Monday, February 1, 2010. Flying Cows? Thai Squared. I wish there were some way I could put my dreams to work. They're entertaining enough that I hate to see them just fade away. Last night, I was flying an airplane when a herd of flying cows, led by a flying bull, was blown into my path. As the plot evolved, I discovered that one's home is not a good refuge from angry flying cows. And that one should never, ever allow cows to enter the house. The situation was frightening enough that I forced myself to wake up so I could get away from the raging, airborne bovines.
Lunch at Thai Thai. Owner/chef/maitre d'/waiter/herb farmer Ricky said he's all ready for the Super Bowl, and that he would remain open that night. This is the big issue with restaurants around town right now. Many of them--led by a declaration of closure put out by Commander's Palace months ago, if the Saints were in the Super Bowl--will let their emplyees and themselves have the night off so they could watch the game. Others see an opportunity to rake in a lot of cash. I don't know why. Saints games have murdered restaurant business all year long, and I can't imagine the Super Bowl will be an exception to that--except, perhaps, in being even worse. Not many people fall into the category we have been in most of the season in having no working television at home. But who knows? Gordon Biersch, the chain of microbreweries whose restaurant in Harrah's Hotel, is asking $150 per person for a big Super Bowl viewing party with all you can eat pizza, burgers, fries, beer, and cocktails. They may well get it.
Back to Thai Thai: I started with Ricky's Chinese hot and sour soup and a spring roll, which come with the lunch. I let him choose a dish for me. He seems to remember everything I've ever had before better than I can. What he came up with was a big bowl of shrimp, asparagus, exotic mushrooms, and a few other vegetables. I don't think he told me a name for this, other than "Thai shrimp with asparagus and mushrooms." Pretty good, and more filling than I really wanted.
He also told me that his end of the lease on Thai Spice across the street has run out, and that his nephew now has it all to himself. This also meant that Thai Spice's marquee underline "By Ricky" has come down, to Ricky's relief. The two restaurants have been much confused by customers. With good reason. Ricky was first where he is now, then moved across the street to Thai Spice, then moved back. I go to both all the time and can barely keep up with it all.
The Marys were uninterested in going out to dinner. So for once I planned that right. I wasn't, either. I grilled up a slice of that cheese pizza left over from our visit to Sorelli's, and got back to work. I will be gone next week, and that means twice as much to do this week. I wonder what it's like to take a vacation that doesn't require all this advance doing and catching up afterwards. Like an airline pilot or a store clerk or a college professor gets. Not that I deserve any sympathy.
Thai Thai. Covington: 1536 US 190 985-809-8905. Thai.
