Into the Belly of the Beast (Part 1)

By Winnipeg Bob

We welcome faithful reader Bob as our first guest blogger. On October 28, he had dinner at Anthony Bourdain’s former restaurant, Les Halles, in New York City and has a story to tell…

Well, as you all know, my girlfriend Darlene and I won a trip to NYC to see the 25th Anniversary Concert Series for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame… But that is another story.

We also went to Desmond’s and Les Halles and met the characters that work within.

Our hotel was only about 4 or 5 blocks from the Park Avenue location of Les Halles (Tony’s former location), so as we walked in the glow of the Empire State Building, the objects of my desire were in sight.

Anyone who saw the “Into the Fire” episode of No Reservations knows one of Tony’s favorite haunts mid-shift was Desmond’s Bar, half a block from Les Halles. I must admit I was a little giddy walking in, but quickly regained my composure as Dar and I grabbed seats at the head of the bar.

(All Photos - Winnipeg Bob)

Our bartender was an older gentleman, very nice, and efficient with bringing icy cold beverages for weary travelers. But it was more the bar itself that I was interested in, flags on the wall, and the normal bric-a-brac that normally fills a well-loved bar. The kind of stuff all the regulars would have a story about…

One piece in particular caught my eye.

It was a napkin folded in the shape of a hat with a cross and some writing on it. Took me a minute to figure out what it said, till I got up and looked at it from across the bar. Drawn on the “Hat” was “Tony on Tour in Rome.” I asked the bartender what it meant, but in true bartender fashion, he kept whatever secrets it held, saying, “Oh, that’s just something one of the guys gave me,” then he scuttled off to serve someone else.

Glancing around more, I noticed a framed Newsweek article, signed by Bourdain. A gift to the bar, I would gather.

Our drinks finished and our reservation time approaching, we left Desmond’s and walked to Les Halles.

Stay tuned…