Salt Bar???

Okay, I have heard of some off-beat gimmicks, but this one, to me, at least, takes the cake. The California based Table 8 restaurant is opening in a new location at the Cooper Square Hotel in New York. It will feature a "salt bar" where you can have cold, cooked meats (charcuterie, in fancy talk) and salts from around the world.

Now, and correct me if I am wrong, aren't most cold, cooked meats already pretty salty? I am thinking pates, rillettes, sausages, bacon, trotters, head cheese, stuff like that. And now I get to put more salt on them? Salts from all over the world, no less.

I just see my self saying to the Mysterious Chinese Woman, "Hey, Mysterious Chinese Woman, lets go to Table 8 and get some salty meat and then put some salt on it. Fancy salt. Salt from all over the world."

Jeez, I need a beer just from thinking about this.

Samurais And Sake

Yesterday I got a call from my brother-in-law, Jim, wanting to know if the Mysterious Chinese Woman and I were free to meet him for dinner. We were and we did.

Some time ago we all went to have some sake at what Jim said was a pretty authentic sake bar like you might find in Japan. Unfortunately it was after we had lunch at Capucine's and the bar didn't open until 5:30 P.M.



Hagi


Hagi is right next door to a larger Japanese restaurant and is down a few steps from street level at 152 West 49th.

Nothing Fancy


The place was pretty crowded when we arrived and by the time we left there were about a dozen people waiting to get in. I could see why because the food was good, the beer was cold, the sake was excellent, and the sweet potato shochu, a vodka like liquor, was potent.

They had a nice selection of sakes and shochus to chose from but only two types of beer, Kirin and Sapporo, both Japanese. I guess they want to stay true the the nature of the place.

Pick Your Poisons




Most of the dishes are fairly inexpensive, $7.50 to $10.00 and range from fairly small portions to the fairly large. It was all good though.

We started out with some sashimi and lightly battered eel on a stick. Just like you might get at the Minnesota State Fair where you can get anything on a stick.

Fish And Eel


We followed that up with some thinly sliced and crispy short ribs. They were a bit on the chewy side but quite tasty.

Crispy Ribs


Next came something a little bit different, chicken gizzards and garlic shoots. I am a big fan of gizzards, especially the pickled turkey gizzards that you find in a lot of bars in small towns in northern Minnesota.

Gizzards And Greens


Next we had a decent sized serving of mackeral. This was very good and not at all oily like mackaral can so often be.

Marvelous Mackaral


We finished up with a big plate of pork belly and kimchi and by the time we were finished we were all pretty full.

The Coup de Grace


Everyone enjoyed them selves, as you can see.

Jim Chowing Down


The Mysterious Chinese Woman Wiping Up


They didn't serve the sake in the little wooden trays, but the did fill them to the brim as is the custom. The wooden trays are used to catch the overflow and traditionally you pour the sake to a bit overflowing to demonstrate you generosity.

A Heaping Glass Of Sake


Bar Man Slurping It Down


We would have stayed a bit longer but the crowd waiting to be seated so that they could eat made us feel like we should go somewhere else if we wanted to just have another drink or two. Luckily, there are plenty of bars in this area so we popped into Ruby Foo's where I had a bit more hot sake and Jim had a beer.

Almost A Nightcap


Fancy Place


Ruby Foo's wasn't that busy and the bartender said it had been that way for awhile. I suspect it will get even worse when a lot of the Broadway shows close down in a week or two. She said several of the wait staff had already been let go and that more cuts were probably on the way.

We decided to pop into Jimmy's Corner for one last beer before heading home and this place wasn't lacking for business. Just a really narrow space that was packed.

Like Saradines


Maybe with the economic downturn some of these smaller divier bars will make a comeback as people look for cheaper alternatives to the over-priced and overly fancy cocktails everyone seems compelled to serve these days. Now don't get me wrong, I do like the resurgence of the old, well-made classic cocktails. And by well-made I mean, for example, a Manhattan with decent sweet and dry vermouths and a shot of bitters, preferably orange bitters.

Oh, there were no samurais.

Beginning Of The End

So very sad, the iconic Astroland Rocket has been taken down and will soon be carted away. The whole Coney Island redevelopment thing is very sad. What was once a fun, retro get-away enjoyed by many is soon going to be a desolate hole in the ground, mark my words.

