I know of two LITTLE HENRY'S in San Francisco. One is Downtown, at 955 Larkin, but that was not the one at which I met my old friend BAMBO-BAMBO recently for lunch. My LITTLE HENRY'S, its sister, clings to a corner in the fog, out by the Ocean at 3600 Balboa Street (@37th Ave. Ph 415-387-8761). On this day in mid-February, when I jumped off the #31 Balboa Muni Bus, the sun was actually out before Noon. It was bright and balmy and neighborhood people were already scurrying into the venerable Balboa Movie Theater, one of our objectives for that day. Double features, announced the marquee: 1) *A BEAUTIFUL MIND and *MY NAME IS SAM; 2) *MULHOLLAND DRIVE and *THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE.

I had been down at Kaiser Hospital to have my blood pressure checked, and to the Court House collecting the papers for my law suit. I bought a medium-size cup of coffee at the Sugar Shack, next to the Theater, and sat down on a little bench out front to wait for BAMB0-BAMBO. I reflected that these short three blocks of old commercial development, like myself perhaps, are an endangered species in this San Francisco neighborhood (like the patch in the Excelsior which harbors the authentic Italian *GRANADA CAFE). The convenience and novelty shops, hairdressers, bars, coffee places -- and Little Henry's -- are run mostly by Asians now, and serve an older population of retirees, or a younger one of ocean and beach lovers.

As I was deep in reverie, BAMBO-BAMBO appeared suddenly in a blaze of moist sunlight.

Just as there are two LITTLE HENRY'S, there are two BAMBO-BAMBO's. One is a kindly mentor, who sits on his lonely balcony down the Coast staring at the molten gun metal sea, writing his memoirs, and dreaming of his bird in Tulsa. The other is a tough-smoking, crew-headed, San Francisco-bred Son of a Bogart, always out for adventure. The two BAMBO-BAMBO's together dictated shortly that we would take in the Noon showing of MULHOLLAND DRIVE (third time for me, first time for him), ignore THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE, and have a late lunch at LITTLE HENRY'S, as planned.

[In recent years, both BAMBO-BAMBO's like to be tucked up at home by Sundown.]

I might note that a matinee at the Balboa Theater combined with a $6.95 lunch special at LITTLE HENRY'S is one of the great unknown economical afternoons-out of San Francisco. Threatened with being razed for a parking lot or turned into a fitness center, like so many of its sisters, the Balboa was bought recently by a movie buff, who offers a $4.50 double feature matinee of the off-beat and very best current movies. (I had last been there to see Barbet Schoeder's *OUR LADY OF THE ASSASSINS and another provocative film).

BAMBO-BAMBO, always hungry, picked up a bag of popcorn. We looked admiringly at an original lobby one-sheet poster of Orson Welles' *THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI; and then we plunged into an unfortunately quarter-full theater for two and a half hours of masterful David Lynch Noir Movie madness.

When we emerged a bit after 2:30, the weather had turned cool, and we were both hungry.

LITTLE HENRY'S opens at 10:30 every morning for breakfast (served until 5 p. m.). The 14 breakfasts are good and of average price: $4.50 for Hot Cakes or French Toast to New York Steak and Eggs at $9.95. The Restaurant offers lunch from 11 a.m. til 3 p.m., and stays open for dinner from 5 until 10 p.m. seven days a week. (It offers a great service to this somewhat isolated neighborhood.)

We were interested in the Lunch Specials at the aforementioned price of $6.95. Served with Garlic Bread, they consist of Veal Parmigiana, Roast Chicken, Veal Cutlette, Chicken Parmigana, Grilled Pork Chops, Italian Sausage, Hamburger Steak, and Lemon Chicken -- All served with Spaghetti Meat Sauce. Ox Tail Stew comes with Linguini or Rice, and Linguini Clam with Red or White Sauce.

In addition, the regular menu has four Appetizers, 23 Pasta dishes, eight Seafood Items, four choices of Veal, eight Chicken preparations, and six of Pork or Beef. The Appetizers are all $7.95 (Steamed Clams in Savory White Stock w/White Wine, for instance). The Pastas run from Spaghetti and Meat Balls ($6.95) to Half Ravioli/Half Vegetable ($7.95) to the Combination Plater (Eggplant and Lasagna, $8.95). A Salad or Soup on the side is $2.00, and other Sides such as Fries or the Special Full Sauteed Vegetable Plate go from $3.95 to $4.50.

The five Veal Entrees are all $10.95 and feature such dishes as Veal Scalopini (Sauteed with Mushrooms, Lemon or Spaghetti Sauce) or Veal Piccata (in Butter, Capers and Lemon Sauce).

The eight Chicken Entrees are $8.95 and run from Chicken Alfredo to Chicken Cacciatore (Half Chicken, Bell Peppers, Onions and Mushrooms).

All entrees feature Vegetables and Rigatoni or Spaghetti. A substitution of Ravioli is 75 cents.

