Spring 2010

A La “Cart” is a publication of Lawry’s Restaurants, Inc.

Frank Talkn the early 1960s, my wife, Mary Alice, and I took our first trip to England. We loved Britain, espe-cially the delightful restaurants in its cozy, romantic country inns. In all my travels around America, I'd never encountered anything quite like them. Fast forward to 1964: We decided to open a new restaurant, and I thought about replicating the look

and feel of the country inns I'd enjoyed so much in England. I even knew the perfect location—if we could secure it—a place in Corona del Mar, CA, called the Hurley Bell. Built in 1936, the exterior of the Hurley Bell was a faithful reproduction of England's oldest and most famous country inn, Ye Olde Bell.

The Hurley Bell had a checkered past; it had been a private residence, a bed-and-breakfast hotel and then home to a series of unsuccessful restaurants. It had garnered a shady reputation, first as a hideaway for Hollywood stars' secret rendezvous, then as a site of gambling and prostitution. But from the outside, it looked ideal (the interior didn't come up to the exterior's standards and would need a lot of work). Not only did it look right, but I thought it was in the right place, too. Orange County, CA, was starting to grow and the Newport Beach area—especially its seaside village of Corona del Mar—was attracting young families. There were no good restaurants in the area, and it seemed ripe to support a successful one. Serendipitously, the owner of the Hurley Bell was looking to sell the property. We signed on the dotted line and immersed ourselves in a year-long remodeling of the interior, turning it, room by room, into the most beautiful and romantic of all of our restaurants.

My father and I debated over the name for the restaurant. I wanted to call it The Bell and Crown, "Bell" for Hurley Bell and "Crown" for Corona del Mar ("Crown of the Sea"), but my dad didn't like it. He was aware of the Hurley Bell's unsavory reputation and felt it would be a bad idea to have any reference to it in our new restaurant's name. To satisfy him, I decided on the name Five Crowns, "Five" because the new restaurant was to be the fifth for Lawry's and "Crowns" because each was a jewel in our crown. On the evening of April 14, 1965, our new English country inn restaurant, Five Crowns, opened.

It very quickly became one of the foremost restaurants in Orange County, and this year, as we cel-ebrate its 45th anniversary, Five Crowns continues to be a popular landmark. It offers a continental-style menu with more options than Lawry's The Prime Rib. But like Lawry's The Prime Rib, first on the Five Crowns' menu and the number-one seller among its guests is roasted prime ribs of beef. (From the start, Five Crowns has been known for serving the best prime rib in Orange County.)

We recently opened an English-style gastropub, SideDoor, in the space that was, formerly, the Five Crowns' bar (please see the article below and on page 4 for more information). At SideDoor, we offer a casual, "come as you are" setting that both complements, yet offers an alternative to, the Five Crowns more traditional fine-dining experience. It was an exciting project for our company, as I, my son and my grandson (the second, third and fourth generations of our family business) worked together to make SideDoor a reality. You, our guests, came, tasted, and overwhelmingly approved. Business at SideDoor is booming, and we find ourselves the happy proprietors of two successful restaurants under the same roof. We hope you'll visit Five Crowns soon and check out SideDoor, as well. Whether you're looking for an outstanding evening of fine dining or a casual drop-in spot to meet up with old and new friends, you're sure to find delicious food, lots of fun and a warm welcome.

—Richard N. Frank

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Please turn to page 4 for photos and more about SideDoor

ur newest restaurant is a hit! It's SideDoor, an English-style neighborhood gastropub in the landmark Five Crowns building in Corona del Mar, CA (the entrance is on the Poppy Street side, under the big red key). We hope you'll visit and join guests who are giving us rave reviews for our friendly, casual

atmosphere, terrific food and outstanding drink. Relax with us for an hour or evening (reservations are never needed) and treat yourself to our ever-changing menu of small plates, cheese and charcuterie and sand-wiches, as well as an awesome selection of wines, craft beers and cocktails.

OSideDoor: Look for the Big Red Key

SPRING AND SUMMER SPECIAL LUNCH AT LAWRY'S THE PRIME RIB, CHICAGO: A new menu offering extensive variety at a great value is now available 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays in our Chicago restaurant's popular Ale & Sandwich Bar. For just $12, plus tax and gra-tuity, you'll have your choice of three delicious items, plus a trip to the "Sides" Cart and a soda, iced tea or lemonade. EASTER, APRIL 4: Brunch will be served at Lawry's in Dallas, the Tam O'Shanter and the Five Crowns, and all of our restaurants will open early to welcome you to dinner. Come join us! Reservations are avail-able now.

