Tasting Arcadia

Episode 17 - The World Famous Derby

• Karen Mac Nair • Season 2 • Episode 17

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Step into a century of culinary history as Tasting Arcadia with Karen Mac Nair welcomes Tyler from The Derby, Arcadia's legendary World Famous Derby that has been serving the community for an astounding 103 years. Our conversation unveils the fascinating journey of this iconic establishment, from its humble beginnings as the Proctor Tavern in 1922 to becoming a treasured landmark. Also, sharing what The Derby is bringing to the Taste of Arcadia!

For more information and tickets to the Taste of Arcadia visit TasteOfArcadia.com.

Follow us on social media. Join us for another episode of Tasting Arcadia.


John Villa:

Welcome to Tasting Arcadia, the official podcast of Taste of Arcadia. Taste of Arcadia is an all-inclusive event featuring food and drinks from the San Gabriel Valley restaurants, all for one price Sample food, wine, beer and spirits. Check out our brand new cars, visit our business showcase booths, smile at our photo booth and shake it on the dance floor with me, john Villa from Dance Syndicate DJ Entertainment. Taste of Arcadia is September 13th at Santa Anita Park. The fun goes from 2 to 6 pm, with special VIP entrance at 1 pm. Don't forget this is a 21 and over event. Get your tickets today at tasteofarcadiacom. Now let's hear it for our host, karen McNair.

Karen Mac Nair:

Thanks, john, for that wonderful introduction. It's so fun to have John from Dance Syndicate as part of our podcast. Welcome everyone. I'm Karen McNair, the CEO of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, on another podcast of Tasting Arcadia Boy. It has been a blast getting to see everyone who's going to be at Taste of Arcadia. As John had mentioned, we are having an event on September 13th. You can go to tasteofarcadiacom to get your tickets today. You better get them quick, you don't want to miss out or have it sold out. So we have a special guest today from the world famous Derby drum roll, please today.

Tyler Zikuski:

From the World Famous Derby drumroll, please, is our close friend, I feel like family member, absolutely, Tyler, welcome.

Karen Mac Nair:

We're so excited to have you.

Tyler Zikuski:

Excited to be here and be part of Taste of Arcadia.

Karen Mac Nair:

Thank you so much. We're going to learn a little bit about the Derby today. We have wine here, and I said that so excited.

Tyler Zikuski:

We have wine.

Karen Mac Nair:

This is the first. Well, no, that's not true. This is the first wine podcast we've had. We've had beer so far, we've had wonderful food, we have a splash of dessert and some beautiful wines we're going to talk about today. But before we get into that, let's talk about the Derby and the business. Where are you located?

Tyler Zikuski:

We are on Huntington Drive in wonderful Arcadia, 233 East Huntington, and we have been there for 103 years, so you're new to the neighborhood, brand new.

Karen Mac Nair:

That was a bad dad joke. Oh well, I'm still laughing at it. Okay, what are your hours of operation? When are you open?

Tyler Zikuski:

We are open Tuesdays through Sundays for dinner every day. Thursdays and Fridays. We are open for lunch. Saturdays and Sundays we do have brunch from 1030 to 3 to 230,. Excuse me, we do have happy hour every day until 6 pm. On lunch days it begins at 3, and every other day it begins at 4.

Karen Mac Nair:

Okay, great, you'm excited. You had me at brunch. I quit listening after that. I was just daydreaming about having a mimosa right now.

Tyler Zikuski:

Our brunch menu is a newer addition to our offerings, but it's been going extremely well and the food is amazing.

Karen Mac Nair:

That's so good to hear. It's such well. It's warmer out today, so it's so exciting just to have a place that you can sit and have brunch and relax and enjoy a wonderful menu.

Tyler Zikuski:

Yes, indoor and outdoor dining available.

Karen Mac Nair:

So tell us a little bit about history of our wonderful World Famous Derby. I feel like there's so much to talk about with you guys in history, yes, okay. So how did the Derby get started?

Tyler Zikuski:

So we started in 1922 as the Proctor Tavern in Arcadia.

Karen Mac Nair:

Okay, wait, so it wasn't called the Derby in the beginning.

Tyler Zikuski:

It was not called the Derby, it was the. They referred to it as the original subway. It was a spot closer to the track that opened for jockeys and race fans to go after the races and enjoy themselves.

Karen Mac Nair:

I did not know that. Yes, I like the fun facts Okay continue.

