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The Advertiser
4 days ago
- The Advertiser
Warm up at The Falcon, a 'higher-brow dive bar with a hearty menu'
Barbecue chef and restaurateur Brendhan Bennison grew up in Clearwater, Florida, a long way from Newcastle, NSW. It's the southernmost state in the US and a melting pot of cultures and cuisines, and it's what has influenced the menu at The Falcon in the city's East End. "Some of my fondest memories are of eating fresh seafood from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, and Southern barbecue," he told Food & Wine. A love of surfing took him to Cocoa Beach in Florida after he graduated from high school, and it's where he taught himself, through trial and error, how to barbecue. "I got myself a small smoker and dedicated myself to trying to replicate the ribs I ate in Memphis, Tennessee. I'm still trying," he said. Still following the waves, Bennison (naturally) moved to Australia where he met a man called Mike Galvin, who had grown up in Forster and studied at the University of Newcastle. "He gave me my first real job in a commercial kitchen in 2013, at a little Canadian-style burger and booze joint called The Stuffed Beaver in Bondi," Bennison said. "We got along really well as we knew a lot of the same people through both of our previous jobs in the surfing and skate industries. "Mike had spent a lot of time in the States and understood and got behind the direction I wanted to take my epicurean ambitions. Basically, we shared the same vision." The pair were part of a group that opened an American tavern called Surly's in Darlinghurst, where they"quickly learned some very important lessons in hospitality and management". "I had a chance to get out of Sydney and quickly jumped through that window, landing in Newcastle and taking a one-year contract in a pub to get them through to their remodelling stage," Bennison said. "Mike would come up to visit my dog and we would snoop about town, eyeballing possible venues for a project. Just towards the end of my contract, we found our spot, and Mike moved up and we began the process." And so The Falcon gained its wings, opening in 2018 on Pacific Street in Newcastle East. Bennison put his Southern stamp on the menu, introducing diners to wood-smoked brisket, chicken waffles, Louisiana jambalaya and the French Dip (a sliced beef, provolone cheese, caramelised onion sandwich served with beef jus). He loves cooking with bay leaf and black pepper, which he describes as "subtle and aromatic, a humble soldier quietly winning the war for flavour". "The venue itself was actually ill-suited for what we wanted, but we forced ourselves to adapt, making it as cosy as we could," he said. "It's been designed by Mike and I as more of a house we share and let people come in and eat and drink. Our staff are like family, all working towards keeping The Falcon a welcoming place for all walks of life. "The offering is akin to a higher-brow dive bar with a hearty menu that takes notes from a few favourite cuisines, mostly low-country comfort food." Last year The Falcon was named Bar of the Year at the inaugural Newcastle Bar Awards. It was up against fellow finalists Bartholomew's, The Blind Monk, Coal & Cedar and The Koutetsu. "We were quite surprised, but it was a wonderful acknowledgment of all the hard work we've all put into The Falcon over the past six years. It was a very nice feeling," Bennison said. "The bar is almost like a separate entity. It was built to sit alone in, or with a mate, and feel like you're still part of everything." Sean Walsh has just taken on the head chef role following a stint "cheffing and snowboarding" at Perisher. "He's been a great fit and understands what we're doing and is enjoying learning about southern food and techniques," Bennison said. "I still love to get in the kitchen and work on new recipes and lend a hand whenever they need it, but the guys are doing a bang-up job so I tend to stay out of their way unless I'm called for. "Sven Barnard has been with us from the beginning and was recently made a partner. He really puts his back into the whole operation and we would not be here without him. He started out managing and leading the bar but has since stretched himself into managing the entire restaurant. He really runs the show." Sitting outside The Falcon during summer is a popular option for diners. Luring them inside during winter has been a little trickier. "We do lose that outdoor seated crowd, but during winter you can get comfortable in a booth with a cocktail and a big bowl of Jambalaya and you'll forget all about the cold breeze," Bennison said. Wednesday is hot wing night, and on Thursday you can grab discounted nachos. "We're working on some new one-night-only specials such as our Cajun battered fish and chips, our NY Strip French Dip, and some other fun