Creator
Murray's
Title
À la carte
Coverage
New York City
Date
ca. 1910
Description
Murray’s was a fantastical restaurant located on 42nd Street across from the New Amsterdam Theater. It was the creation of visionary architectural decorator Henry Milos Erkins, who employed a wide variety of ancient styles and subjects. The dining rooms featured Japanese, Babylonian, and Roman motifs, among others, arguably making it the first theme restaurant. The ice cream desserts on this late supper menu have intriguing names like “Fashions of the Year 2000” and “Salome,” perhaps in reference to “A Vision of Salome” performed by interpretive dancer Maud Allan before sold-out audiences at Carnegie Hall in January of 1910. In February of that year, the Café Martin on Madison Square offered an ice cream dessert dubbed “Coupe Maud Allan.”