Tyler Zikuski:

So we moved up the street. In the 30s George Wolfe, the jockey that rode Seabiscuit, purchased the restaurant and he owned it until his death at Santa Anita. His wife took over after that and then it was family owned ever since then. Wow so when you walk in, there's a glass Showcase, showcase.

Karen Mac Nair:

Thank you for the words. If you can't see me, if you're watching on YouTube, I use my hands.

Tyler Zikuski:

I speak, karen. It's okay, thank you.

Karen Mac Nair:

The showcase is there Little bits and pieces from history, past memorabilia, all the exciting things. How did you come about all that?

Tyler Zikuski:

Yes, so the collection has been added to over the years. Over our century that we've been there. We have memorabilia going back to the early 1900s up to present. Jockeys have donated it, families of jockeys, people that are race fans. It's just been a collection that's grown over time. We actually have so much memorabilia that we can't fit it in our showcases and we have storage units so we rotate through what is actually presented at the restaurant.

Karen Mac Nair:

Oh my goodness. Okay, setup day, I'm there. I just want to sit with a dirty martini and watch to see what's going in the showcase. That is an Instagram post.

Tyler Zikuski:

Yeah, sorry, I keep telling people what they should put on Instagram, on the podcast, but I just see it in my mind.

Karen Mac Nair:

Other question I've always had you're sitting in the lounge, the bar area. There's a beautiful bar and up top they're caricatures.

Tyler Zikuski:

Yes.

Karen Mac Nair:

Tell me a little bit about who those people are and how did they get there?

Tyler Zikuski:

So there was a caricature artist that would come into the restaurant and would draw the jockeys. So they had a big event and they drew jockeys and they've been up there ever since. Wow.

Karen Mac Nair:

Yeah that, that's so cool. I sit there and wonder the stories behind all of them. Okay, let's dive into what's happening at the Derby today. Um, tell me a little bit favorite thing you're serving right now for you, I would have to go with our prime rib.

Tyler Zikuski:

You can not go wrong with our prime rib. It's always tender and flavorful. Our bacon-wrapped filet it's actually the only item that has been on the menu since the restaurant opened, really, yes, everything else has changed throughout the years, but the bacon-wrapped filet is the only item remaining, so that's phenomenal. It's an 8-ounce center cut filet, mignon wrapped in apple wood, smoked bacon and grilled to perfection.

Karen Mac Nair:

So my husband and I have a favorite right. Yes, the Chateaubriand.

Tyler Zikuski:

Absolutely.

Karen Mac Nair:

It is delicious.

Tyler Zikuski:

Yes, and our Chateaubriand is flambéed table side. So we have a couple of things that we flambé, which is not all that common anymore, so the Chateaubriand being one of them, and then our baked Alaska, our signature baked Alaska it's fun on your birthday or anniversaries let them know.

Karen Mac Nair:

So not only do, are they extra kind, but you get a wonderful dessert afterwards. Um, your chef inspiration behind the menu. I know you're you're based on classic and tradition, but I do know that there are special flavors and things that have been added, changed, continue to change. Why don't you share a little bit about that?

Tyler Zikuski:

Yes, absolutely. We do try to hold to the tradition of the restaurant. We are a steakhouse, so we are heavy on the steaks. Our seafood is phenomenal, I would say. Our chef's inspiration is really sourcing from the best purveyors and bringing in the freshest ingredients possible so that we can uphold what has kept the Derby there for over a century. All of us that are there now have a big passion for our job and our role is to continue rolling for another hundred years.

Karen Mac Nair:

I do agree Right now. Do you have the meatballs right now?

Tyler Zikuski:

We do On the menu, okay.

Karen Mac Nair:

Had those. I was encouraged to go out of the box and try something new, because I do feel like when I arrive, my heart is already set on what I'm having. The meatballs were delicious.

Tyler Zikuski:

Yes, chef Sal's Spiced Meatballs, so they're a little bit of a different spin. They're not your traditional Italian meatball, a little bit of a spicy sauce. But Chef Sal has been there for almost 30 years, along with a lot of our staff that have been there for almost 30 years, along with a lot of our staff that have been there for a long time, so it was inspired after him.

Karen Mac Nair:

I really feel like that showed me with how your menu could be traditional but yet inspired with a new twist. And you go and I feel like I go regularly. You still have different things on the menu, which is great, so thank you for that. You're welcome. What is a way as a community? We love that you're here. I feel like people talk about you all the time, but how can we continue to support your business?

