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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsThe Cult of Doug Quinn.
Last edited Fri Nov 12, 2021, 12:07 AM - Edit history (3)
Doug Quinn has had a reputation forever as the best bartender in New York. I used to read articles about him in the New York Times. He was the bartender at P J Clarke's since the 1990s. He was the bartender every other bartender admired. He could forever remember your name and your drink order after a first meeting. He worked at PJ Clarke's for twenty years until a night of infamy in maybe 2012. That night a drunk customer molested three woman at the bar. Mr. Quinn ordered him ejected from the premises. Some idiot manager intervened to escort the drunk to a table. Words were exchanged and Mr. Quinn was fired. The customers that night walked out in solidarity. The events were all widely covered in the NY press.
Mr. Quinn's friends were legion. He had no trouble finding backers for a new place in midtown he called Hudson Malone after his two sons. It was a very convivial eating and drinking spot that I've had on my list to visit for a while but don't get into the city as often as when I was young.
I was thinking of going in next month and looked up Hudson Malone. It's still closed from the Covid shutdown but to my amazement I found out he had opened a new Hudson Malone in Westport CT, about a 50 minute drive from us. I excitedly told Sarah about Mr. Quinn and his exit from PJ Clarke's. She became all excited and said 'We have to go' So I made a reservation for lunch for today and off we went.
When we got there I told the hostess we had a reservation. She checked and then led the two of us to a prime corner booth for six. I asked if Mr. Quinn was on premises and told her we'd been reading about him for years. She said no but he was expected soon.
We settled in when our waitress came and took our order. We had drinks and Sarah ordered a steak salad and I ordered a filet mignon steak sandwich. The prices weren't bad for Fairfield County. My sandwich and Sarah's salad were less than 20 bucks a piece. The food came and it was literally the best steak sandwich I have ever had. Filet mignon, cheese and onion on a ciabetta roll. I guess Sarah liked hers because half way through my sandwich I looked at her plate and it was empty.
We had almost finished and I was reconciled to not meeting Mr. Quinn but enjoying a super meal when suddenly a figure appeared at the table and said 'Tom, welcome to the restaurant'. It was Doug Quinn. The hostess must have told him we were asking. I said: Mr. Quinn, I've been reading about you for years. He said: It's Doug. Mr. Quinn is my father. He didn't stay long. We just chatted a bit and I made sure to introduce my wife and let him know she was a writer so he would remember her too. He moved on to other business.
We decided we'd have a rare indulgence and asked for a desert menu. A few minutes later, instead of bringing the menu, Angelica our waitress brought us creme brulee and a chocolate and ice cream concoction and said: Compliments of the owner!
Needless to say it all met our expectations. On the way out Doug greeted us again and asked us to come back. We assured him we would be customers for life. We had joined the cult of Doug Quinn.
What are his politics you may ask? I'm sure he never expresses a political opinion but I can describe the photos that decorated our booth: John Kennedy, Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson and Martin Luther King, plus a large painting of Westport's own Paul Newman.
Doug has a set of sayings he calls Quinn's Laws posted near the bar. Short things that cover a variety of subjects. One might appeal to DU: Stand Tall - Choose Sides.
Doug Quinn runs the best place in Connecticut.
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blm
(113,052 posts)Yep, Paul Newman is a liberal’s liberal. 😉
Docreed2003
(16,858 posts)Definitely want to dine there now. If I'm ever in that area, I plan on it!
Tomconroy
(7,611 posts)Able to tell we were first time customers (they entered us in the computer when we called) and that's why they gave us the best seats in the house, beneath the Paul Newman painting.
I told the hostess we had reserved, she looked up our names and then led us to the table that had obviously been saved for us.
So it pays to call ahead.
Tomconroy
(7,611 posts)Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)About the picture of Paul Newman. When we were teenagers my sister used to go down there with her friends and sit outside his house in Westport and just wait for a chance to see him. That was back when stalking was just a harmless, fun thing to do 
Their claim to fame was that they followed him to the grocery store and back - woohoo
Paul was definitely a drinker so I bet he frequented Quinn's bars. My brother-in-law had a restaurant in Connecticut and they hosted a fundraiser for a charity for kids that Paul was involved with. He showed up and he asked for his own pitcher of beer and he drank it all down at once from the pitcher.
Tomconroy
(7,611 posts)I had made a reservation. The hostess looked me up and said: "The last time you were here you sat at the Paul Newman table. Would you like to do that again?"
I said: "I live to sit at the Paul Newman table!"
So now I've got my own table.
Oh, and we saw Angelica again. Of course she remembered us and she loved my classic Team Ireland rugby shirt!
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)Who knows someone who knew Paul!!!
Tomconroy
(7,611 posts)Yes. I am obsessed. O have my own table!
Tomconroy
(7,611 posts)Last edited Wed Nov 24, 2021, 04:56 AM - Edit history (2)
My first job out of law school was in Westport. Everybody had a sport of watching out for Paul Newman. I never won. I only spotted Rodney Dangerfield. I did see Paul eventually. One night I was attending Long Wharf Theater in New Haven in a play starring Paul Newman's friend Sam Waterston. Just before the play began in walked Paul Newman all by himself. He sat about five rows behind me. Nobody bothered him at all. OK, I turned around 3 or 4 times to sneak a peak.
Hope to meet you in real life soon at Doug Quinn's convivial watering hole.
Tom
Tomconroy
(7,611 posts)Original review. I did mention Angelica our waitress. She was great. She was Hispanic and spoke perfectly fine english with an accent. She was from Bridgeport, the city a bit up the line. Now remember Hudson Malone is located in lilly white Westport. My wife pointed out that Doug could have hired her and stuck her back in the kitchen. Instead she was right on the front line serving customers.
Three times she told us her name and three times she asked what ours were. She wanted to remember us and she wanted us to remember her. She is a member of the cult of Doug Quinn.
We be loving Angelica!
oasis
(49,381 posts)