New York has got to be the worst when it comes to destroying and then failing to rebuild. From the mythical Brooklyn Bridge Park that was to have been completed years ago to the Atlantic Yards and the new home of the Nets to Coney Island. Grandiose plans that fall flat and eyesores that remain for years.

This Was Last Year


This Was Last Week

It is just a matter of time until Ruby's and Cha Cha's bite the dust. And can the Freak Bar be far behind?

Hit Counter Mystery

What has happened to the Hit Counters. I have two blogs with hit counters from two different sources. They have both disappeared. My brother just posted a blog saying that his has disappeared as well.

Is anyone else having this problem?

Is this some kind of a government conspiracy?

Jets Coaches

Okay, I am going to stop with the Jets posts after this. I know that many of my readers don't give a hoot about the Jets. I suspect, however, that they are interested in my emotional meltdowns which the Knicks, and now the Jets, occasionally trigger.

Since 1989 the Jets coaches have gone from Joe Walton to Bruce Coslet to Pete Carroll to Rich Kotite to Bill Belichick (for a week) to Bill Parcells, to Bill Belichick (for a day) to Al Groh to Herm Edward to Eric Mangini to...

Can anyone say continuity?

My Mysterious Sister-In-Law had the sniffles and the Mysterious Mother-In-Law insisted that we not go out because it was so cold and windy. So how did Bar Man, notorious drinker and party animal, spend his evening?

Nibbling on Chinese take-out, drinking champagne, and watching Mama Mia and Miss Pettigrew Lives For Day before watching the ball drop on television.

Oh, we did have ginger snaps for a treat.

Bar Man feels, somehow, soiled.

Coach Fired! Quarterback Stays?

Well, it has just been announced, Jets head coach Eric Mangini has been fired but Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum says he wants Brett Favre to return for the final year of his two year contract.

Maybe the Jets can talk Mike Holmgren out of taking a sabbatical. Might as well hire an old Green Bay Packers coach and reunite him with an old Green Bay Packers quarterback.

Wow, imagine the excitement that would generate among Jets fans!!! I can hear the buzz already, or is that just tinnitus?

Get ready for the new headgear as the Jets become Green Bay East:

Ironic Or Inevitable

Irony - a state of affairs that appears perversely contrary to what one expects
Oxford Dictionary - Tenth Edition

Well, the word most often used by the sports pundits today is "ironic."

Ironic that a quarterback who led the Jets into the play-offs three times was unceremoniously cut and then proceeded to lead Miami into the play-offs.

Ironic that to do that he beat the Jets in New York.

Ironic that Chad is the second rated quarterback in the NFL this year while Brett lead the league in interceptions, throwing as many of them as he threw touchdown passes.

Ironic that Miami has their quarterback to continue to build around and the Jets don't have a clue as to who their quarterback will be for even next year.

Ironic that the injury-prone Chad plays the whole season unscathed while the indestructible Favre now says that he injured his shoulder earlier in the season and that this may have affected his play in the final five games.

Ironic that a rookie Miami head coach orchestrates the biggest one-year turn-around in NFL history and the Jets coach, once known as "Mangenius," may well be out of a job.

Ironic that so many Jets fans and almost every sportswriter in New York thought getting rid of Chad was a great idea and bringing in Brett was positively brilliant.

Personally, I think the appropriate word should be "inevitable."

What truly is ironic is that Brett Favre is going to the Pro Bowl while Chad Pennington is not.

Blue Seas Saga

As many of you who follow my blog know, the Mysterious Chinese Woman and I go to Puerto Vallarta every year. For the last eight years or so we have owned a fraction in what used to be Playa del Sol. Well much to our surprise it has now been renamed Blue Seas and is being marketed as Puerto Vallarta's newest and hottest gay resort and spa.

Check out the new Blue Seas website by clicking this picture:



I have set up a new blog to deal specifically with Blue Seas issues, things that may not be of much interest to my usual readers. However, if you are interested in seeing what is going on, you can access my new blog by clicking this picture:



When I go to Puerto Vallarta my more general comments about my stay will be posted here while Blue Seas specific issues will be posted in my new blog.

Stay tuned.

Pro Bowl Toilet Bowl

Chad Pennington vs Brett Favre

Team Record
Miami 10-5 Jets 9-6
Passing TDs
Chad 17 Brett 21
Interceptions
Chad 7 Brett 19
QB Rating
Chad 96.4 Brett 84.0

Okay, as long as I am on my Football tirade, explain to me how Brett Favre goes to this year's Pro Bowl and Chad Pennington does not.

