goofy md

For those of you who have been, Is the la cart by the glass or bottle? I'm assuming you order a glass of wine and they pair up the food, or is the only way to get multiple different wine to do one of the menus?

FYI for others, I wrote Atelier and they replied: We confirm you that we can welcome you with pleasure to the Atelier. Even if you do not eat shells ans meats it raise no problem, it is to indicate it to us in the booking. We have two menus, mainly consisted of vegetables.

I apologize ahead of time for my rudimentary knowledge. I had read on these and other board about La Chassagnette. It sounded amazing. I didn't connect the chef with L'Atelier de Jean-Luc Rabenel. How is La Chassagnette now? worth going to? 9we are staying in arles for three nights. L'Atelier does only one menu? so if we don't eat meat or shellfish, we would be out of luck?

We had a great night. one couple dropped out at the last minute, so my wife made me drop the pizza course. Started with a spinach and roasted garlic hummus with : 1997 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (4/4/2008) lemon, apple and honeydew nose. great balance, minerality, pineapple good long finish (94 pts.) then had a tuna tar tare and avocado tower on a bed of heirloom lettuce with heirloom tomatoes with: 2003 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage Blanc Chevalier de Sterimberg - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (4/6/2008) lemon meringue nose with citrus undertones. nice big oily attack with complex middle and very long finish of crisp apple. (95 pts.) then had a cedar plank grilled Iron jaw snapper encrusted in Herbs de Provence over ratatouille (the fish guy at whole foods suggested it. I thought it worked fairly nicely. I'm not sure it added much to the wine, but in my opinion, it didn't take anything from it either.) 1995 Tardieu-Laurent Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (4/6/2008) rubber, tar , earth, mushrooms, black pepper and cherry nose. good acidity, with more earth on the finish. good balance. (93 pts.) Dark chocolate brownie with chocolate chips and almonds in an Oreo cookie crust covered in a chocolate ganache and topped with raspberries. 1977 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto (4/6/2008) nice nose of cherry, rhubarb, carmel . good richness and dept with a long finish. decanted for 12 hours and needed all of it- was too medicinal/alcoholic at 10, but this resolved by 12. (92 pts.)

you right, unfortunately we go 4 hours. my mind set at this moment- which does by the way change from moment to moment, is to grill the sea bass on a cedar plank and serve it on a eggplant, mushroom, olive tapenade with a Hermitage. i don't know.

The salmon locally is all farm raised and looks awful. O.K. I'm getting the idea that my square peg (fish) is not fitting in the round hole. I'm a little hard headed sometimes. what if I do a grilled portobello stuffed with ratatouille? I'd still want to serve it with one of the previously mentioned wines-a 1986 Chateau Montelena,1997 Ojai Syrah Cuvée Henry Daniel or 1995 Tardieu-Laurent Hermitage , maybe the Hermitage to keep the provincial theme. or would you pick another one?

you may be right. maybe I'll "bag" the sea bass and try a salmon instead. I'll head to whole foods to see what fish looks good. I do make a mean cedar planked salomon with a spicey brown sugar rub. practice run tonight !

I don't have many good whites, and don't like pinots, so mostly big full bodied wines. I personally don't mind most mis matches, but don't want to offend others. what if I change my preparation. I still want to work with sea bass cooked en Papillote (in Parchment). Probably on a bed of carrots, mushrooms, onions. what else should I add to fit in better. Probably with a syrah- either a Ojai or maybe a Lillian.

I am having some of my wine tasting group over and have selected some wines I want to serve. (trying to stay within my cellar). the problem is they don't match with the foods I want to serve- mainly because I cant serve meat. I want to start with a tuna tartare with 2003 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage Blanc Chevalier de Sterimberg (a good match) then couple pizza tart preparations with pistachio basil pesto and forest mushrooms with truffle oil paired with a 1990 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Bussia Soprana ( good match) now the problem- I really want to serve a parchment paper hong kong style sea bass but I'd like to do it with a bigger red- a 1986 Chateau Montelena or 1997 Ojai Syrah Cuvée Henry Daniel . (the fish has a marin, but mostly soy sauce, vegetable broth, garlic, and ginger.) And I'll probably make some sort of dark chocolate dessert either with a vintage port or Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume I really want to throw caution into the wind and just do it. would that be a big mistake?

going to sf in june. have a few reservations already including Gary Danko and Quince. I need a good sushi place (but not at $35 a piece like I heard Kyo-ya cost). is INO's good? I'll be staying at Campton place so in the area would be nice but I'd be willing to travel if the fish is much better. thanks, mark

thanks Elizabeth, I'm pretty excited to go but that maybe because I have a bottle of 78 aldo Conterno Barolo waiting for me. that aught to make the long flight worth while.

thanks for the input, I think I will opt to go elsewhere. I'm leaning towards Troquet over Radius because I love their wine list (I'm waiting to see if Radis will e mail me theirs). My original thought was to eat in the area so we could walk (although I'm not sure this is a reasonable option anyway), but I think we'll just take a cab. How do people dress at Troquet? I'm from Arizona and causual is always acceptable.

I'll be visiting Boston for one night and was looking for a good place to eat (with a great wine list that serves fish or veggitarian food /I don't eat shellfish but my friend does ) near the wyndham in the finacial district. I was leaning towards Meritage. is this a good choice or are there better? thanks, mark

hathor- with a teaser like that, I'll certainly bite. If you ever happen by Scottsdale, I'm sure I can find a barolo to help loosen your tounge. Craig- we have very restrictive dietary rules, and my wife's mastery of the Italian language lapsed a little with some of the more creative menu's. so I had to respect her comfort level. Craig, if you happen by scottsdale, I'll offer you the same deal, just for reading my long boring post.