I’ve been on hiatus, but am
now back, catching up on our activities this past month. Here’s the first of
more to come . . .
Located in the
mid-Wilshire district of L.A., Campanile was our favorite restaurant when we lived in Park LaBrea in the mid-1990s. Not
only was the food fabulous—award-winning chefs Mark Peel and Nancy Silverton
continue to be world-famous—but the Spanish-style building that housed the
restaurant was rumored to have been Charlie Chaplin’s former studio. And, of
course, it was adjacent to La Brea Bakery,
one of the best bakeries in Los Angeles. Campanile quickly became our
destination for celebrating special events and taking out-of-town visitors.
The studio courtyard was covered and
served as the front dining room
Looking down on the kitchen from the upstairs dining area
Although we haven’t eaten
there much since moving to Culver City—five mid-city miles can be grueling,
especially during rush hour—we were nonetheless sad to hear that, after 23
years, Campanile was closing its doors on Halloween. So we decided to have one last meal there in late October.
Karen made the
reservations for a Sunday morning and lucky, too, because everyone else seemed
to have the same idea. Our favorite waiter, who once served me the best cheese
platter I’ve had ever had, said the place had been packed every day since the
closure was announced. Most of the foodies in town were mourning its loss.
Tim, post-meal, under the La Brea Bakery sign
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the best meal
we’ve ever eaten at Campanile, but it was the last, so we took lots of photos and
bought a bagful of baked goods to take home. Not quite the same, but at least
the La Brea Bakery and café still live on at Downtown Disney. We will miss you, Campanile!
Inside the bakery
Charlie Chaplin's former studio and exterior of Campanile
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