stuff," Bennison said. "We just launched our catering menu and it's pretty flexible - you can build your own menu for any occasion. Everything gets made fresh and is packaged up, ready to go. "Piggybacking on that menu, we're also opening the upstairs to private functions with custom menus as well. It's a beautiful space with the balcony. We're already taking bookings for that." Galvin and Bennison also opened The Ship Inn in Newcastle's CBD, where staff are being run off their feet. And yet, just a short stroll away, The Falcon has been quiet. "The East End, I think, has been a bit neglected of late. I don't think there's been as much traffic coming through as we've seen in the past," Bennison said. "It's anybody's guess why, really, some say parking, or Hunter Street being a difficult and slow roll into town. But I also think in the past few years Newcastle has really kicked things up a notch with culinary offerings. There's so many new and delicious spots to try and I think people are really spreading themselves out, which is great. "The East End and its surrounds is still such a great little location. We're all working hard to stay in the game with all our friends. The Grain Store, The Grand, Customs House, Moor, Lock's Paddock, Humbug and now Bistro Penny, we couldn't ask for better people to surround ourselves with." Barbecue chef and restaurateur Brendhan Bennison grew up in Clearwater, Florida, a long way from Newcastle, NSW. It's the southernmost state in the US and a melting pot of cultures and cuisines, and it's what has influenced the menu at The Falcon in the city's East End. "Some of my fondest memories are of eating fresh seafood from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, and Southern barbecue," he told Food & Wine. A love of surfing took him to Cocoa Beach in Florida after he graduated from high school, and it's where he taught himself, through trial and error, how to barbecue. "I got myself a small smoker and dedicated myself to trying to replicate the ribs I ate in Memphis, Tennessee. I'm still trying," he said. Still following the waves, Bennison (naturally) moved to Australia where he met a man called Mike Galvin, who had grown up in Forster and studied at the University of Newcastle. "He gave me my first real job in a commercial kitchen in 2013, at a little Canadian-style burger and booze joint called The Stuffed Beaver in Bondi," Bennison said. "We got along really well as we knew a lot of the same people through both of our previous jobs in the surfing and skate industries. "Mike had spent a lot of time in the States and understood and got behind the direction I wanted to take my epicurean ambitions. Basically, we shared the same vision." The pair were part of a group that opened an American tavern called Surly's in Darlinghurst, where they"quickly learned some very important lessons in hospitality and management". "I had a chance to get out of Sydney and quickly jumped through that window, landing in Newcastle and taking a one-year contract in a pub to get them through to their remodelling stage," Bennison said. "Mike would come up to visit my dog and we would snoop about town, eyeballing possible venues for a project. Just towards the end of my contract, we found our spot, and Mike moved up and we began the process." And so The Falcon gained its wings, opening in 2018 on Pacific Street in Newcastle East. Bennison put his Southern stamp on the menu, introducing diners to wood-smoked brisket, chicken waffles, Louisiana jambalaya and the French Dip (a sliced beef, provolone cheese, caramelised onion sandwich served with beef jus). He loves cooking with bay leaf and black pepper, which he describes as "subtle and aromatic, a humble soldier quietly winning the war for flavour". "The venue itself was actually ill-suited for what we wanted, but we forced ourselves to adapt, making it as cosy as we could," he said. "It's been designed by Mike and I as more of a house we share and let people come in and eat and drink. Our staff are like family, all working towards keeping The Falcon a welcoming place for all walks of life. "The offering is akin to a higher-brow dive bar with a hearty menu that takes notes from a few favourite cuisines, mostly low-country comfort food." Last year The Falcon was named Bar of the Year at the inaugural Newcastle Bar Awards. It was up against fellow finalists Bartholomew's, The Blind Monk, Coal & Cedar and The Koutetsu. "We were quite surprised, but it was a wonderful acknowledgment of all the hard work we've all put into The Falcon over the past six years. It was a very nice feeling," Bennison said. "The bar is almost like a separate entity. It was built to sit alone in, or with a mate, and feel like you're still part of everything." Sean Walsh has just taken on the head chef role following a stint "cheffing and snowboarding" at Perisher. "He's