DCMark

Thank you Carema. I just checked on the DOC Rioja website (DOC Rioja) and it appears both 1987 and 1996 were rated Very Good vintages, just below excellent. We will see tonight.

I have a 1987 Rioja Reserva "Vina Ardanza" in my cellar. A recent gift from my aging father who has had it in his cellar since the early 90s (stored well on both ends). Am I too late with this wine? Anything I should be doing/not doing (breathing, decanting, etc) when drinking it? Thank you

Thanks everyone. I put a few of these on my list and picked up this one on sale myself. hachette atlas of french wines & vineyards, edited by pascal riberau-gayon 2nd ed. 2000 ←

Thanks Mary. Well its a gift for me so price is not a problem I have a French wife so I am good on the regions and the types of wines produced there. I am more interested in learnig about specific producers of wine, specific chateaus/brands/etc. I seem to recall my father having some sort of imposing book on French wine in the 1970s....looking for something like that but updated.

I was wondering if this kit from Wine Enthusiast is worthwhile for a person wanting to take their tasting abilities to the next level? Would the $60 be better spent on a class? I am looking to be able to identify the spefic tastes and smells associated with all wines, not learn about a particular region, type, etc. Wine Esscense Wine Essence This unique and valuable kit allows you to speak about wine like a true professional. Learn how to taste wine while you are guided through its mysteries and pleasures. The kit is based upon international studies that have identified nine principal components of wine. The principal "essences"—along with their level of concentration and intensity—are what ultimately determine a wine’s flavor and character. The kit includes these nine essences—sweet, bitter, sour, smooth, acetic, flowery, fruity, oak and tannin—individually bottled and carefully prepared so that the suggested dilution corresponds to their concentration in wine. The more you use the kit, the better you’ll be able to identify the separate tastes in wine and understand the countless ways in which they can be blended. You’ll also enjoy wine more and feel completely at ease when you’re ordering it in restaurants or discussing it with other Wine Enthusiasts. Kit also includes, a detailed instruction booklet, all necessary labels and a wine tasting glass.

Is there a noted book/reference on French wine, regions, vintages, etc? Thank you

Sad day for hunters with the slaughter in Wisconsin. What are these people thinking? Anyway, real duck season is in full swing. I will be hunting Fri-Sat in Delaware. Wish me luck.

Despite a few Health Department closings, the New Big Wong is still a favorite and its ratio of Chinese to American diners in usually 3-1.

Oyamel is still working out the kinks service wise. I would avoid during busy hours. We had a frustrating dinner there Saturday night. First, my 'pre-reservation' for a table of 5 (called in on Thursday) was never written down. Then they seemed to forget us and we were not seated for 90+ minutes. This lead to about 4+ margaritas each (they are great) and dimished our ability to taste the food... Service at the table was equally sporadic with the first dishes coming out within minutes of ordering and the next round 40 minutes later. The oxtail tacos stood out as excellent as did the oysters. No patience for dessert so I cannot comment. Omayel is certainly a popular restaurant, and kudos to the owners for choosing this very busy and welcoming location.

By hiring good people and training everyone to the standards of the restaurant. By listening to how the server interacts with tables. By sending in 'mystery shoppers' who dine and then report their experiences to management (this happens constatly in retail for instance). A good manager is consistent in any industry. This person finds the right people and manages them individually as required. They do not simply trust blindly nor do they micromanage. But a manager in a service industry really should have a process in place where he/she seeks out comments, complaints and compliments from customers on a consistent and measurable basis. Simply waiting for the odd customer to complain is not proactive management.

From Tom Sietsema's chat today:

Sorry for the long delay in reporting. A bit of a dissapointment. I expected a sit-down dinner but that was not to be. More of a marketing effort for each restaurant and the portions were incredibly small. The best stuff came from a tex-mex restaurant actually (yucca and mushrooms). The highlight was a table from the local mushroom society. Here is me with a giant shroom.

Are we that anonymous here? It may take a bit of effort, but most of us have met each other. Egullet is way less anonymous than Tom's chat.

Stretch, I think that Tom should restrict the serious complaints to his Ask Tom box or not at all. As you said, anyone can say anything. Tom uses the instant nature of the chat as an excuse for not checking the stories. However, he does have a choice to answer specific questions and the instant nature of the Internet does not preclude him from his journalistic responsibilities.

Excuse me but some people need to calm the f**k down. So a bug lands in your wine and you expect another bottle? Honey, I think a few bugs touched the grapes on the vine too. What is with people? Todays Tom chat is just out of control: Washington, DC: Tom, I'm curious to get your perspective on the "proper" way for a restaurant to respond to the unexpected arrival of a fly/gnat/other flying insect in a customer's wine glass. My husband and I dined at Citronelle for the first time this evening -- and while we have nothing but rave reviews for the food, we were somewhat taken aback by the way they dealt with this issue. When my husband noticed the little winged visitor flailing around in his glass, we quietly let the sommelier know. She carried his glass over to the side of the restaurant, and we watched as she then strained the wine from his glass into another, effectively removing the bug ... she then returned the new glass (but with the same wine) to the table, with the laughing observation that the insect was "doing the backstroke" as she removed him. There was no accompanying offer for a replacement bottle, glass, or adjustment to the cost of the wine (which cost about $90). So, here's our question -- is this how a restaurant of Citronelle's caliber should handle such a situation? I have to admit that if the same thing had happened at home or on a rooftop bar, I would have happily fished the little guy out myself and kept drinking ... but in the back of my mind, I can't help thinking that the standard should be slightly higher at a place like Citronelle. Should I have expected more from the restaurant? Tom Sietsema: The restaurant doesn't owe you another BOTTLE of wine, because the bug was discovered in a single glass. But the sommelier should have poured you a replacement glass from another bottle of the same wine -- and she definitely should have kept her little joke to herself. _______________________

