Chapter One- Outback Steakhouse

How did you get into cooking?

It sll started for a zitty teenager bussing tables at the hottest table in Charlotte NC in 1991, Outback Steakhouse. The Outback had just opened in what was to become a hip strip of cool small business and culture in this new money city. This is 91 though in the new South. Australian steakhouse with big oil cans of beer and you have ALL the Nascar races live? Two hour waits.


I was immediately taken with the beautiful college student waitresses, huge plates of food, vast amounts of alcohol consumed there, striking hostesses with huge breasts, blond hair, and driving an 83 white t top corvette (Amy I will never forget you), and the intensity of a restaurant that is so popular for a reason I couldn't understand. Did I mention the beautiful women I worked with?
I mean it was good. Everything was cooked from scratch except the bread. No rules. Just right. No bullshit. We were nailing that mantra. But how it happened is where the entertainment lies and possibly the reason Charlotteans were lining up for a piece of it. Is that a fist fight between a man and a woman over a prime time parking space? Your damn right it is. Dis she just spit IN his mouth?

This is all true.

Tuesday is KY jelly night
I don't quite understand this concept as a 16 year old zitty bussboy but it is explained to me in detail by Billy the saute cook and my friend Swift, otherwise known as the Salad Shooter. Billy's raging mullet, loud mouth, and skills to out gun any cook on the line makes him a force to be reckoned with. Not to mention his girlfriend is CK, a very beautiful waitress who easily uses 3x more hairspray on her bangs and tired perm then any other staff member. Sweetheart of the rodeo, for sure. Kind, soft spoken, and the "victim" of Billy's sodomy every Tuesday. I should and will stop there. Billy didn't and my sexual imagination never fully recovered.


Dine and Dash
The call went out from Dave our super cheap manager. All the cooks grabbed a knife and ran for the front door. I was on their coat tails as we rounded the corner of the restaurant to see a car backing up the street with no lights on. AS the crew of knife wielding cooks (and one excited, skinny bussboy) came around the corner it threw on the lights and gassed it. Unwilling to give our lives for the Outback cause the crew moved to the sidewalk but not the owner. He stood there like a statue, hand outstretched, denying them escape without running him down. They didn't give a shit. There was no way they were paying for that blooming onion. Thankfully the heavyset (to put it kindly) grill cook Darryl dragged Dave out of the path of the speeding car at the last second and the villains were apprehended later by the police. I missed the roll call when the cops returned with the morons and Dave paid out of pocket to press full charges. Curfew spoiled the full experience. I DID get a beer for my honorable charge, though. To the Light Brigade! Kind of.

Smoking in the boys room
All I wanted to do was smoke. Trash needs to go out? I'm in. Bathroom needs cleaning? I'm in. Pick up butts outside? No problem. I'll just be burning one while I'm doing it. Back then you could smoke anywhere. There was a non smoking section but was it really? No. Jesse Helms was still alive and kicking ass for tobacco rights, which NC was hell bent on, so smoking was the going order. Joe Camel was the coolest thing I had seen, period. I wanted Camel cash, Camel t'shirts, and was saving for a dreamy Camel pool table to put in my bedroom at home. Victim of a campaign targeted at kids? No way. I was 16 and knew damn well what I was doing and everything else about the world for that matter. Including how to run a restaurant.

Chaperone
"Would you chaperone a group of 16-17 year old raging hard on teenagers at a beach house in a family beach town during their high school spring break? Job includes buying lots of beer and liquor for minors, signing for the rental property, a hundred dollars cash, a free place to stay at the beach for week, and young minors in bikinis all around that even looking at them wrong could get you thrown in a deep dark Southern rural jail cell."
Outback employee of the month. "Sure. Sounds cool."

Kadi
When it all went down there was one guy you could always count on. Kadi the blooming onion cook. He was deaf, portly, honest husband, and proud father of a daughter. He crushed the onion station, and it sucked.
When Swift and I got destroyed at the Christmas party where this machine called Karaoke set the place afire Kadi was the one who kept us away from the group dismantling the fountain and called us a cab. Kadi, even though he was deaf, knew what Billy was talking about in reference to his girlfriend and scolded him with loud barks and some bold sign language. No one crossed him though. You think a deaf Albanian has fought himself out of a couple of jams? Your damn right he has and you can see it in his eyes. Kadi, your the man.

