Scandia Restaurant on Sunset Strip

"There's Ma Maison, La Scala and Scandia. And of the newer ones, I hear that Le Dome is quite nice.” – Dialogue from American Gigolo, 1980.                              

                                    Scandia. 9040 Sunset. 1946-1989.

Some of my earliest memories are at Scandia. It was one of my parents favorite destinations.  (I was lucky they never left me with baby sitters). We settled into regal red leather chairs in the nearby bright, glass-walled dining room that seemed to float over lit-up Los Angeles. We drove into Scandia’s huge driveway where you knew Warren Beatty or Natalie Wood would soon emerge from a sleek black car and into this mid century modern building. Near the entrance was a moody, rat pack wooden bar. The Scandia chefs served perfect Swedish meatballs in silver platters and beer mugs with names of notable Scandia ‘Club of the Vikings’ guests such as Errol Flynn were displayed.

Scandia was very elegant with paneled woods, copper and brass fixtures,  royal blue and white china and crystal vases. The principal decorations were coats of arms. Specialties here included "Lammesaddel", "Viking Sword", "Hamlets Dagger" (fresh lobster pieces non-greasily fried with exquisite tartar sauce) , and Danish pastries. Scandia Restaurant had an award winning wine cellar with over 30,000 bottles of wine in the '80s. From 1950 through 1980, this restaurant received Holiday Magazine awards. Scandia Restaurant also received many other accolades for the cuisine. They served their last meal on May 4th. 1989. The restaurant tried to open a few times as other residencies, but have failed. The structure is still standing vacant today on the corner of Sunset and Doheny, but rumored to come down in the next few years for a massive development. 

  The building today at Sunset and Doheny - but not for long.

Down below is a very rare 1940's wall sconce that once hung inside Scandia. You can see a few rows of them hanging in this incredible photo courtesy of Vintage Los Angeles member, Nicole Renzi Mahon of her mom and dad on their wedding night wither her Grandparents at Scandia. 

Hard to believe this wall sconce survived after all these years and now hanging in my kitchen! Makes me want to play Duke Ellington and cook some Swedish Meatballs! 

Customers, in its heyday would beg, borrow and steal for a reservation before 11 p.m at Scandia. Although the Hanson family sold it off during the 1980s, I had always dreamed of a comeback for Scandia since the building has been sitting intact for years at the corner of Doheny and Sunset Blvd. Sadly that won’t be the case. The structure built in 1947 will come down for a Marriott Hotel. Luckily I was able to shoot a few photos of the inside recently before it hits the wrecking ball. May the rooms be forever haunted by Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe...

                                                  

This is one of the Original Door Handles a friend of mine is fortunate to have.  

 

Original Letter that once hung on the facade.

Original cigarette holder I picked up an estate sale.

Ashtray circa 1960s  - Ebay score!

This porcelain tea cup was submitted from a Vintage Los Angeles, Carly Shay. "I was was hoping you'd do a tribute to Scandia. My dad worked there from 1979-1989. My sisters and I enjoyed their food often but especially looked forward to their chocolate-covered strawberries...they were huge!

 

The Matchbooks I personally found in a jar at my parents house located in their bar. And I uncovered the 1960's Postcard in my fathers desk years back.

Original Menu!

Here is Jack Webb with the owners of Scandia. This is from his Jack's personal collection. Photo taken in June 1958 at his wedding.

Vintage Los Angeles  members have shared the following..

Robin Reid: "My Dad took us to Scandia every Sunday night. The Dover Sole was flown in fresh from Dover and was delicious. The restaurant always had a jacket and a tie waiting for me. I wasn't the jacket and tie type. Neither was Sonny Bono. They wouldn't seat him and Cher because they were wearing blue jeans. Many years later I was married there. The marriage like Scandia, is only a memory now of things that are no longer here". 

Kathy Regan:"My girlfriends and I used to take a limo there for birthdays and ended up our dinner smoking cigars, much to their amusement and tolerance! The stuffed cabbage and Daggers of Hamlet were the best!!!!!"

Josh Mills: "In the early '80's a well known agent died who was a collector of fine wines. In his will, he stipulated that 10 people who he liked be invited to drink his wine in the Scandia wine seller. It only held about 10 people in the basement. He invited his business partners, clients, his pool man (but not their spouses if he didn't like them). He paired his very expensive wines with the meal Scandia prepared for his guests. He pre paid for the meal when he knees he was ill. By all accounts - an amazing send off" 

Scott Raphael: "Used to go on my birthday. To this day, the best chocolate soufflé I've ever had. The waiter would take a spoon and push down the center and pour in this rich, decadent vanilla cream sauce...mmm"

 The Scandia sign was just recently listed on EBAY starting at 5 thousand. (missing the i and the heart)

Unfortunately we will be losing this mid century gem for a  Lush Sunset Strip Marriott Hotel in 2015.

 

Alison Martino is a writer, television producer and personality, and L.A. pop culture historian. She founded the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles in 2010. In addition to CityThink and VLA, Martino muses on L.A’s. past and present on Twitter and Instagram and on her website, alisonmartino.com

Alison is also currently a columnist for Los Angeles Magazine.