Scandia
One of the fanciest restaurants in Los Angeles was located at 9040 Sunset Boulevard, just west of Doheny. A man named Ken Hansen originally opened it across the street in 1947. Ten years later, he moved into its more famous location and began serving Scandinavian cuisine to a rich and famous clientele. His sister-in-law, Teddy Hansen, served as the hostess in charge of greeting and seating the beautiful people and she knew everybody.
My family had some wealthy friends who would sometimes take us there and the thing I remember most vividly is the service. There were waiters everywhere and if you dropped a napkin, six people would converge on you to pick it up, fold it, iron it, offer you a new one and tuck it into your belt. I do not remember the food being especially notable but I remember the fuss they made about every patron. One of our wealthy friends had an allergy to margarine and as he strode in the door each time, he would immediately be greeted by name by a male maitre’d, who worked alongside Ms. Hansen and who I recall as being very much like the one played by John Cleese in the “Mr. Creosote” sketch from the last Monty Python film. He would welcome our rich friend, remark that he recalled the man’s allergy to margarine and announce that he personally would go into the kitchen and remind the chefs that no margarine was to be used in the preparation of our order. That was the kind of personal attention that built Scandia.
In the early seventies, the Hansens sold Scandia to magazine publisher Bob Petersen, he of the automotive magazines. By then, the character of Sunset Boulevard was beginning to change. Other businesses in that area, including the Roxy nightclub and the Rainbow Bar and Grill, attracted a younger, rowdier crowd. Every night, police were busting drug dealers within yards of Scandia, and it did a lot to drive Scandia’s older, wealthy clientele to other, newer eateries. The place finally closed in 1989.
18 Responses to Scandia
Leave a Reply
I worked at ABC in the mid 80′s and went to Scandia once for a business lunch. It was getting to be somewhat frayed around the edges by then, but the food was good…service impecable and it still had some “star” appeal. Roddy McDowell was in the booth next to us.
My parents were blue collar kids from San Pedro. My dad scraped together a few bucks & took my mom there for a special night out. Dad handed his ’64 Ford Falcon to the valet. It stood out as the only economy car there.
I never got a chance to eat there. My wife bartended at Billboard Live/Key Club, across the street from the former Scandia. I hung around that area a lot. I’d look at the building & envision my folks there on their big night out.
Hi Mark,
My Uncle Frode Benedictus Christensen was the Maitre’D from around 1955 to 1975 when he died. I was taken to Scandia by my cusin Frodes dougther and got the greatest dinner with Champagne, Wine and Cognac everything as a gift because i he was my uncle, and i was from Copenhagen, My sister got the same treatment at the Danish Palvion in New York during the World Fair. Best Jorn
The last time I was at the Scandia was in 1965 or 66. My and my girlfriend, Tony, meet my dad British composer, Phil Green and his wife. The Greens were horrified that Tony wore sandals to the Scandia.
My husband was just lamenting that we never ate there. I used to work at a Petersen magazine, ‘TEEN, in ’81 and remember hearing then that the restaurant was Margie Petersen’s. Wasn’t there a midnight supper?
My Uncle, Gilbert Gonzalez, was an apprentice chef at Scandia in 1956 and 1957. His father, Joseph Gonzalez, was the head chef at the Mona Lisa on Wilshire Boulevard. Their dream was to open a restaurant together. The dream came to an abrupt end when Gilbert was one of six people murdered at the Club Mecca bar on April 4, 1957. To this day, the Club Mecca murders remain the worst mass murder in the history of the City of Los Angeles.
I ate there many times in the fifties and sixties and the food was extraordinary: Tornadoes Theadora was a favorite along with Celery Victor, sthe stuffed calm appetizer, Veal Oskar, and everything else.
Favorite table here was just before you go into the main dining room, just to the right, there were a few small tables. There was one under a beautiful painting. My spot. Did I mention: I LOVE THIS SITE. T. Smith
Barbra Streisand celebrated her 39th birthday at Scandia in 1981. The meal was made by the restaurant, but she had her birthday cake done by an outside caterer.
My ex husband (a Dane) was Chef at Scandia in the mid 70′s. I remember eating there on several occasions. Once Chip Carter (President Carter’s son) came for dinner with lots of secret servicemen. We saw several well known people there. It was a fabulous place. What a shame it closed.
A lovely restaurant, and greatly missed. There are no scandanavian restaurants in Southern California. But more nostaligic for me was the older Bit o’ Sweden almost directly across the street. As a child, I felt as if I was dining in a grand castle – the back of the chairs and the height of the ceilings were so high. Food was served buffet style (smorgasbord) and the hot dishes, like the scrumptious meat balls, were served in chafing dishes. At Scandia my favorite dishes were the steak tartare, prepared for you at the table, and the veal oscar.
