A couple weeks ago I went to Lalime’s 25th anniversary dinner which mirrored my own birthday within a week. It put into perspective what absolute nuts my Aunt and Uncle were at the time (still are) for opening a resturant with two kids under 5 years old in 1985. Nuts. The food was great the cocktails scrumptious, but then again it always is and they always are. A video of my Uncle flipping crepes in the original kitchen they now fondly call “Little Lalimes,” since the restaurant has moved to a knew location, was a highlight for me. Not just for the amazing haircuts and svelt figures all the adults have but also it was a glimpse into a world where flipping crepes while your entire family is occupying your entire tiny restaurant is about all you could want for in the world. At least that’s how it appears to me now. I was one at the time so my memory doesn’t serve me at all except in the case of later playing hide and seek in the kitchen and painstakingly folding the monthly mailers that always have a special something written to the readers. Even if only “Rack of lamb, spring onion jam, with rapini pesto and spiced yogurt” Pure poetry.
I am so lucky to have been eating this food for the last 25 years. But in our case “The Krikorian Case” it’s not just about the food, it’s about the company that comes to eat the food and also the process that goes into it, love. Labors and labors of love. Of course I haven’t been there for it all but my first experiences in San Francsico’s Rincon center spent as a child hanging out at the original “Jimmy Beans” I still can’t go there today with thinking about it and running through the ceiling waterfall after hours. And when Uncle H was putting together the concept behind T-Rex I remember the mock-up menu with Leslie’s spare ribs. Each item a reflection of our family. Little bits and pieces here and there. If they were going to name anything after me I would respectfully request T-Rex’s beef jerky be under my name sake (see it’s thin, delicious and packs a punch!) or maybe Jimmy Beans Tortilla Eggs (spicy and filled with protein? Maybe this metaphor thing is going a little too far) The reviewers haven’t always raved, the business hasn’t always boomed but I am so lucky that I have grown up around the simple (not simple at all) business of serving people the most basic and delicious form of nourishment the body needs. A short stack of Silver dollar pancakes served after dark. Come to think of it light, fluffy and sweet, I'll take that namesake too, maybe not too fluffy though...
Happy 25th Little Lalimes. May we all someday be able to flip crepes without looking, two at a time with the flick of the wrist.
*Stacy's cocktail pictured above. A delicious "Frenchman" I think is what it's called.
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