My heroine, the late great Nora Ephron once spoke about the importance of one’s last meal.
She humorously – and rightly- pointed out that chances are one wouldn’t know that it was going to be the last meal, and it would be a pity if someone accidentally wasted it on a tuna melt.
(Unless your personal drop dead favorite go-to last meal happened to be a tuna melt.)
Nora’s last meal wish was for a hot dog at Nate ‘n Al in Hollywood. With a little Gulden’s mustard, relish and some sauerkraut. (Clearly my beloved Nora was no Chicagoan. But I’ll let that pass.)
I have given this topic of “last meals” some heavy thought. And I have (arbitrarily) decided that the last meal I would liked served to me could never be from a restaurant that is extant.
In order to be special, and thrilling, and worthy of my dying taste buds, my last supper would have to be resurrected straight from Restaurant Heaven. It just doesn’t feel all that special if I can go there tonight.
So in no particular order, here come my candidates for the meal I would order if I knew it was going to be my last. Some you might agree with. Others are purely idiosyncratic. Even I don’t know why they made the list.
Patriotic Sidebar: Eat America first. I have purposely left off many of my favorite dishes from Italy because A. I think I should eat Team USA for my last tuck-in. B. The restaurants and the dishes I like still exist in Italy. Everything from the Renaissance on is still there.
So unbuckle your (seat) belt. Here goes.
Ellen Ross’s (Carryout) Bucket List:
1. Chicken Croquettes at Indian Trail, Winnetka
2. The Bar-be-cue beef sandwich and cole slaw at Mary’s Cupboard, Winnetka
3. Roast Beef Hash at Café Des Artistes, New York City
4. Chicken Curry at Chasen’s, Los Angeles
5. Cheeseburger at Hershey’s, Skokie, Illinois
6. Veal Prince Orloff at Maxim’s, Chicago
7. Arancini and the Steak Parmigiana sandwich at La Milanese, Chicago
8. Spanish Meatballs and Rice at Castillo’s Kitchen, Farmer’s Market, Los Angeles
9. Veal Francese, Vincent Capra’s, Miami Beach, Florida
10. Char Crust Rib Eye Steak at Al Farber’s, Chicago
Yum. I’d order any one of those for my last meal here on terra firma.
And Nora, when we meet up in Heaven, I have a request.
Order a hot dog for me, too.
But make it from Fluky’s.
Thanks.
You’re an angel.
Ellen, you’ve certainly provided some food for thought this morning. I enjoyed the Nora Ephron clip … she left quite a legacy.
Thanks, George. Glad you watched the clip. She’s gone way too soon. Simply irreplaceable.
The satisfaction of where and what you eat is truly a “state of mind.” After working in the OR all night -any leftover cold food in the refrigerator is like manna from heaven. At camp on visiting day going into town for pizza was a trip to a five star restaurant. The brownies after smoking pot were the ultimate in dessert cuisine. Coming back from China the first thing my son wanted was Chipotle. And for patients who haven’t eaten for days – even hospital food became the sine qua non.
But if none of the above excites you as an entree for your last meal – I would suggest you just stay home and have your brother grill you some of his beef tenderloin. There is nothing better!
Very deep thoughts this morning, Doc. And Chef Kenny will be very gratified, I’m sure, to know that you (rightly) think so highly of his beef tenderloin. It is succulent- although if I had to pick a last meal prepared by him for myself- his char dog is sine qua none. Thanks for this morsel of wisdom. But what? No Carl’s Chop House?
Thanks, Jimmy!! A great compliment from a Detroit guy who grew up dining at Carl’s Chophouse.
Looks like you’re on deck to create Jimmy’s last meal, Chef. Don’t get that grill ready for a long, long time.
First, I think your list should be called the “die(n) out menu.”
Second, I noticed there were no vegetarian meals on your list. After all, who has never had a veggie burger with a side of turnips and kale to die for?
Thirdly I can’t believe you left KFC off of your “Bucket” list.
Lastly, if I knew it was going to be my final meal, I would have the shrimp de jonghe from Myron & Phils, a half onion loaf block from Hackney’s (the full block is too filling), with a side of Kitchen Cooked potato chips (made in Farmington Illinois near Peoria), and the table side Caesar salad from Lowry’s (just for the show). Of course what great final meal would not be complete without dessert? I’m having trouble deciding between 3 desserts…key lime pie from Joe’s Stone Crabs, peanut butter and chocolate ice cream from Baskin Robbins, and a Frosty Malt from Wrigley Field. Oh what the heck, it’s my last meal…I’ll have all three!
That’s the spirit, Steve. But if you’d settle for shrimp de jonghe at Hugo’s, I’ll join you. And why wait until we’re too old to chew? Good dessert choices, too, btw. Even on my deathbed, I would still ask for four forks.
