An Icon Passes

Last week Tony Trutanich passed away after a long struggle with Alzheimer's . He will be missed. Today both restaurants he founded will be closed in his memory.
There are probably a lot of you who would never dream of going to Old Tony's or New Tony's on the Redondo Pier. The restaurants are relics of the old beach cities.... no Asian fusion cooking....No trendy decor... Nope.... just old fashioned seafood with a few meat dishes for the surf and turf crowd and old Redondo decor.
Back before the beach cities became trendy finding a food restaurant with an ocean view was tough. Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach were mostly bars for the young crowd or small family style dinner places. If you wanted something special you headed for the Pier in Redondo. There was the Cattleman's Steak House and Tony's and a few years later Tony's Fish Market. Riviera Village had the Velvet Turtle and Millie Riera's.. Millie's had a view but the Velvet Turtle didn't. These were the hot spots where you celebrated special occasions or dates with someone who might be important. Millie's and The Velvet Turtle are gone but Tony's restaurants are still there to remind us of a different time.
Tony's was special.. whether it was the glass you got to take home or the atmosphere it was a place eveyone loved. I celebrated my 21st Birthday at Tony's and ate abalone for the first time. Over the years I have never found a better view of the harbor then from the upstairs lounge. Having dinner literally on the water is a fun experience for family and friends from out of town. I took my nephew there for steak and crab to celebrate his 21st birthday a few years ago. He is now a devoted Tony's fan when he hits town.
So Tony... Thanks or the memories..