Gay Restaurants

[maggiethecat]

"Miss - I have a question about size", meaning the PORTION size.  I, of course, looked at him completely deadpan and said, "No matter what they tell you, it DOES matter!"  His dining companions really lost it.  

And so did I, Ms. Loeb. Mouthful of coffee all over the keyboard. Thank you for the first laugh of the day.

[plax]

Now there in London most restaurants are gay-friendly, at least, and the gayest places tend to be see-and-be-seen diners like Balans in Old Compton St, with huge windows, where the food plays definite second fiddle to the cute staff and flirty atmosphere.

Funny, there is a branch of Balans on Lincoln Road in South Beach; it's where the Picky Eater and I had our first date dinner. So I guess it's pretty gay as well!

Neil

[fresh_a]

Paris has quite a few "gay" restaurants, mostly concentrated in the Marais district, and around the rue Montorgueil... I have personally been to a good one on this street called "Les Trois Petites Cochons", which had decent food, and a very campy, boisterous atmosphere..

[dallardice]

Funny, there is a branch of Balans on Lincoln Road in South Beach; it's where the Picky Eater and I had our first date dinner.  So I guess it's pretty gay as well!

Neil

Yes, part of the same chain: the menus here say 'Soho - Earl's Court - South Beach'.

[Jason Perlow]

this area has a 'Gay' flavour,

Mmmm, gay flavour...... wonder what that would taste like?

I dunno, a generous portion of Bob Fosse, with a dusting of Rock Hudson with a Village People coulis? With Paul Lynde souffle for dessert?

[Fresser]

this area has a 'Gay' flavour,

Mmmm, gay flavour...... wonder what that would taste like?

I dunno, a generous portion of Bob Fosse, with a dusting of Rock Hudson with a Village People coulis? With Paul Lynde souffle for dessert?

And for cleansing the palate, you MUST try the Little Richard Tutti Frutti Sorbet.

Wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bam-boom!

[Adam Balic]

this area has a 'Gay' flavour,

Mmmm, gay flavour...... wonder what that would taste like?

I dunno, a generous portion of Bob Fosse, with a dusting of Rock Hudson with a Village People coulis? With Paul Lynde souffle for dessert?

Followed by 'sterotype' and port no doubt.

[Kikujiro]

And then...there's always Big Cup. 

I have fond memories of Big Cup from when I stayed in a dive hotel round the corner (next to a police station, I think I remember). I remember it had good muffins (note that this may or may not be, or ever have been, the case in actuality).

The odd thing about the hotel was that the view from the window changed overnight.

[SWoodyWhite]

this area has a 'Gay' flavour,

Mmmm, gay flavour...... wonder what that would taste like?

I dunno, a generous portion of Bob Fosse, with a dusting of Rock Hudson with a Village People coulis? With Paul Lynde souffle for dessert?

Sorry, but Fosse was notoriously hetero. For the entree, I'd suggest a generous portion of Nathan Lane...but that might make the Paul Lynde souffle redundant, so I'd also suggest substituting Tommy Tune for dessert (so light, frothy, and archetectural in design).

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

this area has a 'Gay' flavour,

Mmmm, gay flavour...... wonder what that would taste like?

I dunno, a generous portion of Bob Fosse, with a dusting of Rock Hudson with a Village People coulis? With Paul Lynde souffle for dessert?

Sorry, but Fosse was notoriously hetero. For the entree, I'd suggest a generous portion of Nathan Lane...but that might make the Paul Lynde souffle redundant, so I'd also suggest substituting Tommy Tune for dessert (so light, frothy, and archetectural in design).

How bout an Elton John ice CREAM sandwich?

[elyse]

Is it true that homosexuality is still illegal in Tazmania?

[Suzanne F]

Tasmania? Hell, there are probably still some counties here in the States where it's illegal.

[elyse]

There are definitely states where certain acts are illegal, but not just BEING.

