Back in the 1950s, Moretta Alexander leased a restaurant on the Californian coast that was, in her words, ‘in the middle of nowhere.’ 

The location was 22706 Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, a rural paradise that was just beginning to be developed. Today it is the site of the celebrity-favorite Nobu.

Moretta, a widow with young children, had worked in diners for most of her life and opening the Malibu Rendezvous was this pioneering woman’s chance at the big time.

The Malibu Rendezvous offered sophisticated cooking and was an immediate success, patronized by Hollywood types as well as non-industry people celebrating birthdays and wedding anniversaries.

‘Make believe you’re on an ocean liner,’ was one of Moretta’s catchphrases for the restaurant, overlooking the Pacific and located to the east of Malibu Pier.

Moretta died in 1952 but the Malibu Rendezvous continued in business till the 1960s.  The chef was Jean C Birgy, formerly of the Waldorf Astoria in New York, and the maitre d’ was George Brown.

The Malibu Rendezvous was mentioned in James Ellroy’s dark and stylish 1990 crime novel LA Confidential, which later became an Oscar-winning film.

After the restaurant closed, the location became Carlos and Pepe’s Sports Club, then the Nantucket Light and then The Windsail. Nobu opened its dramatic beachfront digs in 2012, on the parcel of land developed by Oracle software billionaire Larry Ellison.

This colorful menu cover, depicting the glorious Malibu coastline, is from the 1960s.