COLE PORTER REVIEW AT LAWRY'S THE PRIME RIB, LAS VEGAS, APRIL 8: Put your dancing shoes on for a fun evening of live music and song as we pay tribute to the leg-endary Cole Porter. $99 includes entertain-ment, dancing, a classic prime rib or fresh salmon feast, tax and gratuity. Reservations are available now by telephoning Michelle Rizzo at (702) 893-2223, Ext. 205.

"BILLY ELLIOTT" COMES TO CHICAGO: Treat yourself to orchestra seats for the musical "Billy Elliott"—presented by Broadway in Chicago, with a musical score by Elton John—and a fabulous dinner at Lawry's The Prime Rib, Chicago, with this exclusive dinner-the-atre package.

Matinee performances are at 2 p.m. at the Ford Center at the Oriental Theatre on Sundays, April 25, May 2 and May 16, fol-lowed by a four-course "County of Durham Coal Miner's" dinner in our restaurant. $165, plus tax and gratuity. To order your package, please ask for the sales department when you telephone our Chicago restaurant.

WINE TASTINGS AT THE TAM O'SHANTER: We've assembled exceptional wines for you to discover at our monthly Saturday after-noon tastings:• April 10: Cabernet Sauvignon • May 1: Pinot Noir• June 5: German White WinesWine manager Brien McNally will guide the tastings, and you'll feast on sumptuous hors d'oeuvres created to complement each glass. Join us for dinner afterward, and we'll deduct 10 percent from your bill! Each tast-ing is from 3-4 p.m.; $30 plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are available now.

SPIRITS & LIQUEURS TASTING AT LAWRY’S THE PRIME RIB, BEVERLY HILLS, JUNE 9: Sample top of the line liquors in all catego-ries, selected by the experts at The Tasting Panel Magazine as solid "10s" in taste and char-acter. We'll pamper you with executive chef Walter Eckstein's fabulous hors d’oeuvres, created to complement the potables we'll

be pouring. 6-8 p.m.; $36, including tax and gratuity. Reservations are required and available now by telephoning Ellen Frémaux at (310) 360-6281, Ext. 4.

MOTHER’S DAY, MAY 9: Treat mom to the great food and world-class pampering only our restaurants provide. Each of our locations will welcome every mom in your party with a special gift. Lawry’s in Dallas, the Five Crowns and the Tam O’Shanter will serve brunch, and all of our restaurants will open early for dinner. At the Tam O'Shanter, moms can enter a drawing to win a Burke Williams Spa

gift certificate valued at $85. Our Beverly Hills restaurant will help you capture the happy memories with a free photograph. Reservations are available now at Lawry's in Beverly Hills, Chicago and Las Vegas, and begin April 9 at Lawry's in Dallas, the Tam O'Shanter and Five Crowns.

SUNSET RIVER CRUISES AT LAWRY'S THE PRIME RIB, CHICAGO: Our very popular cruise-dinner package is back! Every Thursday and Friday evening, June 3-October 1, you'll have the opportunity to join Chicago Architecture Foundation docents as they point out and discuss landmark buildings on a 90-minute cruise of the Chicago River, followed by a multi-course dinner in our restaurant. 5:30 p.m.; $85, including tax and gratuity. For further information and reservations, please ask for the sales department when you tele-phone our Chicago restaurant.

FATHER’S DAY, JUNE 20: Lawry’s in Dallas, the Five Crowns, and the Tam O’Shanter will serve brunch, and all of our restaurants will be open for dinner. Exclusively at Lawry's in Beverly Hills, dads can enter a drawing to win a To Go Dinner for 12-14 people, valued at $350. Our Beverly Hills restaurant will also snap a complimentary photograph of your party. Dads dining at the Tam O'Shanter can enter a drawing to win a $100 Home Depot Gift Card. Reservations for Lawry’s in Beverly Hills and Chicago and the Tam O'Shanter are available now, and will be accepted by Lawry’s in Las Vegas and Dallas and the Five Crowns starting May 20.

If the dad in your life would prefer din-ner at home this Father's Day, all of our res-taurants offer superb take out. Please tele-phone the Lawry's location of your choice at least 72 hours in advance. Exclusively at Lawry's in Chicago, we're offering a special Father's Day To Go Menu featuring roasted prime ribs of beef and barbecued beef ribs. Please make your Chicago to go reservation between May 1-June 16 by asking for the sales department when you telephone, and we'll have a delicious package waiting for you to pick up on Father's Day.