Let's see, Chad has led Miami to a good chance to win their division after they won only one game last year without him. He is also, last I looked, the second highest ranked quarterback in the AFC.

Brett Favre, leading the league in interceptions, was ranked eighth, last I looked.

If you throw the NFC into the mix, Chad is still ranked number two but Brett falls to number eighteen.

And yet Brett gets to go while Chad stays home.

Does this really seem fair to anyone?

Okay, that is it for now. I would say no more posts about football, but I have the vague feeling I will have more to say after this Sunday's games.

One thing about this year's football season, though, it has largely gotten my mind off the Knicks.

Will I Become A Striped Goat?

Well, I have made a serious decision. Going into the last week there is a very good chance that Miami will win their division. All they have to do is beat the Jets, which is looking easier and easier as the weeks roll buy. This almost seems like fate, and I will be vindicated for my prediction that Miami might very well do better than the Jets with Chad at their helm and an aging Packer leading the Jet's charge. I will say that there is no way I could have predicted that not only might Miami do better than the Jets but that they might win the division and go on to the playoffs.

A second equally acceptable scenario, and the least likely, the Jets beat Miami and the Patriots lose. This puts the Jets on top of the Division because they will have beaten Miami twice and have a point advantage in the games they split with the Patriots, or something like that. This is still okay with me because I am a long-time Jets fan. I will kind of hate the way they will have backed into it, though.

Worst case scenario, but not all that unlikely, the Jets beat Miami and the Patriots win, thereby winning the division and moving on. Also, I believe that if the Patriots and win and the Ravens lose the Patriots get in as a wild-card.

If New England gets into the playoffs and neither Miami nor the Jets make it, I am going to become a soccer fan. I am going to support Club Deportivo Guadalajara, more commonly known as Chivas (Goats). Because their uniforms feature broad red and white strips they are often called The Striped Goats.

I Already Have My Shirt, And A Shot


And you have to love a team that has Bimbo plastered across the front of their shirts. Bimbo, a large bakery affiliated with Bambi in the United States, is their primary sponsor.

Jets And Miami

Well, what can you say. Chad throws for 235 yards, three touchdowns and one interception and Miami wins. Brett throws for 187 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions and the Jets lose.

Cutting Chad to pick up Brett sure looks like a brilliant move now, doesn't it?

Short of a miracle, there will be no play-offs for the Jets this year.

Robin, The Boy

Awhile back the Mysterious Chinese Woman, me, and a couple of our friends, Frank and Kathy, headed to one of my favorite French bistros for a fun-filled evening and great food.

Robin des Bois aka Sherwood Cafe


I have written about this place before because it really is a great French bistro that is just a short walk from where I live. It really captures the flavor, in all respects, of a bistro you might visit in France.

Mysterious Chinese Woman, Kathy, and Frank


You may remember that they have a lovely outside garden area that is a lot of fun when the weather is nice. The weather wasn't all that nice this evening, though, so we decided to eat inside. Kind of cool in here too with all kinds of interesting stuff on the walls and all over.

A Bit Of A Religious Theme


Not Sure About The Theme


I like old movies and old movie posters so these were kind of fun:







They have a real fireplace in here that makes for a romantic setting in which to share a cocktail or two.

Voted Cutest Couple


I had, as I usually do, the hanger steak and it was, as usual, delicious. I almost ordered the lamb shank but backed out at the last minute. Someone at another table ordered one though and the waiter showed it to me so I could see what I missed. It looked delicious and, I swear, I will get it the next time I eat here.

We met a fun couple while we were here and I promised to send the copies of the pictures that I took. As is getting more and more usual, though, I lost their email address and don't remember their names. If you see this picture and recognize yourself, please get in touch. I really have to start taking notes again because my memory is obviously shot.

A Friendly Couple


As usual, a great time was had by all. If you are ever in the neighborhood I strongly suggest you stop in here for a bite to eat. You won't be disappointed.

Tailgate Therapy

Okay, here is a million dollar idea.

The other day, as yet another New York sportswriter began to ease themselves off the Brett Favre bandwagon, Gary Meyer's wrote in the New York Daily News that if Miami beats the Jets in the last game of the year to win the AFC East and knock the Jets out of the playoffs, it would "qualify as the lowest moment in franchise history" and "Jets fans will need years of counseling..."

