Yep. I looked up the restaurant because as I said, my mom worked the takeout window as a teenager and my dad used to go there all the time as the Encino/Sherman Oaks/Van Nuys area of the Valley was in large part the epicenter of martial arts in the US with a few schools opening up in the early 60s. When my dad got out of the Navy I think in '63 or '64 as an Aviation Electronics Technician. He'd met everyone in the martial arts scene that was the SFV in the 60s... Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Bob Ozman (Frank Dux, the inspiration for JCVD's Bloodsport, credited Bob Ozman with teaching him how to properly strike with the power that allowed him to record record breaking KO streaks and the speed of his KOs). Heck, Bob Ozman was his best man. What's funny is that my dad doesn't really like Chuck Norris.
He was at a Karate competition and he as a brown belt was fighting another brown belt from Chuck Norris' school and they didn't have a referee, so Chuck Norris says he'll referee. Well, dad didn't like this one bit and when the other guy won by like a single point on an iffy call by Norris Sensei... well... dad took exception. He just turned 80 and he's STILL not over it...LOL.
Anyway, Frank Sinatra used to love Ho Toys and even had Jilly pick up the food from there when Sinatra was in town. It was full menu and was considered among the best Chinese food restaurants in SoCal.
It's funny you mention egg fu young. No one serves that anymore. I remember looking for it a few years back and no one makes it (at least anywhere near where I am). I remember it being more popular than lo mein. As for chop suey... I can't remember when the last time I saw that on a menu... Now it's all General Tso's chicken and beef and broccoli...
