Kabakians: does anyone remember.....

[s***@gmail.com]

Looks like even those people who REMEMBER Kabakian's are dying out, this thread is OLD.

[Hans Klager]

Post by s***@gmail.com
Looks like even those people who REMEMBER Kabakian's are dying
out, this thread is OLD.

I remember Kabakian's a truly unique restaurant.

[a***@mcvprevention.org]

Kabakians was on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, where the mall is now.
Armenian/Lebanese cuisine.
Hand-calligraphed menus.
Upholstered table tops, with linen table cloths on top. Wine glasses
would lean dangerously if you place them too close to the edge.
The maitre de waxed both his mustasche, and his eyebrows, and would
insult his guests most elegantly.
The waiter would personally feed the first bite of each dish to the women
in the party, and scold those who didn't clean their plates.
There were dishes like "Queen Xenobia's Fingers". There was a free,
unannounced dessert of some kind of middle-eastern pumpkin, grown in a
home garden, with ice cream on top.
The 80-year old busboy who would bring coffee, flirt with the women, and
his hands would shake in a terrifying manner as he served this coffee;
you would fear for your lap.
They moved out to Foothill for a while; does anyone know what happened?
Does anyone remember?
-Roger

I was taken to Kabakian's as a child of ten or so, and will never forget being fed by the old gentlemen. My parents were very amused and loved it. I thought the food was great!

[Hans Klager]

On Wed, 24 Jul 2013 08:08:09 -0700 (PDT),

Post by a***@mcvprevention.org

Kabakians was on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, where the
mall is now.
Armenian/Lebanese cuisine.
They moved out to Foothill for a while; does anyone know what
happened? Does anyone remember?

I was taken to Kabakian's as a child of ten or so, and will
never forget being fed by the old gentlemen. My parents were
very amused and loved it. I thought the food was great!

The Kabakian brothers retired. They will always be
missed.

[s***@gmail.com]

Two of the bothers were Haig and Nercess. I'm blocking on the third. Wonderful lines they came out with. Our favorite was one used on a diner who hesitated over the desert. Haig told him sternly, "Nobody doesn't like honey!" Old as they were, they would bake early every morning at something like 5 a.m. and keep the restaurant open until after 10 p.m. They were unique.

[Hans Klager]

Post by s***@gmail.com
Two of the bothers were Haig and Nercess. I'm blocking on the
third. Wonderful lines they came out with. Our favorite was one
used on a diner who hesitated over the desert. Haig told him
sternly, "Nobody doesn't like honey!" Old as they were, they
would bake early every morning at something like 5 a.m. and keep
the restaurant open until after 10 p.m. They were unique.

When Kabakians were in their heyday, the foodie movement
was in its infancy. People thought the Velvet Turtle, Chasens,
the Luau and Scandia were the pinnacle of good eating - Yuch!

So, if you wanted a good dinner, served and cooked by
eccentrics, Kabakians was the place.

[Librarian]

Check out the Los Angeles Public Library's menu archivefor a blast from the past:

goo.gl/3WG02r

check out that calligraphy!

Kabakians was on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, where the mall is now.
Armenian/Lebanese cuisine.
Hand-calligraphed menus.
Upholstered table tops, with linen table cloths on top. Wine glasses
would lean dangerously if you place them too close to the edge.
The maitre de waxed both his mustasche, and his eyebrows, and would
insult his guests most elegantly.
The waiter would personally feed the first bite of each dish to the women
in the party, and scold those who didn't clean their plates.
There were dishes like "Queen Xenobia's Fingers". There was a free,
unannounced dessert of some kind of middle-eastern pumpkin, grown in a
home garden, with ice cream on top.
The 80-year old busboy who would bring coffee, flirt with the women, and
his hands would shake in a terrifying manner as he served this coffee;
you would fear for your lap.
They moved out to Foothill for a while; does anyone know what happened?
Does anyone remember?
-Roger

[Julian Macassey]

Post by Librarian
Check out the Los Angeles Public Library's menu archivefor a
goo.gl/3WG02r
check out that calligraphy!

