Westwood, CA (near UCLA) - Is Mario's Italian Restaurant still open?
Dec 18th, 2005, 12:21 PM
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Westwood, CA (near UCLA) - Is Mario's Italian Restaurant still open?
Many moons ago when I lived in the SoCal area, dinner at Mario's and a Westwood movie was a great date night (as I said, many moons ago). Heading back that way next week for the holidays, I'm having trouble finding out whether it's still there. Could I possibly have read correctly that a California Pizza Kitchen has taken over their spot? Yikes!
Dec 20th, 2005, 06:02 PM
#4
We all loved Marios, but he went away about 10 years ago and California Pizza Kitchen has taken his place. Stan's is still across the street, though, and I don't think anyone in L.A. will allow it to go down.
Here's the good news! Mario's cousin, Anna, still has her restaurant called, you guessed it, Anna's, at the corner of Pico and Midvale (one block west of Westwood) with the same waiters, the same owners, the same food and, yes, the same clientele, that's made this the staple of Westwood South family Italian fare for the last 50 plus years. We go there often, since the food is good, not expensive, and it's a few blocks from our home.
It's right down the block from the Apple Pan where my son, it just so happens, went off to have a bite with his friend, and brought me back a hickory burger. Another family/teenage hangout since 1948. Ah, that smoked hickory flavor is still dancing on my tongue!
Here's the good news! Mario's cousin, Anna, still has her restaurant called, you guessed it, Anna's, at the corner of Pico and Midvale (one block west of Westwood) with the same waiters, the same owners, the same food and, yes, the same clientele, that's made this the staple of Westwood South family Italian fare for the last 50 plus years. We go there often, since the food is good, not expensive, and it's a few blocks from our home.
It's right down the block from the Apple Pan where my son, it just so happens, went off to have a bite with his friend, and brought me back a hickory burger. Another family/teenage hangout since 1948. Ah, that smoked hickory flavor is still dancing on my tongue!
Dec 22nd, 2005, 01:51 PM
#6
Yes, the Italian families do that a lot. For example, Matty Jordan, the former owner (until his death) of Matteo's on Westwood, is the brother of Maria Alfano, who ran Maria's up in Barrington Place (she eventually sold it). Maria's daughter, Madelyn (who I went to school with), runs all of the Maria's Italian Kitchens in L.A. (one also being on Pico at Malcolm, across from the Westside Pavillion).
Dec 25th, 2005, 08:36 AM
#7
I was at Anna's the other night and asked Tony (one of the two owners) to remind me how Anna's came into being. Actually, Mario himself opened up Anna's back in '68 or '69 after the success of Mario's in the Village, and named the restaurant after his wife (not cousin), Anna. Mario closed up the Village restaurant when the rent soared beyond his means. There you go.
Dec 28th, 2005, 05:24 PM
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Oh Surfergirl, I am so sad to read your news about Anna's! We have just returned from our CA trip. If only I had received your reply earlier. I see now that we could have enjoyed our Veal Parmesean had we known! Woe is me!
Something to look forward to next time.
Something to look forward to next time.
