Lori_Russo

Congrats on the wedding and a wine list to envy! How does the Butteaux compare to the Montee de Tonnerre? I was lucky enough to have a bottle of that over the weekend, and -- woah! -- it was a memorable experience to say the least. Wish it was easy to get hold of here in D.C., but alas, it is not.

Hi, everyone. I had a fantastic RW lunch at Galileo on Monday. The entire menu was up for grabs, with only a few items fetching an additional fee. I had a small plate of exquisite gli agnolotti (little ravioli with asparagus, mascarpone and prosciutto), followed by a delicate filet of orange zest-crusted branzino served with asparagus and spring onions. For dessert -- poached apricots with apricot ice cream and a wonderful little almond cake. Considering the pasta dish alone costs $27 on the regular menu, I'd say this meal was truly a steal!

Brad -- I had a bottle of Spiers Chardonnay last night and was really surprised. Lots of melon and citrus and zero oak. Great for a summer evening. I really also like the 2004 Ken Forrester Petit Chenin Blanc. At around $9, it's worth buying by the case!

Buddy's is always busy -- it's right on Main Street, where you will probably end up anyway. It's been awhile since I've been there, but if you are looking for straight-up crabs, I think you'll be happy. Annapolis is a great town -- enjoy!

Robert, I had the pleasure of eating at Manresa (the word "eating" just doesn't do it justice, though) a few weeks ago and I'm still talking about it to anyone who will listen. What a phenomenal experience. The little corn croquettes were amazing, weren't they? I would chew off my own arm to find out how he makes those. At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, I have to say that Manresa served up the best meal of my life, and possibly the best I will ever have. Glad to hear you had a similarly enjoyable experience! Lori

I'm reading this, drinking a glass of 2001 Two Buck BLECH Cabernet. I'm sorry. This stuff is great in a pinch (like right now, when I just want to drink for drinking's sake and don't want to waste a real bottle of wine), but no way it stands up to a decent "regular" California Cab like Montelena or Cakebread (or pick any other of the dozens of options). Would anyone liken Two Buck Chuck and Four Buck Fred to the Lancers and Cold Duck of 20 years ago? Just curious, as that was just a bit before my wine drinking days. (*hiccup*)

Very good point about offerings. I went to Charlie Palmer Steak last year for Restaurant Week and they didn't have any STEAK on the RW menu. Ended up ordering from the regular menu and spending an arm and a leg. Grrrr. TenPenh is great during RW. As far as I can remember, the entire menu is fair game.

Hi, everyone. Just thought I would circle back and report on my trip to California. First, I have to commend you Californians for being the smartest people in the world. At every turn, I asked myself -- "Why don't I live here??? What am I DOING in Washington, DC?" Anyway, I started the day at Chateau Montelena in Calistoga. The grounds were absolutely gorgeous and the staff were extremely helpful and friendly. Tommy in the tasting room was especially nice. The wine was, of course, incredible -- I brought back several bottles of the '04 Potter Valley Reisling which I do not believe is available on the market. After Montelena was Sterling, which was a fantastic choice for the Nephew. He rode all the way to the top of the hill with his eyes and mouth wide open. The Reserve Room is a must if you want to try Sterling's better wines. Finally ended up at Cakebread, which was excellent, as well. I wish we could have seen more, but we had to make our 5:30 reservation at Bouchon. Of course, prior to dinner, I took the obligatory lap around the French Laundry to absorb the essence of the place. Yountville has got to be one of the neatest little towns I have ever seen. Again -- why don't I live there??? Bouchon was fantastic -- the service was great (thank you, Casey) and the food was just wonderful. I also had the once-in-a-lifetime pleasure of enjoying a lengthy dinner at Manresa with our friend Ya-Roo. I am still trying to figure out how to express that experience in words. It was unforgettable. Hope to make it out to California again soon. Thank you all again for your guidance and advice. Best, Lori

See! I told you I didn't know much about this wine! Thank you both for your insight. Dad & I will open the '86 on Sunday with a nice filet.