Some wonderful copper plate caligraphy.

Thanks for posting this.


--
"They: The makers of the Constitution: conferred, as against the government,
the right to be let alone -- the most comprehensive of rights and the right
most valued by civilized men." - Justice Louis D. Brandeis

[s***@gmail.com]

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

[Julian Macassey]

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

[m***@aol.com]

Kabakians was on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, where the mall is now.
Armenian/Lebanese cuisine.
Hand-calligraphed menus.
Upholstered table tops, with linen table cloths on top. Wine glasses
would lean dangerously if you place them too close to the edge.
The maitre de waxed both his mustasche, and his eyebrows, and would
insult his guests most elegantly.
The waiter would personally feed the first bite of each dish to the women
in the party, and scold those who didn't clean their plates.
There were dishes like "Queen Xenobia's Fingers". There was a free,
unannounced dessert of some kind of middle-eastern pumpkin, grown in a
home garden, with ice cream on top.
The 80-year old busboy who would bring coffee, flirt with the women, and
his hands would shake in a terrifying manner as he served this coffee;
you would fear for your lap.
They moved out to Foothill for a while; does anyone know what happened?
Does anyone remember?
-Roger

Yes, Roger, I used to go there frequently. It was located just east of Los Robles, close to where the present mall is now.

I drove for Yellow Cab in the 70's, and would periodically pick up food from their home on E. California Blvd. and transport it to their restaurant in the trunk of my cab.

Two men would come out of the house carrying the food, and then motion to me to open the trunk of my cab. This whole operation was done without one word ever being spoken. I guess they didn't have to, since it was all prearranged with the cab company....but still kind of weird, I thought.

I remember when they opened up the door to their house, the fantastic aroma of the food that was being prepared inside was the best I've ever smelled in my whole life.

You're right about them feeding you the first bite, but they tried to do it to everyone in our party, men and women both...I would always decline, though.

I accidentally found your post, as I was thinking about the restaurant today after all these years, and doing a Google search to find out what happened to it.

Thanks for bringing back some old memories of this great restaurant.

Howard

[h***@gmail.com]

I remember Kabakian's very fondly from my childhood. Even though we had to wait for what seemed like an eternity, this experience has always held a special place in my heart. I remember the Kabakian brothers and their characteristic eyebrows shuffling through the restaurant, making sure everybody got the perfect bite of their iconic meals. I lost my first tooth while eating a piece of beef at their restaurant. The brothers would always take my sister and me over to the dessert counter for us to pick out a sweet treat. I wish I could give my kids such an amazing and memorable experience. I still crave that yogurt sauce and have tried, in vain, to recreate it. A true treasure.

[g***@gmail.com]

Kabakians was on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, where the mall is now.
Armenian/Lebanese cuisine.
Hand-calligraphed menus.
Upholstered table tops, with linen table cloths on top. Wine glasses
would lean dangerously if you place them too close to the edge.
The maitre de waxed both his mustasche, and his eyebrows, and would
insult his guests most elegantly.
The waiter would personally feed the first bite of each dish to the women
in the party, and scold those who didn't clean their plates.
There were dishes like "Queen Xenobia's Fingers". There was a free,
unannounced dessert of some kind of middle-eastern pumpkin, grown in a
home garden, with ice cream on top.
The 80-year old busboy who would bring coffee, flirt with the women, and
his hands would shake in a terrifying manner as he served this coffee;
you would fear for your lap.
They moved out to Foothill for a while; does anyone know what happened?
Does anyone remember?
-Roger

I went there regularly in 1970 as a Caltech postdoc. It was not very popular, but was a great place. Once we asked to be served in a hurry as we had something else on. They were almost mortally insulted and just plonked each dish down on the table. The next day we gave them a bottle of brandy to make up and we were good friends again.

