteered to help out of love for my wife and love for another great eating experience though not necessarily in that order.

When I got to the building, I discovered two things, first it was 26 stories in height and, more importantly, that they were having the entire building's Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa party in the huge lobby as I entered.  With an awesome looking dessert in one hand and a fancy, whip creamed coffee in the other, the security guard at the door stopped and quizzed me about my business in the building.  After flashing her both a knowing smile from one fat person to another and showing her the properly addressed, sealed, brown manila envelope with about an 80 page document inside, she let me pass to the elevators.  So much for post-911 anti-terrorist security measures.

And yes, after delivering the documents, you are damn right I stopped in the lobby to enjoy some of the fine, upscale holiday fare that was being offered! I can blend when I have to and remember, "FREE FOOD IS NOT FATTENING."

The usually reliable Food Network's Guy Fieri could not come up with a nearby eatery so I tried the Travel Channel's Food Paradise website

 www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Food_Paradise

for a possible tip.

I know that you are thinking that I just had something to eat at the office building, but I had not counted on it and I already had this plan in motion that begged not to be aborted so it was on to...

Barney's Beanery

8447 Santa Monica Boulevard

West Hollywood, California

Established 1920

Website: www.barneysbeanery.com/

PERFECT!  This is a great place, with great tradition that I had often heard about but had never frequented.  It was right on my way home from "delivering the package" so I just had to give it a shot.

I was greeted by a rather unassuming store front...

... but he inside was a visual feast!

This was at one time the end of the famous U.S. Route 66 thus the miriad of old out-of-state license plates all over the walls.  Being nearly 90 years old and located in West Hollywood means that MANY famous entertainers have dined here over the decades.  My personal favorites were Jim Morrison of "The Doors" and Janis Joplin.  They actually have an old table top bolted to the ceiling that Janis Joplin carvede heer name into one, I'm sure, very sober evening.

Barney's Signature Dish

Chili, Beans and Cheese

It was SO GOOD!  You can tell just by the hint of spillage at the bowl's edge.

Again, as Jason Johnson says, "We need to be tourists in our own towns!"

I also had a slice of their incredible apple pie ala mode.  The pie was fantastic but I really believe that the key to this dessert was the richness of the ice cream.  Barney's did not disappoint me in any way, shape or fashion!

As is my want in these situations, I washed down this caloric orgy with a refreshing Diet Coke.

The Travel Channel's Food Paradise website listed above lists a lot of great places to eat all over the United States.  Here are the 15 that I've been to and, of course, highly recommend to you:

IN CALIFORNIA:

Finn McCool's, Santa Monica

Lawry's Prime Rib, Beverly Hills

Baby Blues BBQ, Venice (also on Guy Fieri's list!)

Phillipe the Original French Dip Sandwich, Los Angeles

Pea Soup Andersen's, Buellton

Fair Oaks Pharmacy, Pasadena

Randy's Donuts, Inglewood

Bob's Big Boy, Burbank

California Pizza Kitchen, California and WAY beyond

IN THE OTHER 49 STATES:

The Rendezvous BBQ, Memphis, Tennessee

Dyer's Burgers, Memphis, Tennessee

The Stage Deli, New York, New York

Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, Waterbury, Vermont

Cafe' Du Monde, New Orleand, Louisiana

The Varsity, Atlanta, Georgia

"SO MANY RESTAURANTS...

 SO LITTLE TIME"