been a great fit and understands what we're doing and is enjoying learning about southern food and techniques," Bennison said. "I still love to get in the kitchen and work on new recipes and lend a hand whenever they need it, but the guys are doing a bang-up job so I tend to stay out of their way unless I'm called for. "Sven Barnard has been with us from the beginning and was recently made a partner. He really puts his back into the whole operation and we would not be here without him. He started out managing and leading the bar but has since stretched himself into managing the entire restaurant. He really runs the show." Sitting outside The Falcon during summer is a popular option for diners. Luring them inside during winter has been a little trickier. "We do lose that outdoor seated crowd, but during winter you can get comfortable in a booth with a cocktail and a big bowl of Jambalaya and you'll forget all about the cold breeze," Bennison said. Wednesday is hot wing night, and on Thursday you can grab discounted nachos. "We're working on some new one-night-only specials such as our Cajun battered fish and chips, our NY Strip French Dip, and some other fun stuff," Bennison said. "We just launched our catering menu and it's pretty flexible - you can build your own menu for any occasion. Everything gets made fresh and is packaged up, ready to go. "Piggybacking on that menu, we're also opening the upstairs to private functions with custom menus as well. It's a beautiful space with the balcony. We're already taking bookings for that." Galvin and Bennison also opened The Ship Inn in Newcastle's CBD, where staff are being run off their feet. And yet, just a short stroll away, The Falcon has been quiet. "The East End, I think, has been a bit neglected of late. I don't think there's been as much traffic coming through as we've seen in the past," Bennison said. "It's anybody's guess why, really, some say parking, or Hunter Street being a difficult and slow roll into town. But I also think in the past few years Newcastle has really kicked things up a notch with culinary offerings. There's so many new and delicious spots to try and I think people are really spreading themselves out, which is great. "The East End and its surrounds is still such a great little location. We're all working hard to stay in the game with all our friends. The Grain Store, The Grand, Customs House, Moor, Lock's Paddock, Humbug and now Bistro Penny, we couldn't ask for better people to surround ourselves with." Barbecue chef and restaurateur Brendhan Bennison grew up in Clearwater, Florida, a long way from Newcastle, NSW. It's the southernmost state in the US and a melting pot of cultures and cuisines, and it's what has influenced the menu at The Falcon in the city's East End. "Some of my fondest memories are of eating fresh seafood from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, and Southern barbecue," he told Food & Wine. A love of surfing took him to Cocoa Beach in Florida after he graduated from high school, and it's where he taught himself, through trial and error, how to barbecue. "I got myself a small smoker and dedicated myself to trying to replicate the ribs I ate in Memphis, Tennessee. I'm still trying," he said. Still following the waves, Bennison (naturally) moved to Australia where he met a man called Mike Galvin, who had grown up in Forster and studied at the University of Newcastle. "He gave me my first real job in a commercial kitchen in 2013, at a little Canadian-style burger and booze joint called The Stuffed Beaver in Bondi," Bennison said. "We got along really well as we knew a lot of the same people through both of our previous jobs in the surfing and skate industries. "Mike had spent a lot of time in the States and understood and got behind the direction I wanted to take my epicurean ambitions. Basically, we shared the same vision." The pair were part of a group that opened an American tavern called Surly's in Darlinghurst, where they"quickly learned some very important lessons in hospitality and management". "I had a chance to get out of Sydney and quickly jumped through that window, landing in Newcastle and taking a one-year contract in a pub to get them through to their remodelling stage," Bennison said. "Mike would come up to visit my dog and we would snoop about town, eyeballing possible venues for a project. Just towards the end of my contract, we found our spot, and Mike moved up and we began the process." And so The Falcon gained its wings, opening in 2018 on Pacific Street in Newcastle East. Bennison put his Southern stamp on the menu, introducing diners to wood-smoked brisket, chicken waffles, Louisiana jambalaya and the French Dip (a sliced beef, provolone cheese, caramelised onion sandwich served with beef jus). He loves cooking with bay leaf and black pepper, which he describes as "subtle and aromatic, a humble soldier quietly winning the war for flavour". "The venue itself was actually ill-suited for what we wanted, but we forced ourselves to adapt, making it as cosy as we could," he said. "It's been designed by Mike and I as more of a house we share and let people come in and eat and drink. Our staff are like family, all working towards keeping The Falcon a welcoming place for all walks of life. "The offering is akin to a higher-brow dive bar with a hearty menu that takes notes from a few favourite cuisines, mostly low-country comfort food." Last year The Falcon was named Bar of the Year at the inaugural Newcastle Bar Awards. It was up against fellow finalists Bartholomew's, The Blind Monk, Coal & Cedar and The Koutetsu. "We were quite surprised, but it was a wonderful acknowledgment of all the hard work we've all put into The Falcon over the past six years. It was a very nice feeling," Bennison said. "The bar is almost like a separate entity. It was built to sit alone in, or with a mate, and feel like you're still part of everything." Sean Walsh has just taken on the head chef role following a stint "cheffing and snowboarding" at Perisher. "He's been a great fit and understands what we're doing and is enjoying learning about southern food and techniques," Bennison said. "I still love to get in the kitchen and work on new recipes and lend a hand whenever they need it, but the guys are doing a bang-up job so I tend to stay out of their way unless I'm called for. "Sven Barnard has been with us from the beginning and was recently made a partner. He really puts his back into the whole operation and we would not be here without him. He started out managing and leading the bar but has since stretched himself into managing the entire restaurant. He really runs the show." Sitting outside The Falcon during summer is a popular option for diners. Luring them inside during winter has been a little trickier. "We do lose that outdoor seated crowd, but during winter you can get comfortable in a booth with a cocktail and a big bowl of Jambalaya and you'll forget all about the cold breeze," Bennison said. Wednesday is hot wing night, and on Thursday you can grab discounted nachos. "We're working on some new one-night-only specials such as our Cajun battered fish and chips, our NY Strip French Dip, and some other fun stuff," Bennison said. "We just launched our catering menu and it's pretty flexible - you can build your own menu for any occasion. Everything gets made fresh and is packaged up, ready to go. "Piggybacking on that menu, we're also opening the upstairs to private functions with custom menus as well. It's a beautiful space with the balcony. We're already taking bookings for that." Galvin and Bennison also opened The Ship Inn in Newcastle's CBD, where staff are being run off their feet. And yet, just a short stroll away, The Falcon has been quiet. "The East End, I think, has been a bit neglected of late. I don't think there's been as much traffic coming through as we've seen in the past," Bennison said. "It's anybody's guess why, really, some say parking, or Hunter Street being a difficult and slow roll into town. But I also think in the past few years Newcastle has really kicked things up a notch with culinary offerings. There's so many new and delicious spots to try and I think people are really spreading themselves out, which is great. "The East End and its surrounds is still such a great little location. We're all working hard to stay in the game with all our friends. The Grain Store, The Grand, Customs House, Moor, Lock's Paddock, Humbug and now Bistro Penny, we couldn't ask for better people to surround ourselves with." Barbecue chef and restaurateur Brendhan Bennison grew up in Clearwater, Florida, a long way from Newcastle, NSW. It's the southernmost state in the US and a melting pot of cultures and cuisines, and it's what has influenced the menu at The Falcon in the city's East End. "Some of my fondest memories are of eating fresh seafood from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, and Southern barbecue," he told Food & Wine. A love of surfing took him to Cocoa Beach in Florida after he graduated from high school, and it's where he taught himself, through trial and error, how to barbecue. "I got myself a small smoker and dedicated myself to trying to replicate the ribs I ate in Memphis, Tennessee. I'm still trying," he said. Still following the waves, Bennison (naturally) moved to Australia where he met a man called Mike Galvin, who had grown up in Forster and studied at the University of Newcastle. "He gave me my first real job in a commercial kitchen in 2013, at a little Canadian-style burger and booze joint called The Stuffed Beaver in Bondi," Bennison said. "We got along really well as we knew a lot of the same people through both of our previous jobs in the