Ian Glass, Cape Town

[b***@aol.com]

I remember the place well. I figured they closed as the brothers died off one at a time. Burger Continental was another favorite. I think the proprietor was named Harry. Their small courtyard was a great place to eat and lounge away the evening.

[e***@gmail.com]

Kabakian's was legendary. My large group of friends ate there frequently in the 1970s. I have craved their food for decades ... the Queen Shaharazad kebob. Local lore was that they were Cordon Bleu graduates. The brothers would shuffle between tables and demonstrate how to eat their kabobs especially to the ladies. One night they offered to comp our dinner if the ladies danced for them. Horn dogs. They were jampacked on weekends. I recall driving home between soup and salad to leave a note on the door for friends. Didn't miss a thing. They had a candy shop next door and gave us dark chocolate covered crystalized ginger. I still think of them fondly and never had such amazing food since.

[e***@gmail.com]

Kabakian's was legendary. My large group of friends ate there frequently in the 1970s. I have craved their food for decades ... the Queen Shaharazad kebob. Local lore was that they were Cordon Bleu graduates. The brothers would shuffle between tables and demonstrate how to eat their kabobs especially to the ladies. One night they offered to comp our dinner if the ladies danced for them. Horn dogs. They were jampacked on weekends. I recall driving home between soup and salad to leave a note on the door for friends. Didn't miss a thing. They had a candy shop next door and gave us dark chocolate covered crystalized ginger. I still think of them fondly and never had such amazing food since.

[Julian Macassey]

On Mon, 22 Aug 2016 19:43:36 -0700 (PDT), ***@gmail.com
<***@gmail.com> wrote:

They had a candy shop next door and gave us dark chocolate
covered crystalized ginger.

They introduced me to chocolate covered candied orange
peel. Now I make it at home.

In the heyday of the Kabakians, there weren't many decent
restaurants around. The Velvet Turtle and Monty's were considered
haute cuisine. Theings have got better over the decades.

[g***@gmail.com]

Back in the Mid-1970's we would come up from Long Beach State (now CSULB) to the Dorthy Chandler Pavilion for performances and then go up to Pasadena to Kabakians for amazing Lebanese Armenian Food -- we had Kofta, and braised Lamb ribs, and veal in pomegranite sauce, and Dolmas in grape leaves... in it's day Kabakains was amazing.

If you missed it -- you will need to go to festival sponsored by your local Armenian Orthodox Church... find one I Glendale or Bakersfield... but do find one and enjoy the food.

[e***@gmail.com]

Kabakian's was legendary. My large group of friends ate there frequently in the 1970s. I have craved their food for decades ... the Queen Shaharazad kebob. Local lore was that they were Cordon Bleu graduates. The brothers would shuffle between tables and demonstrate how to eat their kabobs especially to the ladies. One night they offered to comp our dinner if the ladies danced for them. Horn dogs. They were jampacked on weekends. I recall driving home between soup and salad to leave a note on the door for friends. Didn't miss a thing. They had a candy shop next door and gave us dark chocolate covered crystalized ginger. I still think of them fondly and never had such amazing food since.

[h***@gmail.com]

I remember Kabakians. We used to go there when I was little..ages 7-9. I lost my first tooth on their steak! The brothers always fed me and my sister our first bites, and then would take us to pick out a dessert if we cleaned our plates. I've tried to find a recipe for that yogurt sauce for years...it is ingrained in my mind. I've yet to figure it out, but I'll never stop trying. Kabakians is legendary,so grateful I was lucky enough to enjoy it!

[Julian Macassey]

Post by h***@gmail.com
I remember Kabakians. We used to go there when I was
little..ages 7-9. I lost my first tooth on their steak! The
brothers always fed me and my sister our first bites, and then
would take us to pick out a dessert if we cleaned our plates.
I've tried to find a recipe for that yogurt sauce for
years...it is ingrained in my mind. I've yet to figure it out,
but I'll never stop trying. Kabakians is legendary,so grateful
I was lucky enough to enjoy it!

We all remember Kabakians.