Once upon a time...
I mentioned once that in Albuquerque things seem to come and go all the time. Today I'm going to reminisce a little about one of the great lost places in town.
Not so long ago, or perhaps 6 years ago not a Tuesday night would go by and not find a group of my friends at the New Chinatown. As far a Chinese restaurants go this was about the best. I can't really say much about their buffet, or their menu, because we seldom ordered more than appetizers, but their bar was amazing.
I believe it was called the Tiki Room, but who can really say anymore. It was certainly done in the style of a Tiki lounge. A few times a week, Tuesday being one of those days, Freddie Baker, a Hawaiian lounge singer would play, and we'd go down, order frozen drinks with little umbrellas, and listen to Freddie play songs like "Blue Hawaii" and "Tiny Bubbles", and dream about opening up a similar place on an island somewhere.
There is nothing like an island oasis in the middle of a desert, and this place was perfect. So much so that you had a culture shock at the door when you decided to go home. I will always fondly remember sitting there for hours ordering Piña Coladas and Mai Tais, and waiting for the waitress to go up front and swing balls on strings around her head while Freddie pounded out island rhythms on a hollow log. It's only a shame they weren't on fire.
Well, the years have rolled by and most of those friends have moved out of town. New Chinatown was turned into something called Mr. K's Chinese Buffet a year or so ago, and I haven't been able to bring myself to go in and see if the lounge remained intact. I can't imagine that it did, and I don't really want proof. I'd rather believe that somewhere three times a week Freddie is still playing "Tiny Bubbles" while people order icy drinks in the middle of a desert.
Currently Listening to: XTC - Nonesuch
Currently Reading: Mark Twain - The Innocents Abroad
Last Netflix Movie: Dawn of the Dead (no comment)
Not so long ago, or perhaps 6 years ago not a Tuesday night would go by and not find a group of my friends at the New Chinatown. As far a Chinese restaurants go this was about the best. I can't really say much about their buffet, or their menu, because we seldom ordered more than appetizers, but their bar was amazing.
I believe it was called the Tiki Room, but who can really say anymore. It was certainly done in the style of a Tiki lounge. A few times a week, Tuesday being one of those days, Freddie Baker, a Hawaiian lounge singer would play, and we'd go down, order frozen drinks with little umbrellas, and listen to Freddie play songs like "Blue Hawaii" and "Tiny Bubbles", and dream about opening up a similar place on an island somewhere.
There is nothing like an island oasis in the middle of a desert, and this place was perfect. So much so that you had a culture shock at the door when you decided to go home. I will always fondly remember sitting there for hours ordering Piña Coladas and Mai Tais, and waiting for the waitress to go up front and swing balls on strings around her head while Freddie pounded out island rhythms on a hollow log. It's only a shame they weren't on fire.
Well, the years have rolled by and most of those friends have moved out of town. New Chinatown was turned into something called Mr. K's Chinese Buffet a year or so ago, and I haven't been able to bring myself to go in and see if the lounge remained intact. I can't imagine that it did, and I don't really want proof. I'd rather believe that somewhere three times a week Freddie is still playing "Tiny Bubbles" while people order icy drinks in the middle of a desert.
Currently Listening to: XTC - Nonesuch
Currently Reading: Mark Twain - The Innocents Abroad
Last Netflix Movie: Dawn of the Dead (no comment)
posted by brian at 1:11 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home