Fired
I wish it was more dramatic. Just came in one day and I wasn't on the schedule.
"Hey, Dave, What's up? I know I was away for a week at Dead Shows but I'm not on the schedule. What's up, dude?"
"Delicious, I'll talk to you later."
Well I wasn't going to take that. This was my world, damn it. Take this job and shove it. Heads, I quit, tails I stay. Heads it is. Tell Dave I quit.
Oh, and by the way I will come back with James my fellow bussboy and eat dinner while Dave busses tables and have a burger at employee discount rate.
Dave just grinned as I did it. If only I knew he was probably carrying that Gloc 9 James found in the office a month later my heroic adventure could have been cut short. Angels have always looked upon me.

Next- Summer Camp. Beaver Cross!!!

Soft Shell Crabs

I have a soft spot for soft shells. It is a sign, along with east coast asparagus, that we are about to begin getting the abundance of the spring from around here rather then from California and beyond. We constantly look to our local farms for resources but New England hates to wait for true spring stuff. Do we really want to put off fresh veges other then greens until June?
We look at the mid atlantic for the indications of spring this time of year. Jersey asparagus? i'm in. Maryland soft shells? Yes please. They mooch our abundant seafood all year long so its great that we can get a little love while the crops start up. They also drink all our good NE craft beer so I don't feel bad about sourcing from our VA brothers this time of year. VA is for lovers and we at RnR are definitely lovers.
Let's eat our veges! It's only a few weeks before its in the 90's, we're bitching again about the weather but we have to do it without as much clothes on. Tighten it up!

Go Bruins!

Some photos from todays adventures!

The Grey Rhino on it's inaugural run to Verrill Farms. We gotta pick ours up, but the Rhino's up for it.

 The Neon showroom, see previous post.

 211B Baker St (sort of) Chelsea, MA. Elementary.

The local network, for real.

In opening this restaurant I have been very fortunate to be out in the hands of many other interesting Boston businesses. Local and sustainable is a lifestyle, not a fad. Where we spend our money, especially as a business, makes a big difference in the greater picture and when working with good business people, saves one money. Paying significantly more for local businesses versus the competition is debatable but I see it as charity, and in that category Partners in Health does more good then any business could ever do. if you don't know about them you should. But is what you buy better, healthier, personal, interesting, and guaranteed to come with a smile? Then it is probably an established local business. Here are a few stories about some of my favorites in the last months. I apologize for the lengthy blog but grab a beer, all are worth reading about


J. Freeman's inc.- The guru of thrifty ( and plumbing, much love sensei) JC came in with a huge stack of cutting boards at Coda one day that he had just cut. He led me to Freemans's for the same when we were opening. Passing the 90+ owner as he was leaving for the day, still doing business, I walked into a world of plexiglass, wood paneling, old calendars, and a sign announcing a consistent closing for lunch from 12:30 to 1. I like any place that respects regular meal times. Nice guys who from my rough estimate had 30 years in the business between them helped me choose, pay, and load these huge sheets of plastic onto my 240 Volvo, the Grey Rhino. Smiles, instructions, and the common farewell I've come to enjoy "When do you open? Good Luck!"

Seymour Green's
Local Rozzie T-Shirt printer that hooked me up with the original RnR custom T and who will be getting an order for the first generation of logo T's soon. Shirts, hats, printing, the man will do it and do it right. His name is on it. The price is right and you can't beat the service. I think Seymour will be seeing more greenbacks, pimp. Don't worry, you can get almost anything here without pork, Insha' Allah.

Light Design Neon, Chelsea
My trip today to meet Kevin about a neon sign I have always wanted to adorn this spot with was the experience leading to this post. Shabby, weathered facade with a clean plaque on the door reminds me of what I would have expected at 221B Baker Street, disarming you for who you are about to encounter. The door opens into a showroom of neon lights, old and new that spread from the standard beer sign to works bursting from the wall with color, topless women, comets, and dreams. Kevin is neon and all I love about it and I am excited to find a craftsman who upholds a time honored style because of love, dedication to a craft, and the pride in doing something original and doing it WELL.