Any hunting progress out there? The first bear hunt in Maryland started and ended yesterday with 20+ bears being taken, despite many months of protest from the anti-hunting crowd. I am going duck hunting in Delaware this weekend. The very first of the migratory birds are coming in.

Not until I move there next year (?) but I love you story. Thanks!

I too can vouch for Patisserie Poupon. Its at 1645 Wisconsin Ave. I work next door.

The Inn at Gristmill Square was nice 10 years ago.

Not to defend an organization I know nothing about but this gives a bit more insight: ORGANIZATION The fics is governed by a board of directors composed of seven directors selected among the members of the association. Directors are elected for a two years term through a secret ballot process. The result are tabulated and announced at a general assembly. The board of directors appoints an executive committee composed of four officers to run the day-to-day operation of the association. Major decisions are presented to the members at general assemblies for votes. The members are always welcome and encourage to express their opinion through the newsletter and at the general assemblies. The fics is a non-profit organization with a social and educative purpose. The directors and officers receive no monetary compensation for their work. More help is always needed; do not hesitate to volunteer your time to help the association.

Steve: Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar....

I know I am talking to myself but they just added the chef from Restaurant Eve (and he is serving wild game Mark!). The menu looks delicious. Full report Friday: PARTICIPATING CHEFS AND MENU The following Chefs have confirmed their participation: Philippe Piel Executive Chef Cafe 15 Chef Piel will serve: Porcini Duxelle in Puff Pastry and Jambonette of Wild Mushrooms & Foie Gras Brennan Hurley Chef Arts Club of Washington Washington, DC Chef Hurley will serve: Seared Alaskan Salmon Simmered in Crimini & Shiitake Sauce Michel Laudier Executive Chef Tragara Ristorante Bethesda, MD Chef Laudier will serve: Porcini & Portabella Agnolotti in Parmesan Chanterelle Sauce Raymond Campet Chef Owner La Cote D'Or Cafe Chef Campet will serve: Wild Mushroom & Shallot Feuillette John Richardson Chef Owner Click here to go to: southbeachrestaurant.com >> Chef Richardson will serve: Yuca Croquette with Portabella & Black Bean Compote Cathal Armstrong Chef Owner Restaurant Eve Alexandria, VA Game Bird Terrine on Wild Mushroom Salad Also, assorted Natural Patés and Mousses from Fabrique Délices "Artisan Charcutier" Assortment of Imported and Domestic Cheeses Desserts by Joseph Poupon Chef Owner Patisserie Poupon Georgetown, Washington DC

I will bite. However, I am reluctant to go to far since I was treated very well by the hotel. We went to Cafe 15 for our anniversary earlier this year. I was both excited by the pedigree of its chef and wary of the complete lack of buzz on this list. Tom S's review was good but a bit dated. Sadly, I found it uninspiring. The setting is ok but the dining room was deadly quiet on a Saturday night. The lack of other patrons gave the place a tomb-like feeling and it made it difficult to relax. The service stood out as quite mediocre. I did not feel the waiter understood the menu and he lacked any passion for the food. Most disturbingly, there was no sommellier that night and the waiter was not enthusiastic about recommendations. It has been a long time so I do not remember the food, except to say it was good but not great. Nothing stands out in my mind which tells me something. Sorry I cannot offer more detail. Certainly this restaurant has potential. But it needs a bit more passion in the front room and consistency in the kitchen. I have a feeling Philippe Piel was not working the night we were there. Mark, I had considered Citronelle for that night too. So my expectations were quite high.

Fine topic. While most of the discussion has been on FD service, I really appreciate what Terry has said about the quality of 'normal' restaurants in France vs US. I was just discussing this with a frenchwoman who I eat with regularly (every night in fact!). The average bistro in France seems to beat the average restaurant here in DC hands down. Specifically, the quality of the wines and the quality of the entire menu. In the US, local resaurants may do one or two things well, but rarely does the entire menu entice. And the service in a French JPE seems to not suffer from the often serious service gaffes that occur in the US (main course arriving with the appetizer, wine at the wrong temp, etc.) Also, in the US there seems to be a complete lack of good JPEs in non-urban areas.

I think people are taken in with the owner's story, his frequent appearances in Oprah and his good looks! What do you mean by the 'right neighborhood? BTW, the Bear Claws are good. And they have a cafe across the street where you can get coffee that is not from Starbucks.