El Torito was a TIKI Bar ?!?!!? - General Tiki

M mrsmiley Tiki Socialite Las Vegas, NV Joined: Apr 03, 2002 Posts: 3197	M mrsmiley Posted posted on Mon, Dec 27, 2004 6:23 PM "When Larry Cano's Air Force hitch was up in '54, he thought he'd get himself a bar. The one-time law student-turned-fighter pilot didn't have much expertise in the restaurant business beyond washing dishes in a mom-and-pop joint in East L.A. He was 30 years old and had come to Van Nuys with the Air National Guard, armed with plenty of desire but little practical experience. But he had a few recipes and knowledge of an exotic-sounding foreign drink known as tequila, so he bought out a closed Polynesian restaurant on Ventura Boulevard in Encino. Drawing on his Mexican-American heritage, he remade the place into a little restaurant he called El Torito." Hey, at least in didn't become a SPORTS BAR!!! :) PS- anyone have a clue of what restaurant the took over? 1954, Ventura Blvd Encino. http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/10491485.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp&1c

"When Larry Cano's Air Force hitch was up in '54, he thought he'd get himself a bar.

The one-time law student-turned-fighter pilot didn't have much expertise in the restaurant business beyond washing dishes in a mom-and-pop joint in East L.A. He was 30 years old and had come to Van Nuys with the Air National Guard, armed with plenty of desire but little practical experience. But he had a few recipes and knowledge of an exotic-sounding foreign drink known as tequila, so he bought out a closed Polynesian restaurant on Ventura Boulevard in Encino.

Drawing on his Mexican-American heritage, he remade the place into a little restaurant he called El Torito." Hey, at least in didn't become a SPORTS BAR!!! :)

PS- anyone have a clue of what restaurant the took over? 1954, Ventura Blvd Encino.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/10491485.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp&1c

Post #132919 by mrsmiley on Mon, Dec 27, 2004 6:23 PM