surfing and skate industries. "Mike had spent a lot of time in the States and understood and got behind the direction I wanted to take my epicurean ambitions. Basically, we shared the same vision." The pair were part of a group that opened an American tavern called Surly's in Darlinghurst, where they"quickly learned some very important lessons in hospitality and management". "I had a chance to get out of Sydney and quickly jumped through that window, landing in Newcastle and taking a one-year contract in a pub to get them through to their remodelling stage," Bennison said. "Mike would come up to visit my dog and we would snoop about town, eyeballing possible venues for a project. Just towards the end of my contract, we found our spot, and Mike moved up and we began the process." And so The Falcon gained its wings, opening in 2018 on Pacific Street in Newcastle East. Bennison put his Southern stamp on the menu, introducing diners to wood-smoked brisket, chicken waffles, Louisiana jambalaya and the French Dip (a sliced beef, provolone cheese, caramelised onion sandwich served with beef jus). He loves cooking with bay leaf and black pepper, which he describes as "subtle and aromatic, a humble soldier quietly winning the war for flavour". "The venue itself was actually ill-suited for what we wanted, but we forced ourselves to adapt, making it as cosy as we could," he said. "It's been designed by Mike and I as more of a house we share and let people come in and eat and drink. Our staff are like family, all working towards keeping The Falcon a welcoming place for all walks of life. "The offering is akin to a higher-brow dive bar with a hearty menu that takes notes from a few favourite cuisines, mostly low-country comfort food." Last year The Falcon was named Bar of the Year at the inaugural Newcastle Bar Awards. It was up against fellow finalists Bartholomew's, The Blind Monk, Coal & Cedar and The Koutetsu. "We were quite surprised, but it was a wonderful acknowledgment of all the hard work we've all put into The Falcon over the past six years. It was a very nice feeling," Bennison said. "The bar is almost like a separate entity. It was built to sit alone in, or with a mate, and feel like you're still part of everything." Sean Walsh has just taken on the head chef role following a stint "cheffing and snowboarding" at Perisher. "He's been a great fit and understands what we're doing and is enjoying learning about southern food and techniques," Bennison said. "I still love to get in the kitchen and work on new recipes and lend a hand whenever they need it, but the guys are doing a bang-up job so I tend to stay out of their way unless I'm called for. "Sven Barnard has been with us from the beginning and was recently made a partner. He really puts his back into the whole operation and we would not be here without him. He started out managing and leading the bar but has since stretched himself into managing the entire restaurant. He really runs the show." Sitting outside The Falcon during summer is a popular option for diners. Luring them inside during winter has been a little trickier. "We do lose that outdoor seated crowd, but during winter you can get comfortable in a booth with a cocktail and a big bowl of Jambalaya and you'll forget all about the cold breeze," Bennison said. Wednesday is hot wing night, and on Thursday you can grab discounted nachos. "We're working on some new one-night-only specials such as our Cajun battered fish and chips, our NY Strip French Dip, and some other fun stuff," Bennison said. "We just launched our catering menu and it's pretty flexible - you can build your own menu for any occasion. Everything gets made fresh and is packaged up, ready to go. "Piggybacking on that menu, we're also opening the upstairs to private functions with custom menus as well. It's a beautiful space with the balcony. We're already taking bookings for that." Galvin and Bennison also opened The Ship Inn in Newcastle's CBD, where staff are being run off their feet. And yet, just a short stroll away, The Falcon has been quiet. "The East End, I think, has been a bit neglected of late. I don't think there's been as much traffic coming through as we've seen in the past," Bennison said. "It's anybody's guess why, really, some say parking, or Hunter Street being a difficult and slow roll into town. But I also think in the past few years Newcastle has really kicked things up a notch with culinary offerings. There's so many new and delicious spots to try and I think people are really spreading themselves out, which is great. "The East End and its surrounds is still such a great little location. We're all working hard to stay in the game with all our friends. The Grain Store, The Grand, Customs House, Moor, Lock's Paddock, Humbug and now Bistro Penny, we couldn't ask for better people to surround ourselves with."