Years of counseling. Hmm. You have to pay for counseling, don't you? And one of my Mysterious Sister-In-Laws is a therapist of some kind. Not sure what kind though, I never talk to her about her work. I do notice, though, that at family get-togethers she is always giving me funny looks and then scribbling in that little notebook she carries around.

Anyway, I suggested to her that maybe she could drum up business by offering discounts to new clients that show up wearing Jets paraphenalia. You know, tee-shirt, cap, boxer-shorts, whatever. I guess they could just bring them in a brown paper bag if wearing the stuff was too traumatic. I also suggested that maybe she could hire someone to pass out flyers after the final game of the season if the Jets lost.

My Mysterious Sister-In-Law immediately saw the potential in this. She said that there is a courtyard where she has her practice and thought having group therapy sessions in a tailgate-like atmosphere could work. She said the realism of the setting could help people work through their issues. And she said an added bonus would be that she could get free BBQ.

We will be testing the waters on this and looking to franchise the concept in the near future.

Jets and Favre Revisited

After watching the Jets almost lose to Buffalo on Sunday, and seeing them win one out of their last three games during which our savior Brett Favre threw for a grand total of one touchdown and four interceptions, I felt compelled to revisit a post I made in August, part of which follows:

August 27, 2008

Okay, don't get me wrong, I will still root for the Jets and wish them well, but the concept of being a fan, while waning for years, is now pretty much gone.

To have stuck with the Jets since they played at Shea Stadium hasn't been easy. But stick I did. I will have to admit though that when they played the Vikings in the play-offs a few years back my loyalties were indeed torn. I am originally from Minnesota and grew up with the Purple People Eaters.

Now this year the Jets have brought in an aging quarterback from the Vikings arch-rivals, the Packers. Whoo Whoo, the New York papers are going crazy. He will be the salvation of the Jets. Hell, he might even get them into the playoffs this year. Ah, so what. Didn't they make the playoffs in 2002 and then blow out Indianapolis in the first round with Chad Pennington. Oh, Chad also led the league in passer rating and completions percentage that year. And then in 2006 Chad got us into the playoffs again. But we sent him to Miami so maybe Favre can lead us to the playoffs this year. Am I missing something here? It wouldn't surprise me if the Dolphins have a better season than the Jets. Okay, so I am a bit bitter.

Well, so far this year the Jets and the Dolphins have the same 9 and 5 record. Big difference is that last year the Dolphins only won one game. Guess Chad has helped them a bit more than Brett has helped the Jets.

Oh, and guess who is having the better year at quarterback this year? According to ESPN's latest ratings, Chad is currently the number four rated quarterback in the NFL with a 95.1 rating. Brett, well he is number 15 with an 86.5 rating. Ah, but Brett can really wing that ball, can't he? Funny then that Chad averages over a yard more per attempt despite having a slightly lower completion percentage. And Chad has thrown 11 fewer interceptions.

Watch it all come down to the final game of the season to determine whether it is the Jets or the Dolphins who make the play-offs. If it ends up being the Dolphins watch everyone who touted getting rid of Pennington and bringing in Favre as the smartest move since the Yankees picked up Babe Ruth scramble for the exits.

I said all along that bringing in Favre had less to do with winning games and getting into the play-offs than in generating some buzz and semi-justifying the huge Personal Seating License fees they are going to be charging. And, of course, all of the brain-dead sportswriters around here bought right into it. I notice, however, they are already starting to jump ship. None more so than Tim Smith of the New York Daily News who today proclaimed:

IT'S A GUARANTEE: JETS WILL FUMBLE
A lock to run out of miracles and fall short of playoff berth.

Don't get me wrong, I still think the Jets have a decent shot at the play-offs. I just think they would have had as good a shot if they had kept Chad. And a lot better shot if they hadn't handed Chad over to Miami.

I am still a bit bitter.

Things That Make You Go "Huh!!!"

I am heading to Las Vegas on Monday for a bit of a mancation. Just me and a few buddies from Minnesota. I am flying Jet Blue, one of my favorite airlines. Reasonable prices, good service, and you get your own little television screen where you can choose which channel you want to watch.

I just got this email from Jet Blue though and, I must say, it raises a couple of questions:

Dear DANIEL FREEMAN,

We know you'll be jetting with us soon and wanted to let you know about T5,
our new home sweet home at New York's JFK International Airport.

