8 Old-School L.A. Menus That Show Forgotten Food Trends

Food trends come and go more quickly than you might think. These old-school menus from fancy L.A. dining institutions show that much more has changed in the restaurant world over the years than the prices. (Think there'll come a day when a kale caesar sounds as ridiculous to future generations as a "hamburger salad with smothered onions" sounds to us now?) Read on to see more forgotten dishes as they were once elegantly presented to diners, from "clams casino" to Shrimp Louie.

Armstrong Schroder served Beverly Hills such comfort foods as turtle soup with sherry around the clock in 1941.

In 1942, the Biltmore Bowl at the Biltmore Hotel downtown delighted patrons with "Dinner de Luxe" that could include a tasting of American, Jack and Swiss cheeses.

The Academy Room at the Hollywood Athletic Club included pickled beef tongue and a "monte cristo a la gusto" among its 1955 offerings.

The Brown Derby's offerings changed many times over the chain's storied history, but a 1959 thirtieth-anniversary menu included veal sweetbreads and chicken a la king. 

In 1965, the Magic Castle listed ground sirloin among its entrée options. Dessert was Neapolitan sherbet.

At the Hollywood Palladium in 1967, diners enjoyed limited protein options: turkey, ham, prime rib or whitefish. 

WeHo's Ristorante Chianti was serving up such "Italian" treats as stuffed celery and chateaubriand in 1971.

Alice's, a bygone eatery off the PCH in Malibu, offered a 1985 version of elegance with fried calamari and hearts of palm salad.