Delicious decades

Last month, I wrote about a special event at one of the most famous restaurant names in the Windy City, none other than Lawry's the Prime Rib.

On Wednesday, I joined other eager guests at the special night to share in the celebration as the long-time and favorite eatery carved out its exciting story to share with guests at a 70th anniversary dinner hosted by Lawry's chairman Richard N. Frank and president and CEO Richard R. Frank, the son and grandson of founder Lawrence L. Frank.

As someone who enjoys to cook and who also has the pride and joy of two cookbooks in print, the highlight of the night was shaking the hand of Frank Sr., the man who invented Lawry's Seasoning Salt, the small canister of sprinkled flavor that always has a place of prominence on my own kitchen table. Seated just a few feet away from me, next to his gracious and fascinating wife of more than 60 years Mary Alice, it's amazing what a long and fascinating history Frank Sr. has pioneered throughout the years.

They shared the stories and origination behind Lawry's "Original Spinning Bowl Salad" and, of course, their signature roasted prime ribs of beef (prepared on a bed of coarse rock salt and one of the most tender cuts of meat I've ever cut with a butter knife) and their Yorkshire pudding.

A slide show shared some of the most notable guests to grace the Frank Family's restaurants here in Chicago and Beverly Hills, including family friend Walt Disney, actress Ann Blyth, O.J. Simpson, Troy Aikman and Magic Johnson, among others.

One of the family's San Francisco restaurants even included a vast dining room which featured priceless wall wood moldings and intricately detailed beautiful ceiling panels originally purchased by newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst and stored in one of his many warehouses with his other rare art and architecture collections intended to one day grace his Hearst Castle aka San Simeon.

Guests were given a commemorative 70th Anniversary Lawry's Seasoned Salt and Seasoned Pepper caddie as a gift and remembrance of the occasion.

Lawry's The Prime Rib has been serving what they bill as the world's finest Roasted Prime Ribs of Beef for seven decades, beginning in Beverly Hills and followed by restaurants in Chicago, Dallas and Las Vegas. Lawry's The Prime Rib also boasts using only Midwest, corn-fed beef, aged for 21 days to heighten tenderness and then slow roasted on a bed of rock salt. The standing rib roasts are then hand-carved to order and served tableside from Lawry's rolling silver carts.

Located in the historic 1890s McCormick Mansion on the Magnificent Mile, Lawry's Chicago and its staff continue to uphold the tradition and original mission of the establishment's founder: "the best prime rib in the world, attentive service, warm hospitality and an enriching atmosphere."

The founding family is also famous for other culinary innovations, such as the invention of the popular Lawry's Seasoned Salt, which founder Frank invented in his home kitchen especially for the beef served in the restaurant. In later years, under his son Richard's leadership, the salt became known as "America's most popular formulated seasoning," and the small family food products company that manufactured it grew into a multi-million-dollar business. Today that company is owned by Thomas J. Lipton's famed company bearing the Lipton last name, which continues to sell the seasoned salt and many other Lawry's Food products around the world.

In 2006, Frank Sr., who along with his family are long-time residents of Pasadena, Calif., was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame, as the founder of the longest running pre-bowl game traditions in college football known as the "Lawry's Beef Bowl." Entering its 53th year of continuous partnership with the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association, Lawry's The Prime Rib of Beverly Hills annually hosts each participating Rose Bowl team at their own private "Beef Bowl" event a few days before the Rose Bowl Game.

For more restaurant information and reservations, call Lawry's The Prime Rib at (312) 787-5000.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.

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