Post by Clipper on Jul 27, 2021 7:28:31 GMT -5
www.uticaod.com/story/news/local/2021/07/27/patio-drive-utica-reaches-end-road/8083077002/
As a longtime customer I am literally mourning the loss of this iconic restaurant. I have many memories of the Patio, from hanging around with my friend Anthony Raffule in the 60's, double dating and ending the night at the drive-in with hot dogs and a shake. In the late 70's I lived in an upstairs flat on Parker St. and often stopped at the Patio on my way home after returning from Syracuse on the last bus run of the day for CNY Coach Lines. There was a late night crowd of regulars there, drinking coffee and shooting the breeze with Ike and Gussie. They ranged from city police officers, to DPW workers and people on their way home after an evening out.
I am addicted to the chili dogs that are covered with the special chili sauce that has always been a closely guarded recipe known only to the owner, who has traditionally been the only one preparing it. I once helped Anthony peel and prep 50 pounds of onions one evening that his dad Ike would use to cook down a batch of the secret sauce.
We brought home 4 pints of the sauce when we returned from vacation recently, and just the other night I had two natural casing Hoffman's franks with Patio chili sauce.
Another Utica icon passes into history, and a regular traditional stop whenever in Utica becomes just a memory.
As a longtime customer I am literally mourning the loss of this iconic restaurant. I have many memories of the Patio, from hanging around with my friend Anthony Raffule in the 60's, double dating and ending the night at the drive-in with hot dogs and a shake. In the late 70's I lived in an upstairs flat on Parker St. and often stopped at the Patio on my way home after returning from Syracuse on the last bus run of the day for CNY Coach Lines. There was a late night crowd of regulars there, drinking coffee and shooting the breeze with Ike and Gussie. They ranged from city police officers, to DPW workers and people on their way home after an evening out.
I am addicted to the chili dogs that are covered with the special chili sauce that has always been a closely guarded recipe known only to the owner, who has traditionally been the only one preparing it. I once helped Anthony peel and prep 50 pounds of onions one evening that his dad Ike would use to cook down a batch of the secret sauce.
We brought home 4 pints of the sauce when we returned from vacation recently, and just the other night I had two natural casing Hoffman's franks with Patio chili sauce.
Another Utica icon passes into history, and a regular traditional stop whenever in Utica becomes just a memory.