Hopefully my next trip to Chicago will happen when my house isn’t on fire. (The hazard of Southern California.) Hugo’s it is. We can even go next-door to Gibson’s for a small dessert. But I think we’ll need 8 forks.
LOL! And you’re on. 🙂
My choices for a last meal happen to be pizza or fried chicken prepared by 2 people who are no longer with us! Pizza first…made by John Petrie (head chef at the officers club in St. Louis back in the 60’s). John was from Greece and made the best deep dish pizza I ever tasted even before it was really popular. Last but not least, fried chicken made by my mom Ginny Lindeman. Mom was raised on a farm in Indiana and prepared chickens for a roadhouse when she was in her teens. Up until 1987 when she passed, family and friends always raved about her fried chicken meals. By the way, I used to love KFC also, but it is not prepared the same as in the past…….had some the other day and was totally disappointed. Bring back the Colonel!
Very nice choices, my friend. Really in the spirit of today’s post. Hopefully you will get some good chicken in Heaven. But let’s hold up your reservation there for awhile, ok? Thanks, Steve.
Fascinating! For me Nora Ephron has long been, and will always be, synonymous with “When Harry met Sally…”, “Sleepless in Seattle” and “You’ve got Mail”. (Anne and I did the three film marathon maybe 6 months ago) I had forgotten that she also did “Julie and Julia”, which we also enjoyed. One of the benefits of this blog and the accompanying video is that they flesh her out a bit for me; her mother’s sense that work more than anything else should be one’s life passion; her first taste of journalism being Lois Lane on the original “Superman” TV series; her hesitations when asked about something that really mattered to her, but which she had not really thought through enough to discuss in an interview (is there someone who really “got you”?)
And Ellen, your last (carryout) supper bucket list reminds me of one of my first and favorite restaurant meals: chicken croquettes in the 7th floor restaurant of Marshall Fields on State Street. I was really bummed out when they no longer offered them.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the clip, Jay. Glad I could get you two better acquainted. And I forgot about those chicken croquettes. I loved them too. Merci, mon brave.
Tasty blog Ellen but it would be the Chili at Chasen’s and the Ribs at Mary’s for me on your list. Although I might prefer a double Salmon Tartare appetizer at Michael Mina ( (with some Glenrothes neat) in Bellagio or the Young Chicken Sandwich with the Frozen Michachino at Serendipity III in NY…as always, fun reading!
Good choices all. But not to worry, Gar. I make the Chasen’s chili. Got the recipe from Maud Chasen herself. Come on over some night and you’ll try it out. (It was my dad’s favorite.) Thanks, pal.
Now that is good to know! BTW, I’d also have no problem trying Kenny’s grilled tenderloin too. Lisa cooks well and you guys seem to be chefs in your own right, but ALL my favorite meals are out.
Mine,too. I like my cooking but my last meal? Heck no!
Since this suppose to be my last meal I am going to make it last for a while. We’ll start at Wing Yee’s for egg roll and hot and sour soup. Next up is Fritzel’s for shrimp de jong. Trio for some tuna tartar. Charlie Trotter for his vegetarian tasting menu followed by beef tenderloin at The Bakery. Finally, dessert at Eli’s cheese cake mmmm.
Brilliant, Mitch. I never thought of that! How epicurious of you. And that Beef Wellington at the Bakery? I loved that, and had completely forgotten about it. This was terrific. I have gained weight just reading it. And RIP Charlie Trotter. Let’s hope he’s up there cooking for Nora and Julia right now,
INTERESTING CHOICES BUT WOULD PREFER HEARING WHAT YOU WOULD ORDER FROM EXISTING RESTAURANTS. I NEED TO TASTE THEM NOW SO I CAN DECIDE WHICH WOULD BE MY LAST MEAL.
If I was with you there would be only one choice- lasagna at Washington Gardens. Your parents would have picked something from Fritzel’s, I bet.
YOU WOULD DEFINITELY WIN THE BET. FROGGIES IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE RESTAURANT BUT ABOUT TO CLOSE.
Gino’s sausage pizza which I ate at night while an intern at Passavant. I also liked the Beef Wellington at The Bakery. And for dessert, Schraft’s (New York) coffee ice cream with hot fudge.
All delicious choices. I had forgotten about Schraft’s. Legendary. Thanks, David.
Vincent Capra is actually my great grandfather, His son Benny Capra who also worked at Capra’s was my Grandfather and became a very successful Chef in Carrollton, GA. I actually have eating “Veal Francese” before and didn’t even realize that it was one my great grandfather’s dishes. I have heard so many stories about Capra’s, from Frank Sinatra buying an outside awning and having it sent to the restaurant so he could sit outside, to returning astronauts from the moon asking for their first meal on earth to be catered by Vincent. It’s nice to see that people remember him years after he has passed on.
Wow! Thanks, Jacob. Great to hear from you and really great to hear Vincent Capra lore straight from the horse’s mouth. Loved it. 🍷