[Kim WB]

There is a gay bar in New Hope, PA, whcih is called the Raven. While most of the other restaurants and bars in this gay dominated enclave are for anyone with greenbacks or platinum cards, the Raven stil maintains its exclusivity..generally an older, subdued crowd, couples mostly, I would hazard to guess the generation that have experienced ignorance and prejudice first hand, in their day, and so gravitate to this comfortable, local hang out. It's one of the few places I've felt uncomfortable in...not becasue they made me feel excluded, but rather that I felt intrusive. Great martinis, the bartender explained that they filter the ice two times.

[Fat Guy]

I checked out East of Eighth tonight. It turns out to be a very useful restaurant in Chelsea, particularly if you like outdoor dining (the garden dining area out back is comfortable, covered, and full of foliage and a fish pond) and are looking for good value. Most of the food was a couple of notches up from "general menu" American cuisine in the style of any old restaurant, but there were a couple of standouts. Most surprisingly, they make terrific little thin-crust (really thin and crispy, like at Lento's) pizzas. We had a four-cheese pizza with, among others, ricotta and smoked mozzarella. "Firecracker wasabi shrimp" were also pretty good and the portion was generous.

Between 5 and 7 pm you can get a three-course meal plus coffee for $15. This offer seems to attract primarily a hetero crowd -- mostly older folks who probably live in Chelsea Towers or wherever. The gay set seems to hang out mostly up front, in the bar area, during early-bird-special time. Flamboyant gentlemen spill out into the area around the restaurant's stairwell, right on 23rd Street, sipping cocktails and not-exactly-dancing to Fire Island-appropriate tunes. Our friendly waiter -- all ordering and exchanges of information were conducted in a conspiratorial whisper as he crouched alongside our table -- assured us that, later on, the scene becomes a lot gayer and hipper throughout the restaurant. There are also, on scheduled dates, various drag performances (e.g. Hedda Lettuce) and the like.

From the restaurant's Web site: "Designed by Scott Bromley the architect that built Studio 54 and located in a brownstone that once housed an historic restaurant at the turn of the century called Cavanaugh’s, this elegant but casual restaurant has a warm, inviting feeling that is addictive and very Chelsea."

East of Eighth

254 W. 23rd Street (between Seventh and Eighth Aves.)

New York, NY 10011

(212) 352-0075 phone

http://eastofeighth.com/

[elyse]

Fire Island is predominantely hetero.

[Adam Balic]

Is it true that homosexuality is still illegal in Tazmania?

Being homosexual was never illegal in Tasmania, but "un-natural acts" were, this was generally ignored by the population by and large. At some point in the mid-nineties it became and issue and a whole load of nasty stuff occured (ie strange God-bothering folk, quoting the bible etc). The Fed. Gov. and the UN stepped in, which unfortunately made the matter worse (eg. How com' those city fella's are tell'n us wha' to do Paw?).

Fortunately, sensible people just got sick of all the losers and whakos and did things like hand them selves into the police station claiming that they were criminals as they had just engaged in a session of oral sex (at the time classified as an 'un-natural act').

I think you would be surprised to see how many states in the USA that it is still illegal, in some from.

Edit: Actual Tasmanian law (now defunct ) states:

Section 122 (a) and © of the Tasmanian Criminal Code Act state that "Any person who (a) has sexual intercourse with any person against the order of nature; ... © consents to a male person having sexual intercourse with him or her against the order of nature, is guilty of a crime," and could be charged with "unnatural sexual intercourse." Section 123 of the same Act states that "Any male person who, whether in public or private, commits any indecent assault upon, or other act of gross indecency with, another male person, or procures another male person to commit any act of gross indecency with himself or any other male person, is guilty of a crime," and could be charged with "indecent practice between male persons."

So I was wrong, the law was a direct attack on homosexuals .

Edited April 30, 2003 by Adam Balic (log)

[Kikujiro]

There are definitely states where certain acts are illegal, but not just BEING.

Repression of homosexuality almost always concerns specific actions rather than some kind of 'being' gay, which is after all fairly difficult to establish in the absence of action (unlike, say, being black). Even conservative Christianity says: hate the sin, love the sinner.