Tyler Zikuski:

Just come in and see us. We are a celebration-driven restaurant. We celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions. What's really cool about being there is seeing people coming back for generations. I have guests that come in all the time and tell me that they came with their grandparents when they were children, and now they are bringing their grandchildren in, and Karen's continuing the tradition with her family as well, which is awesome, my grandson but it's.

Tyler Zikuski:

It's the history behind it is so cool. So just continue to come out and see us Come out. Check out Happy Hour if you're not looking for a full meal. We do have our bar and lounge menu as well, so there's something for everybody out there. We also do have our three-course menu, which I think we wanted to talk about as well. Yes, our Taste of Arcadia menu, which is three courses for $67 for dinner, two courses for $67 for dinner, two courses for $35 for lunch, and then you can add on dessert at lunch for an extra $12. Dessert, or a cocktail, actually.

Karen Mac Nair:

I didn't know you had two courses at lunch. Yes Gosh, oh my gosh, I need to pay attention.

Tyler Zikuski:

Yep Thursdays and Fridays.

Karen Mac Nair:

Dang it, tyler. Now I'm not leaving on Thursdays, I'm doing lunch and dinner.

Tyler Zikuski:

Perfect.

Karen Mac Nair:

So you had mentioned just kind of the community. I feel like that's something I'm most proud of as being part of the Derby family as a guest there often. What's something you're most proud of?

Tyler Zikuski:

Something I am most proud of, honestly, what our team pulls off to uphold the standards. The restaurant industry is not easy and every day, in and out, our team is able to show up and do an amazing job and, like I said, preserve what has been the Derby. We have big shoes to fill and every day we step up and do our best to do that.

Karen Mac Nair:

Yeah it. I mean. You guys do a great job and it's just amazing to see. Thank you. So lots of questions talked about me being part of the Chamber of Commerce. We get phone calls a lot. What is this? I hear the Derby is changing, moving well, so he is working on a mixed use development that is centered around preserving the Derby.

Tyler Zikuski:

Throughout the process, his main goal has been to again preserve the Derby and keep us there for another century. So he's working with a developer that stands behind his vision and passion for the restaurant and we're going to have a great space that is based off of tradition. We're still going to hang on to our red leather boots, our stained glass windows, everything that has been the Derby for so long, and just move into the next generation here.

Karen Mac Nair:

I love that because I just feel like when you're in a building that is aging, sometimes it's hard to do modern business in a hundred year old building. So I'm happy that there will be upgrades, but yet you're still true to the history and who you are as a business and who we are as a community. So I love that. So the rumor that you're closing is not true.

Tyler Zikuski:

That is not true, we will be open. Closing is not true. That is not true. We will be open. There may be a short period during our transition out of our current space a week or two that we will be moving our equipment and whatnot, but we are not closing. We will not be closing. We will be open in a temporary location close by and we are very excited to announce that location, but not quite ready yet.

Karen Mac Nair:

I was going to do a drumroll, got to wait, got going to do a drumroll. Gotta wait, gotta wait. No drumroll, yet no drumroll.

Tyler Zikuski:

But we are very excited to announce where we will be and in our temporary space. We will be remodeling that space to feel as much like the Derby as we can so our guests that have been coming for so long are able to get a taste of home.

Karen Mac Nair:

I love that. So the new year will bring new adventures for the Derby, but you will be here, you'll be part. We can support, still be around and just exciting to see the next. So my grandson let's put it that way can still be here and take me there when I'm old.

Tyler Zikuski:

Absolutely.

Karen Mac Nair:

Okay, let's go into taste of Arcadia. So not only are you bringing this wonderful dessert we're going to talk about in a minute, but you've also partnered with some wonderful drink vendors and we're going to start off there. Is that okay with you?

Tyler Zikuski:

That works for me.

Karen Mac Nair:

Share. If you're watching us on YouTube, you can see there's the hands pointing out. There's one, two, three, four, three, four, five, six bottles of drinks and we are not going to drink all of that right now oh, tyler, sad just kidding. Why don't you tell us a little bit about what's in front of us?

