Showing posts with label cafe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cafe. Show all posts

Friday 11 April 2014

Hangman's Tree Cafe

An article from the Reading Eagle (Oct 27, 1954) explains what this place was:

Jim Long, our Hollywood correspondent, has visited another unusual restaurant. This one was Hangman's Tree Cafe, "the rendezvous of those who enjoy lousy food." That isn't Jim's opinion. It says so on the menu which he sent us.

Many of the items on the menu carry special notations, to wit:

Top sirloin steak, $3.15. Not the usual "mule hide" but finest aged beef.

Chicken fry steak, $1.85. Oh, no, it ain't chicken; it's a beat up cow.

Lamb chops, $2.75. Mary lost it, we found it, you can have it.

Chef's salad, $1. Yeah, we know, every restaurant has a chef salad, but they ain't got our chef.

Caesar salad, 80 cents. The chef will hate you for ordering it, but go ahead and gamble.

On top of the wine list is this announcement: "Seasoning for the town's most tasteless food."

These additional notes are carried inside the menu:

"Don't be a glutton. Leave a little on the plate. Remember, all leftovers are used in our Sunday hash."

"Warning! Well done steaks at your own risk."

On the cover it says: "Lousy food. Warm beer and cocktails. Sneering service."

It's a really good place, Jim writes. But, it seems, everyone in California likes humour with their meals. They must have something to laugh at since the smog keeps the citizens rather gloomy.