Into the Belly of the Beast (Part 2)

By Winnipeg Bob

Bob’s Disclaimer: Fans of Cats Working, Bourdainiacs, Tim, Carlos, the staff at Les Halles, and Mr. Bourdain, I’m writing through the filter of my recollection, and apologize in advance if I misinterpreted anything.

Now, where was I? Ah, yes, strolling from Desmond’s to Brasserie Les Halles. Dark, welcoming wood accents, shining glass. A charming hostess seated us, to my delight, in the section where waiter Tim, from No Reservations “Into the Fire,” was working. By Winnipeg standards, the seating felt cramped, but we were told quite normal for New York.

While perusing the menu, I looked up and realized that most, if not all, of the lower-ranking wait staff were Mexican. One gentleman instantly filled our water glasses and kept them filled. They served us a basket of very tasty bread with a generous pad of rich butter.

Then a shadow fell over my menu and I glanced up to see Tim’s smiling face. He asked if we wanted something from the bar. I queried about Canadian whiskey. Darlene took Tim’s advice on a Cosmo.

When he brought our drinks, I said, “Thanks, Tim!”

He looked quizzical and asked how I knew his name. I just said I’d “seen him on TV.” That seemed to satisfy him and he left while we decided on dinner. For starters, I got escargots and Darlene ordered French onion soup.

On his return, Tim asked if we were Canadian and where we’d seen him. I told him No Reservations, and when I mentioned Winnipeg, he grinned and said, “No kidding! I grew up in North Dakota.” He regrets not mentioning it in his many TV appearances.

The ice broken, we BSed about hockey and the local Winnipeg football team, the Blue Bombers. When I mentioned we’d won our NYC trip from local radio station 92.1 Citi FM (Classic Rock, also on the Web) he couldn’t believe our luck.

He’d also appeared on Glutton for Punishment with Bob Blumer, and was trying to land other acting roles, and said we should stay on the lookout for him.

Darlene’s French onion soup was simply the finest I’ve ever tasted. Homemade broth, large chunks of sweet onion and bread, Gruyere cheese toasted to perfection over an oversized crock. My escargots were tasty, but they were simply outshone by that soup.

For entrées, Darlene chose pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes. I couldn’t decide, so Tim suggested steak aux poivre. That’s when my next simple question seemed to crack open a door to the Twilight Zone.

Darlene's Pork Tenderloin (All Photos - Winnipeg Bob)

I casually asked Tim how Anthony Bourdain performed in the kitchen when he filmed “Into the Fire,” and if he ever comes by.

Tim seemed to go quiet and replied that Tony really never comes around anymore.

It wasn’t so much what Tim said, but the way he said it. He sounded almost as if I had asked something I shouldn’t have. I may be completely off base, but something just felt wrong.

Coming up next… Into the Kitchen.

[Cats Working note: Check out Part 1 of Winnipeg Bob’s story again. New photos have been added.]