The Elegant Art of Dining: Bohemian San Francisco, Its ... - iMedia

could get German cooking, but it was not a place that appealed to those who
knew good service.
Bab’s had a meteoric career and was worthy of much longer life, but Babcock
had too high an idealization of what San Francisco wanted. He emulated the
Parisian restaurants in oddities, one of his rooms being patterned after the
famous Cabaret de la Mort, and one dined off a coffin and was lighted by green
colored tapers affixed to skulls. Aside from its oddities it was one of the best
places for a good meal for Bab had the art of catering down to a nicety. There
were rooms decorated to represent various countries and in each room you
could get a dinner of the country represented.
Thompson’s was another place that was too elaborate for its patronage and
after a varied existence from the old Oyster Loaf to a cafeteria Thompson was
compelled to leave for other fields and San Francisco lost a splendid restaurateur.
He opened the place under the Flood building, after the fire, in most
magnificent style, taking in two partners. The enormous expense and necessary
debt contracted to open the place was too much and Thompson had to give up
his interest. This place is now running as the Portola-Louvre.
Much could be written of these old-time restaurants, and as we write story after
story amusing, interesting, and instructive come to mind, each indicative of the
period when true Bohemianism was to be found in the City that Was.
An incident that occurred in the old Fior d’Italia well illustrates this spirit of
camaraderie, as it shows the good-fellowship that then obtained. We went to
that restaurant for dinner one evening, and the proprietor, knowing our interest
in human nature studies, showed us to a little table in the back part of the
room, where we could have a good view of all the tables. Our table was large
enough to seat four comfortably, and presently, as the room became crowded,
the proprietor, with many excuses, asked if he could seat two gentlemen with
us. They were upper class Italians, exceedingly polite, and apologized profusely
for intruding upon us. In a few minutes another gentleman entered and our
companions at once began frantic gesticulations and called him to our table,
where room was made and another cover laid. Again and again this occurred
until finally at a table suited for four, nine of us were eating, laughing, and
talking together, we being taken into the comradeship without question. When
it came time for us to depart the entire seven rose and stood, bowing as we
passed from the restaurant.
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