Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TAIX FRENCH
RESTAURANT
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In 1769, Gaspar de Portolá led a Spanish expedition to Alta California and discovered this quiet,
beautiful valley full of Gabriellino Indians. He named the river El Río de Nuestra Señora La Reina
de Los Angeles de Porciúncula, which translates to The River of Our Lady Queen of the Angels
of Porciúncula. The shorter version of the river's name, Los Angeles, eventually led to the name of
the city.
Spanish control over New Spain ended in 1821 with the declaration of independence by Mexico.
This opened the way for settlers from other nations to come to the Americas to seek their fortunes.
A large influx of French immigrants began to arrive in the Los Angeles area around 1828.
By 1832, the French settlers had planted the first vineyards in California using imported Eu-
ropean grapevines. Various others had discovered local wild grapes earlier and planted vineyards
using these varieties, but the French decided that it would be necessary to bring some samples of the
best vines from their homeland to capitalize on the local weather. Little did they realize how much
competition their efforts would eventually offer the French wine industry.
So many French immigrants came to California following the decline in Spain's influence that
by 1853, there were an estimated 28,000 French inhabitants. By 1860, almost 10 percent of the Los
Angeles population was French. In addition to working in wineries, they also worked in lumber
mills and flour mills and as ranchers, militiamen, vegetable and orange grove farmers, gold miners,
and butchers.
One of the early Los Angeles bakery shop owners was Jacques Taix, as were his five brothers.
They had arrived in Los Angeles from southeastern France around 1870, having considerable expe-
rience as bakers and sheepherders.
The Taix family stayed prominent in food service. In 1912, Marius Taix Sr. built a hotel called
the Champ d'Or in the French Quarter of downtown Los Angeles. The demands of their guests
prompted his son Marius Taix Jr. to open Taix French Restaurant in the hotel in 1927. Chicken
dinners were very popular at 50 cents each, both with guests and locals. Diners who preferred the
privacy of a booth over their family-style tables could get the same meal for 75 cents.
The Taix family moved the restaurant to its present location in 1962. They have exchanged
their family-style service for all private booths, but maintained their reputation for abundant por-
tions of French country cuisine at affordable prices. Now run by Marius's son, Raymond Taix, and
