The Street Seen: Food Maven's Mexico Move
Main Street
Belfast-born chef & restauranteur Geraldine (Gerri) Gilliland came to the US in 1975 with her training in classical French cuisine and home economics. A major force on the hospitality scene in Santa Monica and its environs since 1984, she is retiring to Mexico.
Gilliland's (1984 - 1998) 2424 Main Street
Gilliland opened her first restaurant, the eponymous Gilliland’s, in 1984, in the former Willie Tiffany’s Café1 space. Not wanting to operate 4 restaurants, Gilliland closed Gilliland’s in 1998. The space has since seen a few restaurants2 come and go - and is now the Little Prince.
Lula Cocina Mexicana (1991 - now) 2720 Main Street
In 1991, Gilliland opened her second restaurant on Main St, Lula Cocina Mexicana, named for her Mexican food mentor, Mexico City chef Lula Bertran, after the previous tenant, Café Pelican,3 closed.
Jake & Annie's (1993 - 2001) 2702 Main Street
In 1993, Gilliland opened her third restaurant on Main St, Jake & Annie's, an American café, in the former Merlin McFly’s4 space. It was named for Jake & Annie Diersdorff who had opened a Main St café (in the current Lula space) in 1934.
Finn McCool’s Irish Pub (2002 - 2019) 2702 Main Street
In 2001, Gilliland closed Jake & Annie’s and on St. Patrick’s Day in 2002, opened in its place, Finn McCool’s Irish Pub. Finn McCool’s (a re-assembled Irish pub from her late stepfather’s pub in Northern Ireland) is named for the legendary Irish giant. In Jamesons, she found a new operator to honor the building’s recent history.
Washington Street Bar & Grill (1997 -2001) 3016 Washington Blvd, Marina Del Rey
In 1997, Gilliland bought the long-dark Black Whale out of bank foreclosure and was now operating 4 restaurants. Washington Street Bar & Grill opened featuring Santa Maria-style barbeque. It is now C&O Cucina.5
Gilliland’s replaced Willie Tiffany’s café at 2424 Main St. William W. Tiffany also owned Willie T’s, which is now Tavern on Main.
Gilliland’s was sold in 1998 to the owners of Trattoria Amici Beverly Hills and became Trattoria Amici Mare.
Naresh Mehta (who also owned Rose Cafe, Firehouse, and Dhaba) tried several concepts (MyBar, Naresh’s) at this location.
Fork in the Road returned to life in 2016 following a 2015 kitchen fire. In 2018 chef Ari Taymor opened Little Prince.
The Café Pelican was part of the Southern California Pelican Seafood Restaurants chain.
Merlin McFly’s, opened in 1979, was notable for its décor which included nine stained glass windows depicting Merlin and other names from magic and sorcery. Merlin McFly’s was part of a McFly’s chain of bars / grills across California - Maxwell, Maestro, Maggie, Sly, and Sky McFly’s. When Merlin McFly’s closed, the windows were sold and later put into a stained glass museum.
The Black Whale in Marina Del Rey opened in 1964 and closed in 1995.