These places are just a few of the one's I have worked with that I am proud to support because of their superior business practices and products. I hope to do the same.

Open and ready for you to check it out!

We are finally open at R n R! We had a small test evening that was crazy and a lot of fun. Who knew so many things could go haywire? This is the restaurant business. Thanks to all our relations that made themselves volunteers for experimentation and thanks for the feedback. Keep it coming.

My current favorites:
USS Richmond Punch (where have all the great punches gone? Bowls included) chicken liver toast, baked RI fluke, ramps all around, mojo risin on a Nitro pour (big ups to PDX and Mcmenamins for introducing me to the pleasure of dark beer with nitros. Just like a dead show parking lot), rhubarb crisp, dirty rice.

HOURS
We are open for dinner
Tuesday - Thursday 5-10
Friday, Saturday 5-11
BAR - open everyday at 3 for drinks and snacks
(for the earlybirds who are ready for a snack and refreshment before 5)
Tuesday-Thursday close at 12
Friday, Saturday close at 1am
(for my fellow night owls, hootie hoo!)

4257 Washington St, Roslindale
www.reddsinrozzie.com
website to come soon. Check it out.

Lets go B's!

News from 4257

Renovations are moving along smoothly with new vibrant colors, beautiful wood exposed, and some nice clean tile work from a highly motivated group of chefs/ amateur tilers. The room is coming together with nice earth tones ready to set off the warmth and late afternoon sunshine. I'm very excited about the room and serving some great new dishes in the neighborhood. It has been great getting to know all of our neighbors through the construction like Tony our next door neighbor, everyone at Fornax who keep me fed and caffeinated, and the Greek baker across the way who's name I forgot but at least it is written on the doll above the case so I won't lose face.

A quick description about our food- Everyone asks in varying forms what type of restaurant we are going to be. R n R is going to be good and fun. Simple as that. All my ideas about dishes keep returning to "is it fun?" What is that?
Hopefully an evening or weekend afternoon shared with friends and/or family enjoying flavorful food and refreshing drinks that surprise you with how much flavor there is. A memory is revived from a past experience reminding you of the pleasures at the table, reinforcing the idea that good food is about being happy, satisfied, and refreshed.
Snacks and beer on the patio at 4 after getting off the train just because. Yup.
Second date now that you know this person can be counted on for a conversation through a meal. There you go.
Watching the Bruins battle their way through the playoffs at the bar with a good pint and roasted meat. Got it. Why can't good eats be in these situations as well as on Thursday night when you are ready to have a nice meal after cooking up your own for the last four nights? Good fun food is flexible and doesn't judge.

Hopefully the faithful of Roslindale have a little more to chew on about our new addition to the square. I am very excited to be here and what our little restaurant is shaping up to be and hope you are too. Oh, and by the way we are listening: vegetarians fear not, vegans as well, good seasonal cooking doesn't demand meat although I am a card carrying omnivore (ask my old camp friend Melissa a vegetarian for 20+ years); my charcuterie will continue with pates, hams, and terrines; Southern style represented RIP Bill Neal; ee cummings nod, We're not worthy but will pay our homage to Forest Hills Cemetery none the less and toast him at The Enormous Room and keep the stream of consciousness coming (pray I don't go as far as my fellow southerner Faulkner); spring is around the corner as I test new dishes with pork and ramps. It couldn't come at a better time. Our new grill is coming Monday with wood smoke along with it.

I promise more posts with better editing and as much fun. Stay tuned. Website and opening coming soon.
Chef Delicious

Here we go!

I am proud to announce that RnR, Redd's in Rozzie is underway! Renovations are going well with windows installed in the dining room and colors being chosen. I have been working on this project for a few months with my biz partner Beth to create a neighborhood spot in Roslindale with great local Americana fun approachable lick you fingers get in there get dirty "what was that flavor?!" doughnuts hush puppies BBQ PBR KIR record playing baked fish right out of the water Island Creek oysters dedicated to Paul Farmer and raising money for PIH kabinett carmenere brickhouse  recycling composting insuring growing smoking butchering drinking tiling cleaning hiring hiring hiring. Sound like fun? More to come. Wish us luck.