The Gentrification of Harlem - Part 3

Alrighty then...as I walked up Lenox Avenue (Malcolm X Blvd) a few weeks ago...I noticed that The Bayou restaurant (located between 126th & 125th sts, above Charles Southern Kitchen and the pizza parlour) was gone and something new is in it's place. I had eaten at The Bayou many times...they had a sauteed chicken liver appetizer that I used to absolutely LOVE!!! (I always had it with a glass of champagne...the only way to do it!). I know it probably sounds like an acquired taste...but I thought it was really good. I also had their turtle soup with my friend Chet a long time ago...(hmmm...I remember not being too fond of that!) but I think my greatest memory of The Bayou was when my girl Yvette rented out the place to throw my OTHER home girl "Q" a "Pimp and Ho'" themed birthday party!!! (I will find those pics and post them here later). Needless to say...I was sad to see it go.



But on the bright side....M&G's on Morningside and 125th...has reopened. The folks are trickling back in and their hours are limited (they aren't open on Mondays and Tuesdays any more) but when I have free moment...I will definitely try to get back in there for a good ol' country breakfast!

On another note....Not sure if it's good or bad...I had dinner the other night with my old friend Michel and a friend of hers. We met at Melba's on 114th street (I blogged about Melba's a few years ago...I have loved the place since it opened). I ran into MORE friends having dinner, Fred Jackson (formerly of Vibe and now with Essence Mag and his partner Tyrus and the fabulous Beverly Smith. They were finishing up as we were coming in and was kind enough to loan us one of their tables...as the place was extremely crowded. It was filled with folks and extremely loud...anyway, we were all hungry so we quickly ordered...Both Michel and I had the pan seared Chilean sea bass...sauteed spinach and garlic mashed for me and mac & cheese and collared greens for Michel. Her companion had the BBQ Meatloaf (which I suggested...it's always good) and a double order of mac & cheese AND potato salad (You KNOW I was tempted to bop him on the head like the V8 commercial...lol...not a single vegetable on his plate!). We ate and tried our best to have a decent conversation over all that noise...after dinner I gave them a walking tour of Harlem as we walked back to 125th St.

Now I know this sounds like I am gonna wrap this up by telling you how great the food was but unfortunately, the fish made BOTH of us sick as hell (and that's NEVER happened to me before at Melba's), I won't say I will never eat there again...but I most CERTAINLY will NOT have the fish...EVER AGAIN!

"It's far better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."