The building is a wise lady with stories hidden in her dark wood walls that echo footsteps as people wander in the Far East Cafe building––located on a part of East First Street that refuses to change. Stories started in 1935 when she opened. Raymond Chandler had her on his mind when he wrote "I was having some Chinese food when a dark shadow fell over my Chop Suey.”
She hid the possessions of neighbors in her basement as they were sent out to the desert during World War II, and the cafe welcomed residents back with food and shelter. The same residents and their children welcomed the cafe back during two weeks of her soft walk to a grand opening held last Thursday. Curtains used to be around the booths, but were taken down in 1955 by order of the Fire Department. Now the overhead lights hits my booth like Feds looking for a confession. It's a flaw that comes from rules from Washington to qualify her restoration –– work that was needed after she was slapped by an earthquake in 1974. The menu has been moody since it's first day of the soft opening, but all those I've sent liked the food. I'm writing this over lunch, my chop suey just arrived. It was good when I had it the first week during the soft opening. It looks good now.
Photo: Miss LA Chinatown and her court at Opening Day of the Chop Suey Cafe.
Previous Cafe post here
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