Thanks to the expert advice you all have given me, I think Napa is the way to go -- at least this time around. This forum is an incredible resource, and you all have been fantastic. Thank you so much. If any of you are headed to D.C., let me know and I will return the favor! Best, Lori

Hello, all. I recently purchased two bottles of Bordeaux at auction and frankly don't know much about either. Both came recommended by a trusted source, but I would love to get a second opinion (and, hopefully, a third and fourth...). The first is a 1986 Chateau Leoville Barton (Saint-Julien) and the second is a 2000 Solen from Domaine Les Aureeles (Languedoc). If any of you kind folks have reviews/notes/suggestions for drinking or cellaring, food pairing, etc., your thoughts are appreciated. I am thinking about giving the '86 to my dad for Father's Day, along with a special dinner. Thank you in advance, Lori

I wish speed and efficiency didn't rule the day, but...that's the way it is, at least this time around. I will definitely check out Sinskey -- sounds exactly like the kind of place we are looking for. Lori, whose new goal in life is to teach her nephew how to say "bung plug."

You guys (and gals) are the greatest! It is becoming increasingly clear that a longer trip to the region is in order. I've heard that Sterling Vineyards has a gondola that might be fun for the nephew. My brother, his wife and I are pretty much planning on leaving the little guy with Grandma (who can't hold her wine, anyway) to play on the grounds, etc. while we're inside with the breakables. Grandma also is the designated driver.

Excellent info! Thank you very much for the insight. I have a feeling I may not want to come back...

Hi, everyone. I am headed to San Francisco next week for a long weekend (Thursday - Monday) and have nothing official on the agenda except for a Friday night dinner at Bouchon. I would very much like to visit a few vineyards/wineries during the day on Friday. There are several in Napa I would like to see (Chateau Montelena, Grgich Hills), but everyone I talk to tells me to go to Sonoma because Napa is too "touristy." Is it really that bad? And does anyone have suggestions for me one way or the other? Also, I will have my two and a half year old nephew with me. Are most of the wineries out there fairly child-friendly? Thank you in advance. I can't wait to get out of this 100+ degree DC heat!!! Lori

I have to agree wholeheartedly with the folks who recommend Wine Cellars of Annapolis. The staff is incredibly helpful and friendly and the selection is outstanding. In addition to the regular Saturday tastings (this weekend is Spanish wines), they usually have 12+ bottles of wine open for sampling. I have found some exellent inexpensive wines this way that I probably otherwise would not have tried. I recently completed Ellen Spicknall's Introduction to Wine course at WCA, and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to formally learn the basics. It's well worth the $90 tuition. If anyone will be there Saturday for the Spanish wine tasting, I'll see you there! Lori

←

Does anyone have thoughts on Yellowfin? I've eaten there a dozen times or so and think they consistently turn out great dishes (especially -- surprise! -- seafood). It's unfortunate that the bar scene is so loud -- the acoustics are terrible and the noise can interfere with an otherwise enjoyable dining experience.

*BLUSH* Guess I should have done a more thorough search before posting...

Hi, everyone. New member -- very glad to be here! Anxious to know if anyone attended Anthony Bourdain's author dinner at the National Press Club last week. The event itself was great -- good food from the Les Halles cookbook and entertaining stories from Mr. Bourdain. But I thought the atmosphere was a bit off for two reasons. First, the Press Club tends to be very "buttoned-up" and I felt a certain disconnect between the surroundings and the famous badass attitude of the guest of honor. Felt there should have been more opportunity for bad behavior. Second, people in Washington try very hard to appear unaffected by just about everything and everyone, and despite spending nearly $100 for a ticket, many attendees were terribly standoffish. (I'm probably making a bad impression as a new member with this long post, huh?) I'd love to hear if anyone attended the event, and if you had the same feelings I did. Or, should Mr. Bourdain happen to stumble upon this message, I'd love to hear his take! Once again, glad to be here, and promise to keep it shorter next time. Lori