79. Eat at Mel's

As I pondered the one way I seemed intent on writing about Mel's Drive-in, another way entered my consciousness.  I loved it for its seeming novelty, as it is not something I usually think about when I eat at a restaurant.  So here goes.

As I ingested my meal at Mel's, 1660 North Highland Avenue in Hollywood, on a somewhat overcast, slightly windy, almost evening, Monday in March, 2010; it didn't occur to me the depth of all that came before making it possible for me, your CaliforniVacation SoCal gal, to enjoy my meal at those particular moments at that particular space in time.

I didn't know I had Mel Weiss and Harold Dobbs to thank for building their first carhop eatery back in 1947 at 140 South Van Ness in San Francisco, replete with a staff of 14 carhops covering a 30,000 square foot parking lot.  Thank you, Mel and Harold.

I didn't know that thanks to the advent of fast food, serve yourself restaurants taking over American culture while shaping the decline of the carhop eatery; that in 1972 a New York restaurant conglomerate would come in and purchase the original Mel's Drive-ins leaving the soon to be demolished restaurants perfect for then up and coming film director, George Lucas, to feature Mel's Drive-ins in his 1973 movie, American Graffiti.  Thank you, fast food.  Thank you, New York restaurant conglomerate.  Thank you, George Lucas.

I didn't know that Mel's son's, Steven Weiss, nostalgia, restaurant know-how and persistence would see him open the first of the "next generation" Mel's Drive-ins in 1985, along with his partner, Donald Wagstaff.  Thank you, Steven Weiss.  Thank you, Donald Wagstaff.

I didn't know the dawn of the new millenium would see Mel's Drive-ins opened at 8585 West Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood and the one your SoCal gal visited at Hollywood and Highland, with its full-service celebrity bar.  Thank you for opening these two eateries, less than three miles apart.

I did know of Mel's Drive-ins thanks to my first hand experience of the phenomenon, the American Graffiti years in the 70's.  I owned and just about wore out the double album movie soundtrack, which would have no doubt drove my parents crazy if it weren't for the fact most of the songs were beloved reminders of their youth.  Thank you, American Graffiti movie and soundtrack for a lot of great memories.

I didn't know the Mel's Drive-in from the movie was an actual in the physical world place until I noticed the "don't blink or you will miss it" inclusion of one of the next generation Mel's in the opening credits for the HBO show, Entourage.  Thank you, Entourage and your opening credits.

I didn't know the Mel's at Hollywood and Highland isn't the Mel's in the Entourage opening credits (that is the Mel's at 8585 West Sunset Boulevard) or I probably wouldn't have chosen to eat at Mel's Hollywood/Highland location.  Thank you, ignorance.

I didn't know when I first walked into the doors of the Hollywood/Highland location how great and clean the interior of Mel's would be considering the outside is not a drive-in nor really looks anything close to the original exterior one might expect of Mel's from the American Graffiti movie.  Thank you to all those past patrons who refused to judge this "book" by its cover.

I didn't know the Mel's at Hollywood and Highland had a bar or a happy hour, which brought about a choice making moment: milk shake or beer?  Seriously.  You can't have both.  Okay, you could.  But can I just write, yewwwwwww!  I chose Happy Hour.  Thank you, choices.  Thank you, Happy Hour.

I didn't know what sort of items I may encounter on the menu for food or beverage.  Mel's menu did not disappoint with many choices beyond what you may expect of burgers, fries and milk shakes.  The menu promised the burgers are made of ground chuck with no additives or preservatives, delivered fresh daily.  Mmmmhmmm.  Mmmmhmmm.  Yes!  They have an avocado burger.  I need look no further.  And as I alluded to in earlier posts, bottles of domestic beer during happy hour just $1.50 each.  In a restaurant...in Hollywood...that almost seemed to me like stealing them.  Not that I am complaining.  At that price, it was easy to decide to order that second bottle of Bud.  Thank you, burgers.  Thank you, fries.  Thank you, avocados.  Thank you, bottles of Bud for just $1.50 each.

I didn't know if I would spill on my shirt from the juicy burger, as the menu suggests.  Usually I don't need any excuse to spill, I just seem to be blessed that way.  Thankfully, while my burger was the bomb (delish), I didn't spill.  And for as "yewwww!" as I find beer and ice cream, I didn't know I would order their apple pie.  Mel's did a sly thing with their menu, they included photos of various menu offerings.  Let me say, they had some great looking dessert items that were awfully tempting.  How could they know I am a sucker for french-style apple pie warmed up and served ala mode?  The force...too strong.  Must resist.  Must be strong.  Dang!  That was one jam-packed-with-apples piece of pie.  Thank you, apple trees and apples.  Thank you, pie.  Thank you, cows and ice cream.

Thank you, to my waiter, the cooks and the entire restaurant staff.  Thank you to the vendors, distributors and past customers that allows Mel's to stay open.  Thank you to everyone and everything which allowed me to enjoy the brief hour I occupied the space known as the Hollywood/Highland Mel's Drive-in.  Thank you for every reader and everything which allows me to share this experience with the cyberworld.  Mahalo!  Aloha!

P.S.  In an effort for full disclosure, the second photo in this blog post is not mine.  It is one of the photos used in Wikipedia's web page for American Graffiti.  Thus, I am including a link, here, which explains the photos copyrights.  Thank you to Wikipedia for all the information it freely provides to the cyberworld.