"So the 33-year-old found himself eating pan-fried noodles 200 miles north of the megalopolis in a restaurant shaped like a carousel. Inside, dainty horse figurines painted in pastels peek out from nooks and crannies. Buddhas, too. Though a vintage neon sign out front advertises steaks, barbecue and lamb chops, the fare is Chinese. From the patio, diners can gaze at the jagged crown of Mt. Whitney, the tallest mountain in the contiguous U.S. at 14,505 feet."
"Whitfield, like many adventurers who seek to replenish calories in the '50s-era joint, looked weary. He had hiked for 3.5 hours to Lone Pine Lake with Alex Cardoza, a friend he was dining with. The food was good, "but also it was nice just chatting to folks," said Whitfield, a UCLA lecturer. "It's a good vibe. I find in Lone Pine I just meet people that I don't meet in Los Angeles.""
A carousel-shaped restaurant in Lone Pine serves Chinese dishes inside a vintage, pastel-decorated interior with dainty horse figurines and Buddhas. A neon sign still advertises steaks and barbecue, reflecting the building's steakhouse past. From the patio, diners can see Mt. Whitney and the rounded Alabama Hills, a magnet for climbers and hikers. Visitors often arrive after long outdoor trips and appreciate both the food and the social vibe. Owners Dan Siegel and Kuei Chu bought the place in 2010, and Siegel and his service dog Blue are fixtures of the restaurant's welcoming atmosphere.
Read at Los Angeles Times
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]