 |
Seeing Stars: Restaurants Owned by the Stars..

72 Market
Street,
Venice, CA. / (310) 392-8720
|
Unfortunately, 72
Market Street closed its doors for good
in November of 2000, about 14 months before the death of its founder, actor
Dudley Moore.
I will leave
this page up for a while, for those who want top read about the restaurant.
But remember that the article below was written at a time when the restaurant
was still open for business.
|
The
two got the idea while working together on the 1982 film "Six Weeks" (directed
by Tony Bill and starring Dudley and Mary
Tyler Moore). They lamented the lack of
good restaurants in Venice, and liked the idea of opening one across the
street from Bill's office, and within walking distance of Dudley's home.
And
you could easily walk right past this restaurant without even seeing it,
just a few steps away from the madness of the Venice boardwalk. The low-key
exterior is marked only by a small "72" on the door.
There's a piano the
corner of this restaurant's very attractive main room, and Dudley himself
(quite the accomplished pianist) was known to spend time tinkling the ivories
for the customers, every now and then (Unfortunately, Dudley's worsening
health problems have deprived him of the ability to play the pianoas he
used to, which led them to they move the piano to make room for more booths).
Naturally, the preferred tables are in this main room, where the piano
used to be (against the wall on the right), and it isn't unusual to see
stars here on any night of the week.
Regulars
include Ted Danson
and wife Mary Steenburgen.
Dudley's "Arthur" co-star, Liza
Minelli, isn't adverse to dropping by
either, to sample the American fare, which is better than at most celebrity
hangouts. Menu favorites include meatloaf with mashed potatoes (which costs
almost as much as the caviar here), grilled chicken, and a great "kickass."
chili (rated #1 in the city by Los Angeles magazine), along
with some French bistro far. Portions are large.
Open since 1984,
72 Market Street isn't the red-hot scene it once was, but it still attracts
a sizable celebrity following. The restaurant doubles as a de facto gallery
by changing the art on its walls every three months.
Prices are a bit
high: dinner for two ranges from $60 to $100, averaging around $40 per
person. 72 Market Street is open seven days a week, serving lunch
from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.. Dinner is served Mon-Thurs. from 6 p.m.to
10:00 p.m.; on Sundays until 9 p.m., and until on Fridays and Saturdays
until 11:00 p.m.. They also have a Sunday brunch. The restaurant is semi-dressy,
and of course they offer valet parking.
(Dudley also owns part of another restaurant: Maple
Drive.)
Getting
there:
The restaurant is located at the western end of Market Street, west of
Pacific Avenue, near Ocean Front Walk and the Venice Pier. / Take the Marina
Del Rey (90) Freeway west to where it ends at Lincoln Boulevard. Turn right
(north) on Lincoln, and go half a mile to Washington Boulevard. Turn left
(west) on Washington, and go about a mile and a quarter west to Pacific
Avenue. Turn right (north) on Pacific Avenue, and go about three quarters
of a mile to Market Street. Turn left (west) on Market Street.
[For more
information on this subject, you can access 72 Market Street's official
website at: http://www.72marketst.com
- or you can read their menu online at http://www.kerrymenu.com/72-Market-Street.htm..]

Click
here to see a book about 72 Market Street!
Looking
for something in particular? Search the Seeing-Stars website!
|
|
|