The Flame in 2015 (Photo by Frank Sabatini Jr.)
History, Hillcrest

Did You Know…

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

…that The Flame apartment building at 3780 Park Blvd in Hillcrest was once a steak and cocktail joint called The Garden of Allah? The restaurant, owned and built by locals Bill and Margaret Pickney, had burned down in 1954. But the couple rebuilt the structure and gave it a Mondrian-style facade, thus renaming it The Flame.

Per a conversation we had several years ago with South Park resident Tom Lovelle, his grandfather worked there as a chef from 1958 and through the early 60s. He had shared with us some old menus.

On a lunch-special sheet dated Sept. 28, 1959, the bill of fare included grilled swordfish almondine for $1.45 and a “french fried turkey burger” for $1.25. From the regular menu, whole baby lobster was a mere $3.25, and peach melba was only 50 cents.

After shuttering, the building sat dark for a number of years until local resident Carla Coshow and four partners bought the property in 1984 and transformed it into a lesbian bar. The bar operated with much success until 2004.

Today, it’s owned by Hillcrest developer James Nicholas, who transformed the structure into a stylish six-unit apartment building while keeping the historic signage and facade.