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Beloved LA restaurant forced to close after 117 years
A beloved restaurant in California , that claims the invention of an iconic Los Angeles staple, has announced it will close its doors for good after 117 years as rampant crime continues to wreck havoc in LA. Cole's French Dip, inventor of the French Dip Sandwich, announced it will permanently close on August 3 due to the rampant crime in the area that has been felt by businesses throughout LA. 'After exhaustive deliberation and numerous attempts at last ditch efforts, our beloved Los Angeles institution, Cole's, Originators of the French Dip, has made the difficult decision to close its doors,' a spokesperson said in a statement to 'The litany of reasons for closing are not unique to Cole's alone; they are affecting most independent restaurants in Los Historical Independent Restaurants are struggling under the weight of these issues and have already closed, while those remaining are fighting to survive.' The statement cited further issues such as the Covid-19 Pandemic, the actors and writers strikes, the consistent rising costs of labor and goods, high rent costs, 'mounting bureaucracy and legal exposure'. The restaurant and bar, founded by Harry Cole in 1908, has been a favorite in the area for many years and was named a city Historic-Cultural Landmark in 1974, according to their website. Cole's claims the invention of the French Dip Sandwich, as well as being the oldest public house in LA, after one of the original house chef's, Jack Garlinghouse, dipped bread in Au Jus to soften it for a customer with bad gums. 'We have cherished our time serving the Downtown community, and will continue to craft great drinks and our renowned French dip sandwiches until we shutter. We care deeply about our family of staff and are immensely grateful for our amazing guests who have supported Cole's over the years,' the statement said. Yet, their longstanding history and iconic reputation has proved to be unable to withstand LA's climate of crime and rising costs. The city has become a byword for crime, riots and homelessness, amid claims local Democrat lawmakers pay little attention to those affected by the city's many social issues. Accounts of vicious attacks as well as widespread riots and chaos has poured out from the Los Angeles area over recent years, as the once iconic, star-studded area has descended into despair. LA county is spending hundreds of millions to combat its notorious homelessness, while many politicians have seen the efforts as simply condoning drug use. Republican State Sen. Roger Niello said the state needed to improve the lives of homeless people with stricter drug policies, and argued that providing drugs or offering housing would enable homeless behavior, the LA Daily News reported. Earlier this year, a homeless man allegedly tried to start a fire with a blowtorch before he was tackled by locals who zip-tied the man in a citizen's arrest. Locals claimed the man was riding a bicycle around the Woodland Hills neighborhood carrying a large 'propane tank or a flamethrower.' Donna DeChristoper, 52, was walking in her usually safe and walkable area when the man began sprinting and attacking her without warning. The man, described as a Hispanic male in his 20s, allegedly punched her in the face three or four times before fleeing the scene. DeChristopher lost consciousness and believed she may have been hit again while on the ground. She was left with a broken nose, stitches, and significant trauma to her face. Councilmember Nithya Raman, who represents the district, responded with a statement: 'While our work has yielded results, including a 40 percent drop in the number of people living on the streets in our district last year, much more remains to be done and we will continue to deploy every resource available toward address this issue.'
