July 24, 2011
Live, From New York, it’s Saturday Night Cheeseburger. Your host this evening is Sylvia’s and featuring the Ready For Prime Beef Player, Marty Wombacher. Ladies and Gentlemen, from all the way up in Harlem, Sylvia’s!
Okay, the last two nights I've stuck pretty close to home, so I thought we'd travel all the way up to Harlem tonight, in spite of the still blazing heat. I found a place called Chez Lucienne which is a French Bistro in Harlem that's supposed to have great cheeseburgers, so that's tonight's destination. I'm covered in sweat already and I've only walked three blocks so far!
Wow, it looks like a sauna down there. Away we go!
Goddamn it's hot down here and it smells like a combination of urine and moldy ass. Everyone's doing the heat stroke Zombie walk.
Come on train! Don't be in vain.
Ladies and gentlemen, The White Stripes!
Finally!
It's a crowded car, but at least the air conditioning is working, so I'm not complaining.
And here we are, Harlem uptown Saturday night.
Alright, here's the place, Chez Lucienne. Let's go inside I have a powerful thirst and appetite by now!
Goddamn, it's packed in here!
The bar is tiny and there's not one seat open. Shit, time for plan B.
The Red Rooster is right next door and just opened last year. I've been meaning to check this place out, so let's do it.
The bar here is big, but there's not a seat to be had here either. Looks like I need to develop plan C.
And plan C would be the legendary Sylvia's restaurant.
Let's check it out, if there's no seats in here, I'm going to the nearest deli and getting a sandwich and a beer. I'm about ready to faint from heat exhaustion and hunger.
The main dining room is crowded, let's check out the bar.
I see the bartender and two pretty women...
And one empty seat! Eureka! Let's go snag it.
And here's the two lovely ladies seated next to me: Gabriella and Nneka.
The friendly bartender on duty is Blake and he's pictured with the pretty hostess, Grissel who we met last year on the bar crawl.
Here's Blake in action behind the bar.
Fresh cornbread is served, which means my meal is not far behind.
I know it's Cheeseburger Saturday Night, but you gotta get the chicken and waffles when you're at Sylvia's, it the rules. I'll get a cheeseburger next week, I promise!
Here's a picture of Sylvia on the wall...
The Queen of soul food!
Bottles of Sylvia's signature hot sauce lined up on a shelf to buy and take home.
President Obama enjoying the food at Sylvia's. He's here with Rev. Al Sharpton who got reflected out in my photo. Sorry, Al!
Soul royalty! The Queen of soul food with the Godfather of soul music, James Brown. I feel good!
That was a great meal and now it's back out into the heat. Goodnight everybody and see you tomorrow, after dark.
Further reading: New York Magazine, 365 Bars, One Stop Harlem and NY Times.
You Might Also Like: Daisy May, Daisy Dukes and Daisy Buchanan.
Five Songs About Harlem
Spanish Harlem by Ben E. King
The Harlem Shuffle by Bob and Earl
Harlem by Duke Ellington
Spanish Harlem Incident by The Byrds
Harlem Hospitality by Cab Calloway and His Orchestra
Summer night in Harlem, man it's a really hot,
Well it's too hot to sleep, and I'm too cold to heat.
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