Richardson's, RIP

As the remains of one of our favorite Phoenix restaurants smolder, we are thinking back to good times had at Richardson's. This place was (and hopefully will soon be again) an institution in a town with far too few.

For evidence, we reached into the not-so-way-back machine for this gem, from our now-defunct but fondly remembered Waiter Confidential column on Chow Bella.

The recollection involves the restaurant's owner, Richardson Browne, and none other than former President George W. Bush, who once paid a visit to Richardson's. We chuckled at it last November, as night settled in on last Election Day, when we left John McCain's so-called party at the Arizona Biltmore and landed, naturally, at our favorite north central Phoenix spot and ordered a round.

It will take more than one of Richardson's famous margaritas to drown our sorrows now.