Starting October 22, 2008 all JetBlue flights will operate from this
brand new, state-of-the-art terminal with great features and amenities:

Smooth & simple kiosk check-in

Up to 15 security lanes

26 gates with seats aplenty

Free Wi-Fi

55,000 sq. feet of great food and shopping

Large children's play area

and much more

Please allow yourself a little extra time when arriving or departing
T5 for your JetBlue Airways flight #187 on Monday, December 08, 2008.

T5 is so light, bright and new, and filled with tempting food and
retail experiences, you'll be glad you had the time to linger!

We are grateful you have chosen to jet with us and look
forward to seeing you at T5.


Happy Jetting!

JetBlue


First, Is there a play area for small children?

Second, Why, if this new terminal has so many amenities with kiosk check-in and up to 15 security lanes, do they advise you to allow yourself extra time?

I guess I will find out Monday. Maybe they just want you to have time to experience their tempting food and retail opportunities.

By the way, I am slipping in my standings with Urban Spoon. Do me a favor and click on one or more of the links below to see if we can jack up my standings. I know this is shameless, but then, so am I.























I will post more links next time and, remember, if you don't click a link the terrorists win.

A Mini Bar Trek

After spending a few fun-filled days out in New Jersey celebrating Thanksgiving with the Mysterious Chinese Woman's family, I returned to Brooklyn on Saturday to hook up with an old friend of mine, Allen. He and a few of his pals had taken a bus from somewhere in Pennsylvania to do a bit of a bar trek along Atlantic Avenue. Of course I was only too happy to join them and act as a bit of a guide.

The plan was to stop at Montero at one end of Atlantic Avenue and then work our way up to Hank's, about a mile away. Much to everyone's surprise, Monetero wasn't open at their usual time, noon. So there was a change in plans and we made our first stop at Waterfront Ale House.

First Stop


Luckily, my favorite bartender, the always cheerful Gaid, was on hand to give the crowd a true taste of Brooklyn hospitality. He was a bit camera shy though so I didn't manage to get a shot of him. Here is the crew:

D.J., Allen, Leslie, and Brett


Allen had imposed a strict 45 minute maximum per bar that was immediately violated. I am not sure what everyone else had, but I managed to down a couple Brooklyn Brewery East India Pale Ales before we headed out.

On The Road Again


Montero's sign was still unlit so we stopped in at Floyd for our next libaton


Floyd


Here we were well served by Paden, the bartender.

Hey, Paden, Where's The Dog?


I didn't bring along a pad and pencil, stupidly, so I didn't remember the names of most of the bartenders. I remembered Paden's name though because I had just watched Silverado for about the fifth time the other day. Paden, as you may remember, was the name of the character who spent time in jail because as the rest of his gang rode away from a posse he stayed behind to tend to a wounded dog.

Floyd is a good hanging out and drinking bar with a bit of a bordello look to it.

See Anything You Like?


The also have a bocce ball court giving this place a unique ambiance.

A Bit Other-Worldly


After a couple of beers I peaked out of the door and saw that Montero had lit their light.

Finally


Not too surprisingly, Montero worked its usual magic and we slid into the decadence of beers and shots.

It Just Seemed Right


Montero was a big hit because of all the memorabilia on the walls and my friend Allan was there to give a bit of a guided tour. The other Allen, the one who came down from Pennsylvania, was a bit disappointed because Pilar wasn't there. He wanted to meet her because he had read so much about her in my blogs. Pilar is more of a Sunday person, though.

For some reason, after we toddled out of Montero Allen decided to stop and buy a bouquet for Leslie.

What A Romantic


Our next stop was another favorite of mine:

Brazen Head


As you would expect, we were having a good old time.

Frolicking At The Bar


The bartender, whose name, of course, I don't remember, took refuge behind the spigot handles.

Is It Safe?


The afternoon was drawing to a close and there was still one last stop that we had to make.

Hank's


Of course my attention span was starting to fade right about now. I did manage to get a picture of the bartender and, of course, forgot her name.

The Tolerant Bartender At Hanks


By this time I was a bit shot, and was also being shot.

Shooting The Shooter


I am not sure I want to see how Leslie's picture turned out.

We had a rousingly good time and as we said our good-byes we agreed that we would get together in the spring and hit a few of the bars in Coney Island while they are still there. Ruby's, Cha Cha's and Freak Bar would be good candidates. Needless to say I will be sure to post about this get-together when it happens.