A Don Draper Kind of Evening at Bandera
Image Credit - westsidetoday.com
Although watching John Hamm as Don Draper wasn’t too hard on the eyes, watching the show Madmen wasn’t as easy. We’ve come pretty far from our archaic caveman mentality in the patriarchal world we’ve all hailed from, but a show based in the 50’s wouldn’t be historically accurate if there weren’t some scenes consisting of the men gathering, whiskey and cigars dispersed, and a token girl receptionist popping in to top off drinks. The trivial use of women in that day is (painfully) accurately depicted in the drama, though our starlett, Peggy Olsen, played by Elisabeth Moss who now stars in Handmaiden’s Tale, moved up the ranks and grabbed her own seat at the table. Though the male driven work-place was annoying to watch, historical nonetheless, the desire for a classy bar with an old fashioned and maybe a cigarette with some live jazz after watching an episode could not be denied.
The closest place you could enjoy a classy upscale restaurant experience similar to that of Mad Man’s day, we found to be Bandera, located on Wilshire in Brentwood. With a gorgeous large dark oak bar circled up in the center of the restaurant, posing as an inviting staple, while a live jazz band (every night!) woos you in as you find your table, and continues to fill the restaurant with cool jazzy sounds for the rest of the night.
The food is delicious, not expected to be necessarily inexpensive, but worth the whole experience. An insider tip? The vesper martini, not on the menu but can be made upon request. And like clockwork, as soon as the cold fog has lifted from your glass, aka, it’s gone room temperature, your server comes along with a brand new iced glass to refresh your drink. Not a bad way to fully settle in and enjoy a night at Bandera. You may not catch a Don Draper sighting, but you’ll feel like you’re in those same restaurant scenes he acted in so well.