"I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand,
Walking through the streets of SoHo in the rain.
He was looking for a place called Lee How Fook's.
Gonna get a big dish of beef chow mein.
Aaooooooo
Werewolves of London.
Aaooooooo.
Aaooooooo.
Werewolves of London.
Aaooooooo."
The historic truth is that the werewolf wasn't from SoHo, London, but Chinatown, Philadelphia. Poetic license for a largely underappreciated songwriter and rock performer, Warren Zevon. He spent a lot of time in the city, especially in the early 1980s, when he was living with, and ultimately married to a well know radio DJ here. They lived on Rittenhouse Square for several years, before divorce drove him back to California. If you were very fortunate, you saw his concert at the TLA on South Street, and had your musical life changed.
He really visited the small Cantonese restaurant on the corner of 11th and Spring Streets and used it for inspiration for the song, "Werewolves of London." Even the kitchen door in an alley off Spring Street, found its way into the lyrics, as the door you must not open unless you sought the fate of the, "Little old lady, got mutilated late last night..." It remains a scary place even today with decades of thick, black grease caked to the walls and pavement. Who knows what evil lurks in those sewer drains?!
So, I was there the other day after a haircut across the street. I had been singing his songs as I drove to Philly, and wanted to pay homage to the man and have some good Cantonese food.
The dining room was small, with no more than eight tables. It was well preserved in dark mahogany stained panels. It was fairly clean and tidy for a joint in C.Town. We were the only customers on arrival, and took liberties to walk around a bit and take a few photos. Amazingly, not a thing memorializing Zevon. Maybe this third generation Asian kitchen doesn't know from American rock and roll. Warren would no doubt get a laugh out of that.
We ordered Salt Baked Squid, Orange Beef and Fish Hot Pot; more than enough for two of us, but plenty to bring home for the sons. They were all very good, if not best of breed. The squid was tender and mildly salty as expected. The beef was plentiful with a good dark red amber sauce and sliced onion and green pepper. The fish arrived in a covered casserole still bubbling from the fire in the kitchen. Soft, moist and delicious. Each dish was $11.95. Credit cards accepted.
This was one of the better Cantonese meals eaten in C.Town, made more desirable by the ability to think about Warren Zevon sitting at the table in back, chowing down and noodling about a song that we are still singing long after his death.
Aaoooooooo! read more