blogchelsea

The Seminary's 'Tower of Babel'

The Times covers the neighborhood meeting to review the General Theological Seminary's construction plans...

"Why did you allow benign neglect to impact the conditions of Sherrill Hall in such a negative way?" a Chelsea resident, Bill Borock, asked the presenters. "Could it be so it would bolster your position that you need to tear your building down and replace it with your tower?"

It's interesting that poor construction is blamed for the condition of the building that's less than 50 years old, while other, much older buildings are deemed acceptable. Could it be that it was hard to love/maintain the modernist concrete design on Ninth Ave, especially compared to the Gothic Revival brick and stone structures elsewhere on campus? And if so, what does that say about the wisdom of now erecting an international style 17-story glass tower?

Chelsea Thai Kitchen

Chelsea Commons Resurrected?

The plywood is up at the (former?) Chelsea Commons, Tenth Ave at 24th. It closed months ago due to some liquor violation, but was a great place for cold beer and reliable pub food, with a courtyard in the back. Let's see if the future holds more nights of drunken debauchery.

Strong's Dinner at Cookshop

I'm not sure how Andrea Strong has time to write -- or even eat -- as much as she does, but it's fascinating to watch. Recently she dined at Cookshop (156 Tenth Ave, at 21st St),...

...But our entrees left us sated and deliriously happy. The long-line halibut ($24), cooked in the wood-oven, was intensely creamy, wildly flavorful and incredibly moist. The flesh was pearly white, almost alabaster. It was like nothing I have ever seen before. The fish was topped with this sweet-pungent tapenade made from olives and plump golden raisins and bedded on hearty toss of roasted romanesco and cauliflower that tasted just like Autumn. Unfortunately, the smoked grass-fed beef brisket ($20), a dish that read with such promise, was beyond bland. While the meat was tender, it had no smoke and no discernable flavor. It was odd, actually. It was as if the flavor was sucked out of the dish. Perhaps it was and siphoned into the amazing Berkshire pork chop ($23), so juicy and saturated with sweet cider and smoky flavor that I was contemplating bringing the bone home just to remind myself of what a gorgeous chop it had been. The chop is served with a tangy cider-braised cabbage, sort of like sauerkraut, and a pork and apple link slicked with smoked pear mustard. This was my favorite dish on the menu....

Bongo Fry Shack is Closed

The reality sign is up and the place is empty, so the Most Expensive Lobster Roll You’ll Ever Eat is now the lobster roll you'll never eat. Ciao Bongo.

Basic Indian Food?

So it looks like Amin on Eighth has closed, maybe a victim/beneficiary of the construction next door. It wasn't fabulous, but it was good and reliable. I love Bombay Talkie, but sometimes you just want your basic curry and rice, ya know?

Is Bombay Gardens on Seventh any good? I called for delivery once and they left me on hold long enough that I gave up.

Update: they delivered, the price was less, but so were the portions. Otherwise the quality is similar. And no, they didn't pay me to say that, you ungrateful fucks.

Another Update: Amin has been sucked into the Bombay Gardens empire, reopening in that location immenently.

Yet Another Update: Just had a menu for Indian Kitchen (453 W 17th St) dropped on my doorstep. They do delivery (4-11pm) and catering only, and are closed Mondays. 212-633-0933.