Of course, for those who missed out on Foucault, the idea that there such a thing as 'sexuality' (that a sentence differentiating acts from 'just BEING' is even intelligible) is only a bit over a hundred years old.

In terms of restaurants, I'm assuming the 'acts' would involve holding hands across the table, or having certain kinds of conversation.

Edited April 30, 2003 by Kikujiro (log)

[Kikujiro]

There are definitely states where certain acts are illegal, but not just BEING.

Having said all that, in some states in the US, certain acts are only illegal between members of the same sex.

All in all, 14 States, Puerto Rico and the military have sodomy laws (see link).

[indiagirl]

/aut/ bar in ann arbor is a gay bar and restaurant. it used to be a mexican place with fantastic food. the owners, a gay couple, decided that ann arbor needed a gay bar more than good mexican food - so they slashed ther menu and simplified it and became a gay/lesbian bar. the food's okay now, not great, the atmosphere is quite welcoming, whether you're gay or straight and they have a lovely sit out area, so a drink or two there in summer is always nice ...

[elyse]

Thanks for the link Kikujiro.

And thanks, Adam, for the research.

[Fat Guy]

Fire Island is predominantely hetero.

So is San Francisco. It's not so much a question of numbers as it is one of out-ness. Fire Island has at least two communities (Cherry Grove and the Pines) that are in the Provincetown category when it comes to their gay-obviousness quotient. And I suspect that's really the difference between a "gay restaurant" and a typical restaurant.

[J Acord]

David and I are off to provincetown at the end of may, anyone have any suggestions of some 'must eat at' restaurants? Not really bothered if they are 'gay' or not (though I can't see how they would be anything but )

Suggestions please?

John

[elyse]

Fire Island is predominantely hetero.

So is San Francisco. It's not so much a question of numbers as it is one of out-ness. Fire Island has at least two communities (Cherry Grove and the Pines) that are in the Provincetown category when it comes to their gay-obviousness quotient. And I suspect that's really the difference between a "gay restaurant" and a typical restaurant.

That may be true, but in this case, I might say Cherry Grove or the Pines, as Fire Island appropriate means something very different to me.

John, try The Martin House (www.themartinhouse.com if you want to preview) or Front Street for dining on the fine side. There are a couple of threads on restaurants on the New England forum. Or PM me.

[SobaAddict70]

Is it true that homosexuality is still illegal in Tazmania?

Being homosexual was never illegal in Tasmania, but "un-natural acts" were, this was generally ignored by the population by and large. At some point in the mid-nineties it became and issue and a whole load of nasty stuff occured (ie strange God-bothering folk, quoting the bible etc). The Fed. Gov. and the UN stepped in, which unfortunately made the matter worse (eg. How com' those city fella's are tell'n us wha' to do Paw?).

Fortunately, sensible people just got sick of all the losers and whakos and did things like hand them selves into the police station claiming that they were criminals as they had just engaged in a session of oral sex (at the time classified as an 'un-natural act').

I think you would be surprised to see how many states in the USA that it is still illegal, in some from.

Edit: Actual Tasmanian law (now defunct ) states:

Section 122 (a) and © of the Tasmanian Criminal Code Act state that "Any person who (a) has sexual intercourse with any person against the order of nature; ... © consents to a male person having sexual intercourse with him or her against the order of nature, is guilty of a crime," and could be charged with "unnatural sexual intercourse." Section 123 of the same Act states that "Any male person who, whether in public or private, commits any indecent assault upon, or other act of gross indecency with, another male person, or procures another male person to commit any act of gross indecency with himself or any other male person, is guilty of a crime," and could be charged with "indecent practice between male persons."

So I was wrong, the law was a direct attack on homosexuals .

Just a comment on the law:

The irony is that all these unnatural acts (btw, the definition "unnatural sexual intercourse" is poorly defined within the context of the legal language) are also done by a not insignificant proportion of the world's het population. One group's nature is another group's abomination, but that's another topic for another message board.

Ok, back to food.

Soba