On this date in 1963, Kiko’s of Seal Beach opened the “Very In” room which displayed art by local artists. Owners Betty and Frank Semasko entertained a crowd of 75 guests, including Mayor Dean Gemmill and Mrs. Shirley Gemmill, Dixie and Dick Swift. Bonnie and Harry Orme, The Don Wolfs, Dr. and Mrs. Tanne Hill, and Vernon and Marilyn Leckman.
Kiko’s was located at 909 Ocean Avenue and is still missed with grand fondness today by its regular customers. The sandwich ingredients were exotic, and the sandwich names were eccentric. You could order “The Playboy,” “The Hofbrau,” “The Picadilly” and “The Danny Thomas Special,” which was a concoction of round steak, pine nuts, garlic, onion, and Near East spices jammed into a Lebanese roll.
Betty and Frank Semasko sold Kiko’s in 1972 and moved to Estoril, Portugal.
– Michael Dobkins
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