Checking in at a new (and old) downtown L.A. institution

We're running a story on the new incarnation of Cole's in downtown L.A. in Monday's Calendar section, but I couldn't resist leaking a bit of the information I got at a media preview this afternoon. First of all, as a die-hard Cole's fan, I have to admit I was a bit worried about Cole's (which originally opened in 1908) being remade into a fancy-schmancy version of its former, weathered and lovable self. But I should have known better since the man doing the remaking was Cedd Moses, who has demonstrated time and again his devotion to maintaining the historical integrity of the downtown spaces his bars occupy.

In the case of Cole's, he worked in lock-step with the L.A. Conservancy to make sure he was remaking Cole's into, well, Cole's (more on that in Monday's story). After all, it wasn't always a spectacular dive --before Prohibition it was one of the most popular bars in Los Angeles. Over the years it hit hard times, as did much of downtown. It still laid claim to a devoted fan base, but those who frequented Cole's knew to expect a faint smell of urine (Cole's is situated a bit below sidewalk level and its doorway was a handy place for wandering drunks to relieve themselves). They also knew to expect rats. Big, gray, scuttling rats. I was once enjoying a martini at a front booth with my father when one ran across my feet and rounded the corner toward the kitchen. In those days I just shrugged.

Read the rest of this story on The Daily Dish, The Times' food blog.

--Jessica Gelt