Dulan’s on Crenshaw has been undergoing a major renovation but looks like it will be fully reopened soon. The neighborhood surrounding the iconic soul food spot has been transforming thanks to the $1 billion Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project, and owner Greg Dulan wants to make sure the restaurant keeps up with the changes.
In an interview with KBLA, Dulan said the remodeled location will have more indoor dining space, a new outdoor dining patio, a special area for events and two kitchens — one that will service customers dining in, and another to service to-go customers. Dulan’s menu will maintain its Southern staples like fried chicken, oxtails, smothered pork chops, collard greens and candied yams.
A James Beard Award finalist, Dulan also owns Dulan’s Soul Kitchen as well as a food truck called Dulanville. His father, Adolf Dulan, was crowned the “King of Soul Food” after opening Aunt Kizzy’s Back Porch in Marina del Rey, the area’s first soul food restaurant, which was frequented by celebrities like Janet Jackson and Kobe Bryant. Adolf also founded Hamburger City, which formerly had several outposts around Los Angeles. The Dulans’ illustrious family history will also be on display at the renovated space.
Dulan’s on Crenshaw is open with limited hours and will continue to have limited hours into the new year. Dulan could not immediately be reached for comment.
2017 LA article
Aunt Kizzy’s Back Porch and Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen, passed away on May 1.He was 83.
Dulan was born in Oklahoma and moved to Los Angeles to be a social worker. In 1975 he purchased an Orange Julius franchise, and two years later turned it into his own restaurant, Hamburger City, which at one point had five locations around town. It was a savvy move — L.A. loves burgers more than anything.
Adolf Dulan, the founder of legendary Los Angeles restaurants Hamburger City, Aunt Kizzy’s Back Porch and Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen, passed away on May 1.He was 83.
Dulan became a bit of a celebrity in these years, appearing in national commercials for Lawry’s Seasoned Salt.In the early 1980s, Dulan turned the biggest Hamburger City location, in Marina del Rey, into Aunt Kizzy’s Back Porch, a soul food restaurant that soon had both a local and celebrity clientele. The menu included a lot of baked meats, plus smothered pork chops, meatloaf and fried chicken, all served with cornbread. On weekends, brunch included chicken and waffles. The man knew what the city wanted.
He referred to himself as “The King of Soul Food,” and it’s fair to say that there wasn’t anyone else in Los Angeles bringing as much attention to the Southern cuisine. Aunt Kizzy’s eventually closed, but Dulan’s legacy lives on in two eponymous restaurants now run by his family: Dulan’s on Crenshaw and Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen.
Keep Dulan in mind next time you eat a gourmet burger or fancy mac and cheese or the city’s current food craze, fried chicken. His menus got us to this delicious place.