Tea Time on Sixth Street

While many Los Angeles restaurants open with great fanfare only to close quicker than a Tom Arnold musical, a few Downtown establishments have been serving food for more than 80 years. City em-ployees, residents and visitors still enjoy moist French dip sandwiches from Philippe’s and Cole’s (both established in 1908) while debating which eatery invented the recipe. Young Hollywood has joined the line of old regulars queued up to enjoy breakfast at Mayor Richard Riordan’s the Original Pantry Café, which opened its doors in 1924. And Angelenos can still enjoy a fine steak served in a real rail car at the Pacific Dining Car, just as our forefathers did in 1921.

While meals at the other older restaurants can be quite reasonable (a T-bone steak at the Pantry goes for $14.50), the Pacific Dining Car is much pricier. But there is one inexpensive yet elegant way to visit this Downtown Los Angeles landmark: For $18, diners can enjoy a multi-course afternoon tea.

The Pacific Dining Car is open around the clock, but tea is an afternoon indulgence, served 3-5:30 p.m. daily. (The same hours of operation and tea service hold true for the Santa Monica location as well.) There are better-lit rooms within the restaurant in which to enjoy a sunny afternoon, but the rail car, with its green velvet chairs and tassel-fringed burgundy and melon window treatments, has an unmatched sense of history. The Dudson fine china from Stoke-on-Trent, England and silver from Sheffield also lend an old school charm to the proceedings.

Afternoon tea is a leisurely endeavor, so take your time deciding between the five tea offerings, which range from the standard Earl Grey to a delightful “Spicy Revelry” redolent of cloves. While your tea selection is steeping in its individual pot, which rests on a paper doily, there is a rack of newspapers to peruse. Since the tea leaves are loose, don’t be afraid to ask the helpful staff how to use the silver tea strainer. One holds the gravity-controlled device with one hand while pouring tea with the other from the pot into the matching cup.

For those who prefer a stronger beverage, the tea also comes with a glass of sherry or wine. Feel free to tell the waiter which one you want at what time. One may begin the afternoon with a glass of Dry Sack sherry, or put an exclamation point on the experience with a sweet serving of Harvey’s Bristol Cream.

Don’t worry about soaking up the alcohol, as the tea includes so much food you won’t feel like eating dinner. There are a trio of open-faced crustless sandwiches on white bread, starting with ham with mayonnaise and the “tea-requisite” cucumbers with ranch dressing. The highlight, however, is the smoked salmon with Thousand Island dressing. The sandwiches are accompanied by a superfluous serving of cream cheese.

The next course is a warm, homemade scone served with whipped cream, honey, strawberry jam and butter. Frankly, a piece of cardboard would taste good covered with those sweet toppings, but the scone is quite enjoyable. If that is not enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, the final course is a series of desserts that on a recent day included a fantastic pecan pie covered with chewy nuts, a slice of heavy cheesecake and some fresh berries.

There is usually availability for tea, but reservations are recommended, especially on holidays. Ellen Nolan of Los Angeles recently celebrated Mother’s Day with a teatime party of 11 that included her husband Patrick, five children, two grandchildren and a camcorder to record the event. “I’m a native and I’ve never been here before,” revealed the happy grandmother. “It’s charming and sophisticated. The staff is great. I want to come back again and try the steak.”

Go for the experience, and go on an empty stomach. After all that filling food, you’ll have to return to have room for that steak.

(this article was taken from LA Down Town News)