Tyler Zikuski:

so we have amazing partners, um that I've reached out to to be part of taste of arcadia with us this year, um, dow vineyards being one of them. Most of us know Dow and love Dow, a Paso-based winery. They will be sampling a selection of their wines and have a booth near ours, sazerac, which is a larger distillery. They will be joining us as well. And then Cutwater I have their spirits in front of us today, but they will be having their ready-to-drink cocktails. So, like the pre-mixed margaritas that come in a can, ready to go, perfect for the beach or perfect for a taste of Arcadia. So, yeah, we have amazing partners as well, as Cisco, los Angeles will be joining us, featuring some of their food items.

Karen Mac Nair:

As well, as cisco, los angeles will be joining us, featuring some of their food items as well so exciting just to have um so many great community partners that still want to get the word out about their business even though they're so well established. I feel like every name or as I look at these bottles we've known, but I love that they're still community um driven and still want to be part. So round of applause to them, them Okay, I do have a glass of a beautiful red in front of me.

Tyler Zikuski:

We have our Dow pessimist.

Karen Mac Nair:

Okay, Tell me a little bit about. I know you don't actually work for Dow, but I'll give them a little plug.

Tyler Zikuski:

I've been a couple of times.

Karen Mac Nair:

Okay.

Tyler Zikuski:

So pessimist is a red blend. This is the 2022 that we have today. It's a delicious jammy red. It goes really well with steaks. It is featured by the glass at the Derby, so we do have this available, as well as Dow's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, which is phenomenal as well.

Karen Mac Nair:

And I am a fan of the Sauvignon Blanc for Dow also. That's a great happy hour.

Tyler Zikuski:

All three of those are actually featured by the glass.

Karen Mac Nair:

Oh, yay, okay, we're going to take a sip. Cheers, clink, I just made you drink. Oh, that is good right mm-hmm.

Tyler Zikuski:

I love Paso Reds.

Karen Mac Nair:

They have a very different um flavor profile than Napa um, so it's it's a good vibe with the steak you know you mentioned it's a blend, but it's got um, it's got such a distinct flavor it doesn't taste like a traditional blend no, like dark cherry notes. Yes okay, thank you. You're welcome, which is gonna go great. I'm gonna segue right into our dessert. Yes, what do I have in front of me?

Tyler Zikuski:

so we will be featuring, as we always do at taste of arcadia, um, our whiskey, warm whiskey bread pudding. Um, with a jack daniel's cream sauce. So it's a vanilla bread pudding with a Jack Daniels cream sauce. So it's a vanilla bread pudding with a whiskey cream sauce and some caramel as well. It has been on the Derby menu for over 60 or 70 years. At this point, it is what we're known for. There was one event in Arcadia where we did not bring the bread pudding, and we will never do that again.

Karen Mac Nair:

He was so mad. Tyler's talking. I'm laughing because I already have my spoon filled.

Tyler Zikuski:

I want you to try it.

Karen Mac Nair:

Beautiful bread pudding. It's so good. Okay, here we go. Mmm, the sauce Delicious, creamy. You said Jack Daniels, jack Daniels whiskey. Wow, the sauce delicious creamy. You said jack daniel's, jack daniel's whiskey. Wow, did not know that. Yeah, so good, creamy, delicious. Now in the three course, this is one of the options for a dessert choice, right?

Tyler Zikuski:

it is. We have that, our cheesecake and our chocolate cake, um, all of which are made in-house daily, um, we, we've been doing it for a long time and they are, they are the staples that we, uh, we can't get away from okay, this is delicious.

Karen Mac Nair:

It's going to grow great. With your dow wine tasting as you're walking around, uh, san anita park the day of, even if it's a little warm out, you can have a glass of wine to cool down with this beautiful bread pudding. You can't beat it. I mean, it's the best.

Tyler Zikuski:

And the best part is, when you come to the Derby booth, not only can you get our whiskey bread pudding, we will be featuring our filet tips with blueberry port wine reduction, so that we also brought last year. But it's also a crowd favorite Tender filet mignon with a port wine blueberry reduction sauce.

Karen Mac Nair:

Okay, that is one of my favorites too. You don't talk about this often, but your filet made me think of if I want to host a gathering, a party, a business meeting, a reception, for something I could do it at the Derby.

Tyler Zikuski:

Absolutely. We have a banquet team dedicated to organizing events. We have multiple event spaces that can seat between as small as 10 to 20 people, that go up to 120 people. We've hosted weddings, celebrations of lives, really any event you can imagine birthday parties, anniversaries um, we've done it all. We're very good at it. Um, what's cool about coming to the derby for your event is our food is what you get when you come for dinner yes, I so snaps I so agreed for that anytime you come it's, the quality is still there, which is amazing yes, you're not getting banquet quality food?

