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Hamburger Hamlet and Kate Mantilini founders Marilyn and Harry Lewis were given an inexplicable amount of ink in Sunday’s New York Times Magazine. Lynn Hirschberg has written “Queen of the Hamlet,” a flattering profile of 73-year-old Marilyn Lewis’ career as a restauranteur, clothing designer and film producer. Amanda Hesser follows up with the corollary, “The Way We Eat: When Harry Met Marilyn,” a light historical piece on Hamburger Hamlet that includes recipes for the restaurant’s famous Lobster Bisque and Cherries Jubilee.

One of the motivations for the two stories seems to be Mantilini architect Thom Mayne’s recent Pritzker Architecture Prize. Another, of course, is the suggestion that the Lewis’ altered the way Hollywood eats by serving quality meals to the hoi polloi. Hesser intimates that Marilyn Lewis was also an early proponent of the no-carb craze: “For actresses trying to trim their waistlines, Marilyn would prescribe a hamburger with no bun and a side of sauerkraut.” The writer also suggests that Spago, the Ivy and Jar are pricey iterations of the Hamburger Hamlet of days yore.

Hirschberg’s story does answer the question many have asked since Kate Mantilini opened in the 80’s (other than, Why can’t they get some decent bagels?). Apparently Kate Mantilini was the name of Marilyn Lewis’s uncle’s mistress in the 40’s. Why she made an impression on Marilyn Lewis remains unknown.

If you are a retro Hollywood clothing fan, Cardinali, Marilyn Lewis’ short-lived clothing line, will be displayed at Decades on Melrose next month. One of the pieces is “a metallic jumpsuit that Dyan Cannon wore on her first date with Cary Grant,” Hirschberg notes.

Photo credit: Matthias Vriens, New York Times