Book excerpt: Niklas began as a waiter at the famed Esplanade Hotel in Hitler-era Berlin. Then he moved to Los Angeles, where his Bistro and Bistro Garden became two of the city's most renowned celebrity watering holes. In this history of his relationships with such stars as Marilyn Monroe and Humphrey Bogart, Niklas provides a spirited account of the stars' enduring quest for the corner table. photos.