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Beloved LA restaurant that invented iconic meal forced to close after 117 years due to rampant crime
A beloved restaurant in California, that claims the invention of an iconic Los Angeles staple, has announced it will close its doors for good after 117 years as rampant crime continues to wreck havoc in LA. Cole's French Dip, inventor of the French Dip Sandwich, announced it will permanently close on August 3 due to the rampant crime in the area that has been felt by businesses throughout LA. 'After exhaustive deliberation and numerous attempts at last ditch efforts, our beloved Los Angeles institution, Cole's, Originators of the French Dip, has made the difficult decision to close its doors,' a spokesperson said in a statement to 'The litany of reasons for closing are not unique to Cole's alone; they are affecting most independent restaurants in Los Historical Independent Restaurants are struggling under the weight of these issues and have already closed, while those remaining are fighting to survive.' The statement cited further issues such as the Covid-19 Pandemic, the actors and writers strikes, the consistent rising costs of labor and goods, high rent costs, 'mounting bureaucracy and legal exposure'. The restaurant and bar, founded by Harry Cole in 1908, has been a favorite in the area for many years and was named a city Historic-Cultural Landmark in 1974, according to their website. Cole's claims the invention of the French Dip Sandwich, as well as being the oldest public house in LA, after one of the original house chef's, Jack Garlinghouse, dipped bread in Au Jus to soften it for a customer with bad gums. 'We have cherished our time serving the Downtown community, and will continue to craft great drinks and our renowned French dip sandwiches until we shutter. We care deeply about our family of staff and are immensely grateful for our amazing guests who have supported Cole's over the years,' the statement said. Yet, their longstanding history and iconic reputation has proved to be unable to withstand LA's climate of crime and rising costs. The city has become a byword for crime, riots and homelessness, amid claims local Democrat lawmakers pay little attention to those affected by the city's many social issues. Accounts of vicious attacks as well as widespread riots and chaos has poured out from the Los Angeles area over recent years, as the once iconic, star-studded area has descended into despair. LA county is spending hundreds of millions to combat its notorious homelessness, while many politicians have seen the efforts as simply condoning drug use. Republican State Sen. Roger Niello said the state needed to improve the lives of homeless people with stricter drug policies, and argued that providing drugs or offering housing would enable homeless behavior, the LA Daily News reported. Earlier this year, a homeless man allegedly tried to start a fire with a blowtorch before he was tackled by locals who zip-tied the man in a citizen's arrest. Locals claimed the man was riding a bicycle around the Woodland Hills neighborhood carrying a large 'propane tank or a flamethrower.' Community members claim they surrounded the man, brought him to the ground and detained him up with zip ties after they allegedly saw him trying to set fire to an object behind a vehicle. The near fire came amid the catastrophic fires in LA that caused widespread devastation and killed at least 29 people. Republican State Sen. Roger Niello said the state needed to improve the lives of homeless people with stricter drug policies, and argued that providing drugs or offering housing would enable homeless behavior Months later, a woman in the Los Feliz neighborhood was savagely attacked near Sunset Drive. Donna DeChristoper, 52, was walking in her usually safe and walkable area when the man began sprinting and attacking her without warning. The man, described as a Hispanic male in his 20s, allegedly punched her in the face three or four times before fleeing the scene. DeChristopher lost consciousness and believed she may have been hit again while on the ground. She was left with a broken nose, stitches, and significant trauma to her face. Councilmember Nithya Raman, who represents the district, responded with a statement: 'While our work has yielded results, including a 40 per cent drop in the number of people living on the streets in our district last year, much more remains to be done and we will continue to deploy every resource available toward address this issue.' The Los Angeles Police Department arrested a homeless man believed to be responsible several days later. While homelessness saw a decline by 49 percent in Hollywood and 22 percent in Venice, Skid Row saw a nine percent increase last year.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Iconic Restaurant Where 'Mad Men' Filmed Closing After 117 Years in Business
