Stuart Irving, chef/owner of Cuchillo in Railtown, knows more than just a thing or three about making really good food. He also has a deep and abiding love of rock n’ roll that has translated into an encyclopedic knowledge of the stuff, so much so that a conversation about the finer points of tortillas can quickly devolve into an unsolicited (and highly detailed) explanation of guitarist John Frusciante’s solo efforts. We bestowed upon him the harrowing task of picking his top albums of all time – those that anchored his musical tastes – to just three. Have a listen…

Roxy Music – Roxy Music (1972) | LISTEN |  “If There Is Something is such a great track; Brian Ferry’s vocals are insane. Brian Eno was still with the band — really eclectic and diverse. You can’t go wrong with any of their first four albums. I chose this one cuz why not start at the beginning? So under rated.”

John Frusciante – Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-shirt (1992) | LISTEN | “Again, so hard to choose just one JF album. A debut release, during a dark period of his life while recording Blood Sugar Sex Magick with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Heroin fueled to say the least’ pure anguish in the vox. Your Pussy’s Glued to a Building On Fire, My Smile Is a Rifle, and Mascara running straight into Been Insane. Fragile genius.

Queens of the Stone Age – Queens of the Stone Age (1998) | LISTEN | “A flawless stoner rock classic. A cleaned up Kyuss with epic songwriting and riffage from Josh. Such a monster album. I could get buried with this one.”

ALL DEFINITIVE RECORDS