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The curse of Cahuenga has struck again, this time up in the corridor that runs alongside the 101.The victim? California Canteen, a two decade old eatery that just couldn’t keep the engine running, particularly with the recent (and very bad) news about the impending closure of the nearby Barham Blvd. exit on the 101.
The simple restaurant always operated as a relatively relaxed bistro with a terrible font choice for a logo (complete with backwards second ‘e’ on Canteen). That’s not to make light: the 23 year old French neighborhood restaurant was a longtime fixture on the scene, providing a gentle mix of casual diner feel with a few slightly upticked design touches. It seems the combination (along with a relatively staid menu) no longer worked for the locals though.
In a message posted on their website back on February 18, California Canteen wrote their own eulogy, offering a sincere "THANK YOU to all my great faithful customers and friends who supported us." Owner Yannick Laborde goes on to say that "The Canteen has been all my life and I feel very sad to end up this way." It’s a touching end to a long run along one of Hollywood’s spookiest restaurant rows, where lesser names fall by the wayside with regularity.
