Musso & Frank: The Rest of the Story

The piece on Musso & Frank (“Martinis and Mythology,” by Tom Nolan, Feb. 6) failed to tell us who they were. Can you give a P.S. to those of us panting to know?

Bill Lynde

Cypress

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Editor’s note: Joseph Musso had run a restaurant in Portland, Ore., for nine years before moving to Hollywood in 1919 and joining Frank Toulet to open the Musso & Frank Grill. They stayed in business until 1926, when new partners (one of whom was named Mosso) took over.

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How could you write about Musso & Frank without mentioning their greatest specialty, short ribs?!

Ben Bell

Studio City

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With due respect to Musso’s illustrious past, judged strictly as a restaurant, it rates poorly for us. Having heard so much about Musso’s, we went there and had our worst dining experience in years.

The gloomy waiter and surroundings did not help, but the main thing was the food. Evidently Musso’s martini expertise does not extend to a Manhattan; the waiter forgot lemon for the insipid fish my wife ordered, and my veal was tough. Maybe it takes time to “get Musso’s.” Maybe the writer’s nostalgia colored the story.

Len Ziraldo

West Hills