Where to Get Summer Oysters: Time Out

For cheap Summer oysters head to Williamsburg's Spike Hill, according to Time Out:

Fridays is for cheap mollusks at Spike Hill (184 Bedford Ave at North 7th St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 718-218-9737), with Blue Points and littleneck clams going for $1 each 5–8pm. Get there early; the place fills up quickly.

A Little Progress on the Home Front

I get asked quite often how the house is coming along. Painfully slow is usually how I respond. The best thing I can report on right now is how beautifully the wood is turning out after the stain and varnish has been removed. I really liked the dark stain, but over the years people kept adding more and more stain making it uneven and there was a lot of paint splattered all over. Now that it's stripped it looks practically brand new. We also now have a half bath on the parlour floor. I love the little corner sink, but I don't like the faucet I got. I need to exchange it, but for the time being it does the trick. Here are some photos:





Fireplace details.





Windows with some old stain left.



A good before and after shot of the built in cabinetry.





Some shots of the corner sink with the faucet I don't like. Also, we reused the paneling from the kitchen in the half bath. I like the way it turned out. Looks like it's always been there. We used the traditional white hexagonal tiles on the floor and I'm going to wallpaper (gasp).

Promising Malaysian in Sunset Park: Village Voice

From the Village Voice:

Belachan's massive menu might be described as Sino-Malaysian, since it includes all sorts of regional Chinese fare—not only the adapted dishes brought to the archipelago centuries ago by Chinese immigrants now known as Nonya ("grandma") cuisine, but also ones found in neighborhood Cantonese greasy spoons in America. These are offered, I'm certain, as a palliative for the tables of Chinese diners who frequent the place. But this Chinese orientation can be a tremendous advantage: Belachan turns out the city's best Hainanese chicken, a dish named after an island in China's southernmost province. The big bird is slow-poached in pork broth, rendering it plump and tender, and arrives at your table awash in a light soy sauce festively decorated with cukes and scallions. The straightforward cooking method allows the bird's quintessential chicken-ness to shine. You've never had fresher tasting poultry.

Make Reservations at Zagat.com

Using the Opentable interface, Zagat announced today that you can now book tables via their site. Just click on the table and chair icon on the restaurant's page. One more weapon to fight for a reservation in New York.

I realize posting has been light lately. I've been so preoccupied with other stuff lately, but promise to catch up soon.