Tyler Zikuski:

um you are getting the best of the best. Um three course menus offered as well as buffet options, um that can meet your price point.

Karen Mac Nair:

Okay, I'm going to bring up something else that I love at the Derby your ice cream Sunday. It is a Karen favorite right now with the heat. Uh, the other day we came in just to have that and a drink.

Tyler Zikuski:

Perfect.

Karen Mac Nair:

So can you share with everyone my obsession the ice cream sundae.

Tyler Zikuski:

Yes, our ice cream sundae is actually a newer item on the menu. It is vanilla ice cream whipped cream. I should have you go through the ingredients. Really, we have our.

Karen Mac Nair:

I'm drinking my wine right now. Keep talking. We have our crumbled pistachio brittle.

Tyler Zikuski:

I'm drinking my wine right now. Keep talking. We have our crumbled pistachio brittle. So every time you come to the Derby we also offer a pistachio brittle to take home with you, which I love A little. Thank you present from us. But it's got crumbled pistachio brittle on top. Chocolate, hot fudge, a cherry, I feel like. I'm missing something, but I'm running through it?

Karen Mac Nair:

Does it have pistachios itself?

Tyler Zikuski:

It does have pistachios as well, yeah.

Karen Mac Nair:

It just adds a little bit of crunch.

Tyler Zikuski:

I have a feeling I'm going to see Karen later. I know I've talked about it enough.

Karen Mac Nair:

It is delicious, Yep it it. It's really good. Yes, I could talk about your menu for a long time. There's so many things I love, but I wanted to ask anything else you wanted to share anything.

Tyler Zikuski:

We're so excited to be part of Taste of Arcadia again. Um, it is such a fun time every year to come out, um and be a part of this community event, and it's surprising to see how many people have not been to the Derby when we do events like this. Um, so it's really cool to meet the community and, uh, give a little sampling of what we have to offer.

Karen Mac Nair:

For everyone listening, we do. The chamber does a monthly networking at noon event at the Derby. You can go to arcadiacachamberorg to find out more. But while we're there we ask people to raise their hands if you have not been to the Derby, and it is amazing, in a group of 45 or so there's at least six to eight people who had not been to the Derby before.

Tyler Zikuski:

Every time.

Karen Mac Nair:

And I feel when you're over a hundred years old, there should be that many hands everywhere, but it's. It is amazing. It is a great place to see. It is a great piece of history. Oh, I have one more question.

Tyler Zikuski:

We're almost done. I'm excited, I know.

Karen Mac Nair:

Movies how many movies have been filmed there?

Tyler Zikuski:

We have done a lot of movies at the Derby throughout the years. Some of the biggest ones that we've done are Step Brothers. Oh my gosh, I love that. Yes, the Prestige World worldwide scene was in our club room. We've done this Is Us. More recently, I'm trying to think what else? Offhand Showtime, the Lakers Story.

Karen Mac Nair:

HBO that one's new too.

Tyler Zikuski:

Yeah, I have another sip of wine. Keep talking. We did Book Club. We've done many commercials over the years. We have a documentary filming coming up. Book club We've done many commercials over the years. We have a documentary filming coming up. So, yeah, we're busy. So if you're a location scout, we have the perfect location for you to film.

Karen Mac Nair:

Tyler, you do it all Absolutely Well. Thank you for being here. Thank you for being on this wonderful episode with us. I so appreciate it. Thank you for being part of Taste. I feel like every year we've done it. You are a staple in our community, so thank you for all you do.

Tyler Zikuski:

Thank you for having me and we're excited Sure.

Karen Mac Nair:

Just to let everyone know, go to tasteofarcadiacom to get your tickets today. Don't miss out. Taste of Arcadia is September 13th. Make sure you save the date and attend. It's at the wonderful Santa Anita Park, so we're so excited to get out there and taste all the wonderful food and drinks. So we will see you on the next episode. John, take us away.

John Villa:

Thank you, karen, for another great episode. You can hear us on YouTube, apple Podcasts, spotify, amazon Music and iHeart Radio. Don't forget, join us on September 13th at Santa Anita Park for Taste of Arcadia. You can get your tickets now at tasteofarcadiacom. Thanks again for joining us for Tasting Arcadia. We'll see you at the Taste.