backyardchef

Szechuan House, one of the oldest restaurants in Flushing and one of my favorite restaurants in the city (maybe my favorite)-- for both the food and hospitality-- has closed. More and more things that made me love the city are vanishing. I guess I have finally lived here too long. Szechuan House Address: 133-47 Roosevelt Ave, Flushing, NY 11354 CLOSED

Fact

I don't care much about design. Food and service are far more important.

It's very tempting. I'm sure it will be very prevalent soon.

You should try my new MethanolTini if you want a real kick from home distilling.

They will and they will poison some people, too. It's called progress. Apparently.

A lot of pepople will be getting the ol' Still out of retirement.

I sit by and watch the river flow I sit by and watch the traffic go Imagine something of your very own Something you can have and hold I'd build a road in gold Just to have some dreaming Dreaming is free

Lambert's. Stubb's can be surprisinly good, too.

I have a real fondness for House Park.

Oooooh! I need to come back for a visit. I had such great times in KC. I love the Negro League and Jazz museums.

I learned yesterday of the passing of Ken Callaghan, the opening Pitmaster and Chef of Blue Smoke in NYC. As a bbq chef in the city, it is hard to explain the seismic impact that Blue Smoke had on our community. I was still in a corporate job nearby and visited when they were opening. Kenny took time and showed me the kitchen, talked about the design of their exhaust and how it impacted the humidity in the smokers, the complex issues of high volume bbq and consistency. I explained my dreams. He was one of the first people that made me think my career change was actually possible and not a weird pipe dream (no pun intended). He was more patient and generous with information than he needed to be. Later on, when I was working at the Big Apple BBQ Block Party and serving bbq with my heroes, I thought of that day at Blue Smoke and how my life had never been the same since I met him. Rest in peace, Chef.

Oh god, Ridgewood even more diluted than ever.

Oh, please no.....

.....right now....

JK

So excited that Bill Fox is back with a new record of songs after 13 years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMBpgpWo27Q

I'm definitely a charter member of the Paul Foglino fan club. They have come so far from Princeton Review.

Five Chinese Brothers and Surreal McCoys were my real favorites. Still friends to this day. Love them. I also got to see Laura Cantrell, Joan Osborne, Kate Jacobs. So many great shows there.

That's because they don't play it safe

I was a a Rodeo Bar regular back then, even though I was in high school. But I had to see the World Famous Blue Jays and Simon and the Bar Sinisters as much as possible I guess.

Enjoying this season of Reacher. It's always a nice escape. And interested in the Neagley spin off. Also watching The Pitt.

"The Santa Fe City Fire Department found no signs of a possible carbon monoxide leak or poisoning, the document said. If there was carbon monoxide at the scene, it could have vented out of the home through the open front door before responders arrived." "There were no obvious signs of death. Their deaths were "suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation" due to all of the "circumstances surrounding" the scene, according to the search warrant affidavit."

"But Mr. Vongerichten and Mr. Benno are too exuberantly talented to leave it at that. And together, they’ve transformed a fine-dining punch list into an alchemically rich menu that goes to great lengths to seduce. Both crowd-pleasing and daring, it features food that amuses you, delights you, inspires you to explore corners of your appetite you didn’t know you had. Four Twenty Five is not a restaurant that forces you out of your comfort zone, but it doesn’t leave you stranded there, either, staring into your Chardonnay." It's a floor wax AND a dessert topping.

Softly