The eight Seafood Dinners come with Vegetable, Rigatoni or Spaghetti, Salad or Soup, choice of dressings, and vary in price from $12.95 (e.g., Shrimp Sautee, sauteed w/Garlic, Tomato and White Wine) to $14.95 (e.g., Ciopino -- Crabs, Clams, and Calamari in a Tomato Sauce).

The six Meat Dinners are accompanied by the above culinary accoutrements (-- plus Bread and Butter noted). The Hamburger Steak or Grilled Pork Chops are $8.95. Breaded Pork Chops are $10.95, and the Beef dishes, such as a 14 oz T-Bone Steak, are $14.95.

In addition, LITTLE HENRY'S has a variety of Hot Sandwiches, served on French Roll w/Fries for $4.95 (i.e, Meat Ball Sandwich). And six Cheese Steak Sandwiches -- thinly sliced Rib-eye Steak chopped on the grill with Onion, served on Soft Italian Roll with Fries -- for $5.95 (small) or $7.95 (large). Examples: Philly Cheese Steak (with melted American Cheese), Pizza Cheese Steak (Tomato Sauce, melted Mozzarello Cheese) or Plain, etc.

A selection of soft drinks, coffee, teas, cocoa, juices are priced from $1.25 to $2.50. Domestic Beers are $2.50 and Imported $2.75. House White, Red or Rose Wine is available at $2.50 a glass; or Red and White by the half liter for $4.95 or the full liter, $9.95.

We entered door at the corner. LITTLE HENRY'S is very simple. A dozen light moire Formica tables are in the front and down the right side. A counter on the left, a third of the way back, goes to the kitchen. An Asian Hostess greeted us and, it being beyond the normal lunch hour, let us sit where we pleased. A waiter brought us menus, glasses, water, napkins and utensils. BAMBO-BAMBO indicated that a carafe of red wine would be a good start.

We settled quickly on the Veal Parmigiana for him and the Chicken Parmigiana for me. The wine came, and while we waited, we discussed MULHOLLAND DRIVE. BAMBO-BAMBO was bowled over, as I have been every time I see it (understanding a touch more each time). He focused on the idea that the 1960's Doo-Wop singers recreated on a movie set were a "key" to the MULHOLLAND DRIVE'S meaning, somehow following the theme that everything is re-cycled in Hollywood.

[BAMBO-BAMBO has since researched "I Told Every Little Star," sung by a Linda Scott surrogate in the Movie, and as I thought, it dates far back, to Oscar Hammerstein and Jerome Kern in 1932's Music in the Air on Broadway (sung by Walter Slezak!), BAMBO-BAMBO discovered, but realistically, we were unable to connect the Movie with the fact that later, in 1945, the 60 year-old dying Kern was roused briefly from a stroke-coma in a charity ward (where, unrecognized, he had been taken) by Hammerstein singing him those lyrics!]

We were still talking excitedly and drinking our vino ordinari, when our waiter brought our plates: a Veal Cutlet pounded, dipped in egg and then Parmesan Cheese and sauteed; a pounded Chicken Breast similarly treated -- each resting on a bed of slightly overcooked Spaghetti and Meat Sauce, with some vegetables, and a slice French Garlic bread on the side of each dish.

We passed up dessert but had coffee. The whole thing came to a total of $19.75. A most satisfying simple lunch.

We retired across the street to The Hockey Haven, an old roost of the peripatetic BAMBO-BAMBO, for a Rusty Nail. We agreed that we had not had a more satisfying meal together since we took a visiting Robin to *THE ORIGINAL OLD CLAM HOUSE below Bernal Heights. The light was failing outside, and all to quickly, I was reluctantly putting my old friend on a hurtling #31 Express which would race the Sun west and south into a gathering fog bank.

LITTLE HENRY'S by itself is a recommended Three Star Restaurant. With movies like MULHOLLAND DRIVE or THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE (the best films of the year, and not nominated for Oscars), it might seem even better.

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For my reviews of Restaurants and Movies mentioned in this Epinion, copy, paste the URL's below and go to the following sites:

THE GRANADA CAFE --

http://www.epinions.com/rest-review-7E7E-DF75274-39FCE9CB-prod2


THE ORIGINAL OLD CLAM HOUSE --

http://www.epinions.com/content_52097879684

----------------

THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI --

http://www.epinions.com/mvie-review-7FE6-1372ED58-38FA6B62-prod3

MULHOLLAND DRIVE --

http://www.epinions.com/content_41824587396


THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS --

http://www.epinions.com/content_51744771716

A BEAUTIFUL MIND --

http://www.epinions.com/content_51584732804

I AM SAM --

http://www.epinions.com/content_54051901060

OUR LADY OF THE ASSASSINS --

http://www.epinions.com/content_40908590724

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For a list of all Macresarf1's Epinions, indexed by category, copy, past to your search browser and go to the following --

http://www.epinions.com/content_2514526340







Recommended: Yes

Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Try one of the out of the way dishes like Ox Tails or Cioppino.
Best Suited For: Friends