I worked at Scandia restarant in the late sixties as an apprentice and it was a wonderfull place….the head chef was Chef Borgman from Switzerland..max borgman maybe…a member of the Vikings Club got me the job as I was taking cooking classes from Chef Gregiore…the executive chef at the Beverly Hilton Hotel…Scandia had its own butcher shop where we cut up the whole carcasses of prime beef…we learned to bone fish, such as shad…they served shad roe in the spring…and salmon of course, Scandia used lots of fresh salmon and it had to be perfectly boned…I worked with the chef saucier and thedanish pastry chef….most of the cooks were european at that time and I learned so much there….I went on to teach french cooking classes, had a private catering company and worked for John and Pilar Wayne catering parties….cheers to Ken Hansen and Scandia
My pop, Bud Furillo, must have written a million columns on or out of Scandia. Remember the “Vikings?” Some civil do-gooder celebrity club? Had their weekly luncheons there. Always made for good copy. BIG sports hangout. And hello to you, John Lovell! See you around town.
My Dad was an habitué there from 1964 into the early 70s. He was a member of the Vikings, and he knew Ken Hansen and his wife pretty well. Mom met him there regularly for after-work drinks, and on special occasions the whole family got to go.
One of these occasions was my birthday, probably my 6th. I loved the food there, especially their Chocolate Mousse Cake. At the next table was Bob Hope with a small party (including his wife). I was excited, because I was a big fan. Dad said, “He’s a very nice man, and would be happy to give you an autograph.” I didn’t want to bug him, but at Dad’s insistence I went over and stood by his chair. I recall he looked HUGE, this famous man who was right before me. I made a half-hearted attempt to get his attention, then went back and said, “He’s busy.” But a Scandia postcard, with his autograph, arrived at the table within half a minute.
Dad was right: Bob Hope was a nice man!
I remember going to Scandia quite a bit in the 60′s. Once for Thanksgiving where we had split pea soup and they poured ice cold champagne in the center of the small soup cups. When the flaming “swords” came out with a pork chop, lamb rib, piece of steak it was quite spectacular. At the bar I remember being served the blinis or rather small crepes with caviar and vodka frozen in a huge block.
Lunch at Scandia was the first thing I charged on my corporate AmEx card in 1983. Back when working for Manufacturers Hanover Trust meant first class meals, travel and accommodation.
My clients were Fortune 100 CEOs and CEOs and if they ordered steak, so did I. If the client had five drinks and I didn’t he wouldn’t do business. None of this “I’ll have salad, and designer bottle water ” crap. After a week on the job, drinking and eating lunch and dinner at expensive LA restaurants took a toll.
I worked out a plan with the bartender, hostess and maitre’d: Serve me two drinks and a maximum of only two drinks regardless of what I order. My client pounds back four bourbons. I drink four screwdrivers except the last two were orange juice. My client complements my capacity to drink.
When I was paying with the corporate Am Ex, I’d tip 30% – 40%. I took all my dates to Scandia. When I was there on my own dime, I was charged 50% of the menu price and treated like royalty. I never asked for a discount. The staff always went out of their way to impress my dates.
Once, I asked a waiter for some tissues for my girlfriend who was coming down with a cold. A busboy was dispatched to the drugstore across the street where he bough a box of Kleenex which was removed from its container and arranged on a tray and brought to my table.
On another occasion, an older gentlemen at the table next to mine decided to smoke a particularly noxious cigar. All the other patrons were visibly affected, but no one spoke up. Finally, I asked my waiter to ask the gentlemen to please put it out but he refused. A couple of minutes later, I stood up, walked over to his table, picked up his cigar from the ashtray and put it out in his salad. Before he could respond, his wife scolded him for smoking and a round of applause came from patrons and staff.
I never experienced the pre-Petersen Scandia, but in 1983-194 it was the favorite of everybody in the Money Market and For Ex departments at Manny Hanny LA.
I went to Scandia for my high school prom. We were there for hours it seemed…not in a bad way. In restrospect, I remember Scandia more than my prom or my date….sorry. We were asked if we wanted Martinis?? before dinner. What were they thinking?….. The only thing I remember eating was pureed, creamed spinach which I thought was wonderful.
After graduation, I left for college, got my degree in Economics and have been a waiter in Seattle ever since…well there’s a story if you ask, but never forgot dinner in old school LA….ask me about dinner at Lawry’s!!
I have been married to the same woman for over forty years, but clearly remember Scandia with great affection. It was my second date with Sheila, and very special because her parents were taking us to Scandia. The restaurant was all it was reputed to be. A glamorous place with a famous clientele, food and drink that deserved the wonderful reputation the place had, and service that was always attentive, never excessive and always graced with a personal touch that was a hallmark of this fine restaurant. And the Hansens were always there to guide the staff and welcome a clientele that returned again and again for the specialties of the house, charm, elegance, and great food.