Wine Dinners

LAWRY’S THE PRIME RIB, BEVERLY HILLS

(310) 360-6281, Ext. 4May 6

Sonoma in the City: Los AngelesWith winemakers from four award-winning

Sonoma wineries $95 including tax and gratuity

FIVE CROWNS(949) 760-0331

May 18Paul Hobbs

With Bill Wiebalk $99 including tax and gratuity

LAWRY’S THE PRIME RIB, DALLAS(972) 503-6688

May 21Master Sommelier Dinner

With wine manager Steven Giancotti $69 plus tax and gratuity

Spring to Lawry's for Great Food and Fun

ReservationsPlease telephone to make reservations for the special events on this page.

Lawry’s The Prime Rib• Beverly Hills (310) 652-2827

• Chicago (312) 787-5000

• Dallas (972) 503-6688

• Las Vegas (702) 893-2223

Five Crowns (949) 760-0331

Tam O’Shanter (323) 664-0228

For fast and easy lunch, dinner and brunch reservations, please visit our web site, www.LawrysOnline.com.

A Letter From Sylviarecent letter made our day. It was from Sylvia Pettit, who in the 1940s was a server at the Tam O'Shanter (our old-est restaurant, now in its 88th year).

Ms. Pettit said she'd come across a photo taken during the time she was a Lawry's co-worker and it reminded her of how much "I loved work-ing there."

Born and raised in Oakland, CA, Sylvia married in 1940, and she and her husband, William, moved to Los Angeles. It took William a whole year to find a job, so to keep the fam-ily afloat, she became a waitress at a Van de Kamp's Coffee Shop (operated by our founding families, the Franks and Van de Kamps, and a forerunner of our restaurant company). William was drafted in 1943 and died a year later from wounds incurred during the Normandy Invasion. Sylvia carried on and joined the serv-ing staff at the Tam. She left us, eventually, to become a riveter "and do my part for the defense of America." She later remarried and had three children, and today lives in Castro Valley, CA.

Through it all, she's retained her affection for Lawry's. "I have such wonderful memories of working at the Tam O'Shanter," she wrote. "It was truly one of the nicest places I ever worked."

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o thank Lawry's VIP Rewards mem-bers for your loyalty, we're offering a special bonus throughout the

month of May: Double Points for lunch in all of our popular Ale & Sandwich Bars (at Lawry's in Chicago, Dallas and Las Vegas and the Tam O'Shanter) from 11-2 p.m., Mondays-Fridays. We look forward to welcoming you!

May is Bonus Month for Lawry's VIPs

Sylvia Pettit today and during the years she was a Tam O'Shanter co-worker.

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In the late 1930s, the Disney Studio moved into a new, state-of-the-art facility in Burbank that included a commis-sary. Although trips to the Tam were no longer a necessity, they didn't cease. Walt and the Disney crew continued to frequent our restaurant for the rest of their lives.

The friendship between Lawrence and Walt remained strong, too. In the early 1950s, when Wal t was planning Disneyland, he consulted with Lawrence about food service for the theme park. Lawry's chair-man Richard N . F r a n k remembers accompany-ing his father to have lunch with Walt at the Disney Studios in Burbank. There, Walt showed them the plans for Disneyland. "He didn't know what to do with the restaurants, with the feed-ing operations, and he had a lot of questions for my dad, which he was happy to answer," Richard said. Years later, from 1982-1999, Lawry's Foods sponsored Disneyland's Frontier Restaurant, Casa Mexicana.

The warm relationship between Disney and Lawry's continues today. In June 2009, the Tam was the site of a luncheon-press conference hosted by Walt's grand-son, Walter Elias Disney, to announce plans for the Walt Disney Family Museum, which opened in San Francisco on October 1, 2009. Most recently, Disney twenty-three Magazine, the studio's official publication for its D23 club members, contained a feature story on the Tam O'Shanter and Walt's history with the restaurant.

continued from page 1Cheers! Come See Us at SideDoor

SideDoor3801 East Coast Highway(enter on Poppy St. under the big red key)Corona del Mar, CA 92625(947) 717-4322

Hours:Thursdays 4:30-10:30 p.m.Fridays & Saturdays 4:30-11:30 p.m.Sundays 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m.Sundays Charcuterie 3:30-9 p.m.No Reservations • Casual Attire

Please visit our web site: www.SideDoorCDM.com

When You Wish Upon a Star: Walt Disney and the Tam

This caricature of Richard R. and Richard N. Frank was presented to the Tam O'Shanter by the Disney Studios in 1997, in honor of the restaurant's 75th anni-versary.

t's not surprising that the Tam O'Shanter was one of Walt Disney's favorite restaurants. He surely would have been attracted to the Tam's fanciful look, created by

movie set designer Harry Oliver (who was later to win an Oscar) with a meandering roof, interior plaster walls made to resemble weathered stone, a fairy-tale-like fireplace and charred, exposed wooden ceiling beams.

