Tiki Finds - Collecting Tiki

D Dustycajun Tiki Socialite Santa Barbara, CA Joined: Nov 16, 2007 Posts: 5295	D Dustycajun Posted posted on Sat, Jul 5, 2008 9:40 PM On 2008-06-08 21:35, bigbrotiki wrote: Is that Christian's Hut from Waikiki, or from Balboa? I still am hoping to find out about the original owners of Christian's Hut one day, all I know from Ray Buhen is that they were Hollywood agents in the day. I recently picked up a menu mailer from the Christian's Hut restaurant on Balboa. Bigbro, I also found this article on the original owners of the Christian's Hut and some nice history and photos of the restaurant. Christian's Hut The Hangout Of The Stars Christian's Hut Was A Big Draw For The Hollywood Set Because It Was Owned By The Brother Of One Of Hollywood's Biggest Cinematographers. In the late 1930s, Art La Shelle opened Christian's Hut, a Tahitian style restaurant and bar on the bay front, now the location of Newport Towers. Christian's Hut was noted for its great oriental style food, and was always being frequented by the Hollywood set. Red Skelton, Johnny Weismuller, Fred Mac Murray, and Howard Hughes to name a few. Joe La Shelle, Art's brother, was an Oscar-winning cinematographer, one of his more well-known movies was "The Birds." This rare circa 1945 aerial view shows Christian's Hut in its heyday. Much of the Christian's Hut food was prepared in a big outdoor cooking pit. No one could figure out how the filet mignon could be crispy-charred on the outside and rare in the middle. One regular customer was told in confidence the secret was to first freeze the steak, toss it on a white-hot grill to sear it, then drop it into a deep fryer. The downstairs bar area had a sand floor which led all the way to the water where the patrons would beach their boats. The dining room was upstairs. Marshall, the maitre d', was given the nickname Francois, because he would kiss the hand of every woman coming in the door, starting at her finger tips and working his way up her arm all the way to her head. Marshall's daughter, Delores, was a beauty queen who married George Perlin, who owned the Richfield Station then located at the corner of Adams Street and Balboa Boulevard. George had the nickname "Beast" because of all his body hair. After the couple were married, they were given the nickname "Beauty and the Beast." Christian's Hut burned down in 1963.

On 2008-06-08 21:35, bigbrotiki wrote:

Is that Christian's Hut from Waikiki, or from Balboa? I still am hoping to find out about the original owners of Christian's Hut one day, all I know from Ray Buhen is that they were Hollywood agents in the day.

I recently picked up a menu mailer from the Christian's Hut restaurant on Balboa.

Bigbro, I also found this article on the original owners of the Christian's Hut and some nice history and photos of the restaurant.

Christian's Hut
The Hangout Of The Stars

Christian's Hut Was A Big Draw For The Hollywood Set Because It Was Owned By The Brother Of One Of Hollywood's Biggest Cinematographers.

In the late 1930s, Art La Shelle opened Christian's Hut, a Tahitian style restaurant and bar on the bay front, now the location of Newport Towers. Christian's Hut was noted for its great oriental style food, and was always being frequented by the Hollywood set. Red Skelton, Johnny Weismuller, Fred Mac Murray, and Howard Hughes to name a few. Joe La Shelle, Art's brother, was an Oscar-winning cinematographer, one of his more well-known movies was "The Birds."

This rare circa 1945 aerial view shows Christian's Hut in its heyday.

Much of the Christian's Hut food was prepared in a big outdoor cooking pit. No one could figure out how the filet mignon could be crispy-charred on the outside and rare in the middle. One regular customer was told in confidence the secret was to first freeze the steak, toss it on a white-hot grill to sear it, then drop it into a deep fryer. The downstairs bar area had a sand floor which led all the way to the water where the patrons would beach their boats. The dining room was upstairs. Marshall, the maitre d', was given the nickname Francois, because he would kiss the hand of every woman coming in the door, starting at her finger tips and working his way up her arm all the way to her head. Marshall's daughter, Delores, was a beauty queen who married George Perlin, who owned the Richfield Station then located at the corner of Adams Street and Balboa Boulevard. George had the nickname "Beast" because of all his body hair. After the couple were married, they were given the nickname "Beauty and the Beast." Christian's Hut burned down in 1963.

Post #391874 by Dustycajun on Sat, Jul 5, 2008 9:40 PM