Lawry's The Prime Rib facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lawry's The Prime Rib |
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Lawry's restaurant on La Cienega Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California. The stylized orange 'L' logo was designed by Saul Bass in 1959.
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| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1938 |
| Current owner(s) | Lawry's Restaurants |
| Head chef | Dana Dare |
| Food type | American, gourmet, prime rib |
| Dress code | Smart casual |
| Street address | 100 N. La Cienega Boulevard |
| City | Beverly Hills, CA 90211 |
| County | Los Angeles |
| State | California |
| Country | United States |
Lawry's /ˈlaʊəriːz/ is a famous restaurant chain that specializes in serving delicious prime rib. It's also the name of a popular seasoned salt blend that was created by the restaurant's founders. This seasoned salt grew into a big food products company, which is now owned by McCormick & Company.
The very first Lawry's restaurant opened in 1938 in Beverly Hills, California. It was started by two friends, Lawrence L. "Lawry" Frank and Walter Van de Kamp. Today, you can find several Lawry's locations in the United States and around the world. The company is still run by the families of the people who started it.
For many years, Lawry's was unique because it mostly offered just one main dish: prime rib. Now, they also have other choices like vegetarian meals and lobster tails. But their main focus is still on prime rib, which is carved right at your table from a special cart!
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How Lawry's Started
In 1922, before Lawry's The Prime Rib, Frank and Van de Kamp started another restaurant called the Tam O'Shanter Inn. This restaurant is in Los Angeles, California. It's known for being one of the oldest restaurants in Los Angeles still owned by the same family.
Then, in 1938, they opened Lawry's The Prime Rib in Beverly Hills. This new restaurant quickly became very popular.
Lawry's The Prime Rib has moved a few times in Beverly Hills. In 1947, it moved to a new, modern building. Later, in 1993, it moved back to a new building on its original spot.
The Beef Bowl Tradition
In 1956, Lawry's started a fun tradition for college football teams. Before the big 1957 Rose Bowl Game, Lawry's invited the two competing teams to dinner. The Oregon State Beavers team enjoyed prime rib at the restaurant. The Iowa Hawkeyes team had their prime rib dinner on a football field!
This became an annual event called "Lawry's Beef Bowl." Every year, the two teams playing in the Rose Bowl Game are treated to a prime rib dinner at Lawry's. This tradition has even expanded to the Dallas, Texas location for teams playing in the Cotton Bowl.
Lawry's Around the World
Lawry's began to open new restaurants in other cities. In 1974, they opened a location in Chicago. Then came restaurants in Dallas in 1983 and Las Vegas in 1997.
Lawry's also expanded internationally, opening restaurants in places like Jakarta (1997), Singapore (1999), Tokyo (2001), Taipei (2002), Hong Kong (2006), Shanghai (2008), Osaka (2008), and Seoul (2013). Some of these locations, like Chicago, Jakarta, and Shanghai, have since closed.
Famous Seasoned Salt
While running the Tam O'Shanter restaurant, Lawrence Frank created a special seasoned salt. At first, only customers at the restaurant could get it.
In 1938, when Lawry's The Prime Rib opened, they started selling this special seasoned salt in stores. This was the beginning of a huge business for Lawry's food products. Today, the Lawry's brand sells many different seasonings and flavorings. The Lawry's food product line was sold to Lipton/Unilever in 1979, and then to McCormick & Company in 2008.
What's on the Menu?
Lawry's is famous for its roasted prime rib of beef. They are also known for their delicious Yorkshire pudding. Another special item is their "spinning salad," which has been served since the restaurant first opened in 1938. This salad comes with every meal.
When Lawry's first opened, salads were often made with fruit, cottage cheese, and gelatin. Lawry's was one of the first restaurants to make a green salad a main part of every meal. A server prepares the salad right at your table. They spin a big metal bowl of greens on a bed of ice. Then, they add a special "Vintage classic dressing with sherry wine." You can buy this salad dressing in bottles at the restaurant.