In the late 1920s and throughout the '30s, when Walt lunched at the Tam O'Shanter nearly every day, it was, as it is today, an entertaining Scottish-themed place that harked back to other times, filled with cozy nooks and crannies and bursting with tartans, antiques and memorabilia of Los Angeles' early days. We don't know if it's true, but some pundits speculate that Walt was so taken with the Tam that it inspired the look of the cottage occupied by Snow White and her little pals in the Disney Studio's first feature film, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," which premiered in 1937.

Walt liked the Tam's food, too; simple but delicious fare that included hamburgers (still served daily) made according to a special recipe that took proprietor Lawrence L. Frank a whole year to create.

Most of all, it seems, Walt liked Lawrence Frank, and the feeling was mutual. The two men loved entertaining people and shared the spark of creativity and innovation; they became good friends.

Not only Walt, but the whole crew of Disney animators frequented the Tam. When Walt and his brother, Roy, moved their studio from its original location on Kingswell Ave. in Hollywood to more spacious quarters in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles, the new studio didn't have a cafeteria. The Tam became the Disney staff's daily lunchtime haunt, and they affectionately nicknamed it "The Disney Studio Commissary."

Because he lived nearby in the Hollywood Hills, Walt also visited the Tam for dinner, bringing along his wife and two daughters. According to his eldest daughter, Diane Disney Miller, Walt's favorite spot in the main dining room was the booth in the corner, to the left of the large fire-place, Table 31.

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Television's "Zorro," Guy Williams (far left) and Walt Disney (far right) with Lawrence Frank (second from left) in the early 1960s.

This caricature of Lawrence Frank, drawn by Disney artist John Hench, was presented to Lawrence by Walt Disney in 1958. It is on display in the Tam's reception area.

TableTalk

A romantic candlelight ceremony at Lawry's The Prime Rib, Beverly Hills.

ur resident star-gazers are happy to report recent celebrity sightings in our restaurants: At Lawry's in Beverly Hills, we spot-ted Denzel Washington...Elizabeth Taylor...Magic Johnson...Ray Bradbury...University of Texas Longhorns head coach Mack Brown...Alabama University Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban...rapper/actor Ice-T...Billy Zane...and former famed college

football coach, ESPN analyst, author and motivational speaker Lou Holtz. Actor Dennis Farina and ABC 7 Chicago news anchor Linda Yu dined in our Chicago restaurant. Lawry's in Dallas greeted legend-

ary Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboys quarterback from 1969-1979, Roger Staubach...Morgan Fairchild...CBS sportscaster Jim Nance...and lead anchor for CBS affiliate KTVT, Babe Laufenberg.

Dining at the Tam O'Shanter were Hilary Duff...Tool drummer Danny Carey...Tim Curry...Shirley Jones...and a group of cast mem-bers from TV's "Scrubs." "Supernanny" Jo Frost visited our newest restaurant, SideDoor, and Richard Dreyfuss joined us for dinner at Lawry's The Prime Rib, Las Vegas.

Make Lawry's Your Wedding Destination

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Scoring A Touchdown With the BCS Teams

Courtesy of Lawry's, the top two college football teams in the nation—Alabama and Texas—got a chance to relax and enjoy a great meal days before they clashed on the playing field in February's BCS (Bowl Championship Series) Game at the Rose Bowl. Lawry's Catering, a service of Lawry's The Prime Rib, Beverly Hills, brought our prime rib to Newport Beach, CA, on two separate evenings to treat each team's players, their coaches, Tournament of Roses officials and the press to a feast and fun. It was our third time hosting BCS competitors, and we were honored to pamper them with our special brand of hospitality. (As you may know, we're no strangers to feeding college football champs; for 54 years Lawry's annual Beef Bowl has treated Rose Bowl rivals to dinner in our Beverly Hills res-taurant.) In the photo above left, number-one ranked Alabama University Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban presents the game ball to Lawry's CEO-president Richard R. Frank, chairman Richard N. Frank and Lawry's Beverly Hills general manager Todd Johnson. At right, Colt McCoy, star quarterback for the University of Texas Longhorns, dishes up some prime rib from our silver cart.

