Hot
item on the menu at a Democratic mayoral forum in Manhattan Tuesday night: Kimchi.
Our
reports:
“You actually cannot make kimchi under the health code right now!” City Council Speaker Christine Quinn exclaimed when fielding a question about restaurant inspections. “That is crazy!”
Quinn, who in the past proposed changes to Mayor Bloomberg’s restaurant inspection system, made the comments at a candidates’ forum sponsored by the Asian American Federation.
Candidates at the forum, headlined “The Next Mayor: Our City & Our Communities,” appeared on stage one at a time and answered questions that ranged from diversity in city contracting to education, storm preparedness — and restaurant inspections.
“Everyone knows how spicy kimchi is,” Comptroller John Liu said when he asked about the Korean classic. “Nothing’s going to grow on that.”
Liu, who would be the city’s first Asian-American mayor if elected, vowed to immediately change health regulations — with input from the community.
“I look for that duck and the chicken hanging in the window… Can’t find it anywhere!” he complained.
Former Comptroller Bill Thompson, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio and former Councilman Sal Albanese were also at the forum at the Time Warner Center.
The Federation hosted Republicans John Catsimatidis and George McDonald and Independence Party nominee Adolfo Carrion Jr. at a previous forum, with the GOP hopefuls
leaving some spectators rolling their eyes
by citing visits to dry cleaners, restaurants and massage parlors when talking about their recent experiences with Asian American-run local businesses.
Here via
, is an excerpt of that forum.
tmoore@nydailynews.com
Got a news tip? Email us — and don’t forget to follow our political team on Twitter!