Sadly, another one bits the dust in downtown Los Angeles. Cole's, the oldest public house in Los Angeles and established in 1908 as the inventor of the Original French Dip sandwich, is reportedly set to close its doors for good on Aug. 2. DTLA Insider was first to report the news and Los Angeles Weekly later reported the same news. Cole's was established by Harry Cole. For more than a century, the restaurant was housed in the historic Pacific Electric Building. The restaurant claims that its house chef, Jack Garlinghouse, invented the dip sandwich when he would dip the bread in Au Jus to soften it for customers with bad gums. Philippe's, another Los Angeles staple since 1908, also claims to have invented the Original French Dip sandwich. Cole's is so legendary, it sold a record of fifty-eight 32-gallon kegs (some 19,000 gallons of beer) the first day California lifted the ban on beer to mark the end of Prohibition. Civic dignitaries and gangsters alike often visited the restaurant -- often times at the same time -- for its famous sandwich and pints. Mickey Cohen, L.A.'s most famous gangster, visited so often he has a plaque dedicated to him above one of the two original urinals. The plaque reads, "Mickey Cohen pissed here." The second plaque is dedicated to the poet and novelist Charles Bukowski. The restaurant even made news in 1983, when Jimmy Barela, the lead barman since 1918, retired after 65 years. It's unclear why Cole's is closing after 117 years in business. Neither of the news outlets offered a reason, but rising rent costs in Los Angeles has contributed to other iconic institutions being forced to close its doors. The Original Pantry Cafe, just one block north of Arena, closed in March after 101 years of 24-hour diner service. Cole's also played a character in many movies and TV shows. The restaurant was prominently featured in the 1986 film Jumpin' Jack Flash starring Whoopi Goldberg. While the film is set in New York City, Cole's and Los Angeles made its mark on the spy comedy. Cole's also appears in Forrest Gump for the New Year's Eve scene with Forrest and Lieutenant Dan. Some hit TV shows that filmed inside Cole's includes the X-Files, NYPD Blue and, of course, Mad Men. Cole's appears in season 4, episode 6 of "Waldorf Stories." In that scene, Roger Sterling's (John Slattery) flashback scenes reveals how he first met Don Draper (Jon Hamm). Their boozy lunch is filmed at Cole's. Iconic Restaurant Where 'Mad Men' Filmed Closing After 117 Years in Business first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 7, 2025
Time Out
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
After 117 years, Downtown L.A.'s iconic Cole's French Dip is shutting down
It's one of the oldest restaurants in Los Angeles, one of two debated originators of the French Dip and the birthplace of a cornerstones of the city's contemporary cocktail scene. But come next month, Cole's will permanently close its doors. The Downtown L.A. restaurant, a 6th Street mainstay since 1908 that's easily spotted by its neon sign, will cease operations on August 3, 2025. The news surfaced over the weekend—first spotted by DTLA Weekly —and since then, Eater spoke with owner Cedd Moses, who confirmed the plans and cited the lingering impacts of the pandemic, the dual writers and actors strikes, rising costs and local bureaucracy. 'We have cherished our time serving the Downtown community, and will continue to craft great drinks and our renowned French dip sandwiches until we shutter,' Moses said in a statement shared with the publication. If you ever sat in one of Cole's shiny red booths over a late-night plate of garlic fries and an old-fashioned, then you already probably have some sense of the history here, from its famed French dip to its frequent appearances in film and TV (perhaps most beautifully shot on Mad Men) to its purported regulars: Plaques in the men's room boast that gangster Mickey Cohen and novelist Charles Bukowski 'pissed here' (as seen in my photo below from a 2014 visit—so excuse the decade-old smartphone quality). Cole's started service in 1908 as a sandwich shop and bar on the ground floor of the Pacific Electric Building, then a terminal on L.A.'s extensive streetcar system. Though the Red Car eventually went away, Cole's persisted, and as it entered its second century in service, it found a new place in L.A.'s culinary scene. Moses's ownership group Pouring With Heart (then 213 Hospitality) scooped up the venue in the aughts and unveiled its renovation in 2008; a year later, the Varnish began serving some of the city's finest cocktails in the backroom, an early entry among L.A.'s contemporary crop of speakeasy-style bars (it shuttered last year). But its biggest claim to fame just might be as the inventor of the French dip—supposedly. As the story goes, back in 1908 chef Jack Garlinghouse dipped a hand-carved sandwich into the meat's juices to soften up the French bread, and thus the French dip was born. But Chinatown's Philippe the Original, which opened in 1908 as well, also lays claim to the French dip, when a decade later one was accidentally dropped into a roasting pan. So which is the actual originator? Because there's no hard evidence in either's camp, we'll likely never know.