he prestige of a wedding at Lawry's. Our award-winning food and service. The distinctive, beautiful settings of our restau-rants. Think the price is out of sight? We beg to differ. We've

always prided ourselves on offering superior wedding amenities at prices below hotels, and in these budget-conscious times, our experienced wedding managers can be a great help in suggesting ways to further trim costs. We'll happily accommodate your wishes (for example, Lawry's in Chicago recently staged a romantic brunch reception for a very happy couple) and pamper you and your guests with warm, personalized service (the Five Crowns and Lawry's in Las Vegas are both Brides Choice Award 2010 winners, chosen by new-lyweds for quality, service and professionalism). In addition to cer-emonies and receptions, our restaurants are the perfect choice for engagement parties, bridal showers and rehearsal dinners. Please telephone the wedding manager at the Lawry's location of your choice to find out how we can help make your dreams come true.

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Looking at Lawry’sWe're not claiming any special powers for the coconut banana cream pie we make from scratch each day at Lawry's in Las Vegas, but Tonya Anderson and Joe Reum of North Dakota seem to have fallen under its spell. Tonya wrote to us recently to say that she and Joe enjoyed dinner with us in Las Vegas last December, and after "we had the amazing pie, which both [Joe] and I thought was awesome, we got engaged." She asked us to send her the recipe so she could make the pie ("We can't stop talking about it") as a romantic treat for their first Valentine's Day as an engaged couple. We happily sped the recipe to her, along with our best wishes and congratulations.

Kay Fischer threw a won-derful surprise 80th birth-day party for her husband Jack (center, with carver Jeff Penney and server Wendy Hall) at Lawry's in Dallas. Jack has been a fan of our restaurants, and has dined at all of our locations, since he was 10 years old and growing up in Westwood, CA. "He was

a graduate of UCLA and his brother attended USC but there was never a rivalry in their opinion of the best restaurant...which to this day is Lawry's The Prime Rib!" Kay says.

Kathryn and John McCloskey (pictured with general manager Todd Johnson) celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary in our Beverly Hills restaurant. Their granddaughter Katie Holmes wrote to tell us the McCloskeys have been Lawry's patrons since 1942. "Our family has celebrated everything from anniversaries to birthdays to first dates there," she said. Congratulations, Kathryn and John...we look forward to raising a glass for your 70th anniversary!

We're always happy to see Tom and Charlotte Maxim. Their 9th visit to our Dallas restaurant in 2009 was for a very spe-cial occasion—their 40th wedding anniversary, cel-ebrated last November. Congratulations!

621 South Andreasen DriveEscondido, California 92029-1904

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PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGEPAIDPasadena, CAPERMIT #740

LAWRY’S CARVERY L.A. LIVE1011 S. Figueroa St., Suite B115Los Angeles, CA(213) 222-2212

The Trademarks and are licensed from Lawry’s Foods, Inc.

www.LawrysOnline.com

Westfield Century City10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Food TerraceCentury City, CA (310) 432-0101

South Coast Plaza3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, CA(714) 434-7788

BEVERLY HILLS100 N. La Cienega Blvd.(310) 652-2827

DALLAS14655 Dallas Pkwy.(972) 503-6688

FIVE CROWNS3801 East Coast HighwayCorona del Mar, CA(949) 760-0331

TAM O’SHANTER2980 Los Feliz Blvd.Los Angeles, CA(323) 664-0228

OSAKA 5F Herbis Plaza Ent, 2-2-22 Umeda, Kita-Kut011-06-6343-3344

SHANGHAIUnit 1, No 22 and 23, North Plaza181 Tai Cang Road, Xintiandi, Lu Wan District011-86-21-63870096

HONG KONG Causeway Bay 4/F, The Lee Gardens 33 Hysan Ave. 011-290-7-2218

TAIPEICore Pacific City, 12th Floor138 Pateh Road, Sec. 4011-886-2-3762-1312

TOKYOAkasaka Twin Tower East2-17-22 Akasaka, Minato-ku011-03-5114-8013

SINGAPORE333A Orchard Rd.#04-01/31 Mandarin Gallery011-65-6836-3333

CHICAGO100 E. Ontario St.(312) 787-5000

LAS VEGAS4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy.(702) 893-2223

SIDEDOOR3801 East Coast HighwayCorona del Mar, CA(947) 717-4322