Capaneus

I thought they were going until the end of the month, but nobody picked up when I called a week ago. There really isn't anything else that good, that cheap, that delivers. Is there?

Katie, I'll be praying to... well Bast, I guess. Good luck and fast recovery to kitty. On wine, had the Tenuta di Nozzole 2000 chianti classico riserva "La Forra", another of the Chairman's offerings, at $17.99. It was quite a surprise, since I was expecting a classic sangiovese, you know: light coloring, relatively light body, good acidity, that stuff. Instead, the wine looked inky-purple in the glass, had massive body, fierce extraction, and a very dense mouthfeel. Still recognizably sangiovese, but the kind of iteration I'd expect from California, not Chianti. Still, I'll go against my usual inclination and recommend it very highly. It went beautifully with Pumpkin's pork loin, its sharp acids and good, soft tannin moderating what could otherwise have been excesses. A steal at twice the price - which it originally was.

Oh, and - to the extent that Marc Vetri claims anything more than inspiration - I believes he describes his cooking as Tuscan.

she's got, or had, a cooking show that is sometimes on some local channels. maybe 35? CN8? something. i've seen it a bunch of times. it's kind of awesome. i didn't realize she was from abruzzo, though. from what little i've heard about the place, it's a prix-fixe sort of three-hour-dinner kind of thing. but at the same time i don't know anyone who's been there. ← Road trip!

Actually It's neither as I havent actually been to Gayle yet. My term "Gayle-ish" wierd just refer's to the fact that they pair fresh un-oxidised Tuna with lamb. Again, I havent had the dish but I think most people would agree it's wierd and I suspect it doesnt work....? Did you try it ? "Tastes of Tuna and lamb" ? ← Actually, I did try it. I'd say it works, to some extent, purely as an intellectual exercise. The preparations are bridged by a couple of ingredients, and I could kind of see where Stern was going. On the other hand, it wasn't all that much fun to eat, really. I wouldn't order it again.

If memory serves, Davio's was one of the pioneers in this trend - and (again if I recall correctly) they do it on a prime night: Friday. Meritage, as far as I know, is allowing unlimited BYO.

← Okay, I promise to stop napping during class, but: "...former manager at Marigold Kitchen..."? Anyone catch what the heck is going on there? Jonathan, are you out there? Speak to us, o mighty spirit! <weird reverby music>

You speak maybe of the Freemark Abbey "Carpy Ranch" Viognier? I ken no "Cline" a-Chairman'd. If I may be so twee. ← Hmm, well, it's definitely Cline (the bottle's right here ). If I'm mistaken it may just be a specialty selection instead of a Chairman's? Whichever it is, it's damned good for $10.99. It's kind of confusing at 19th & Chestnut right now (where I picked it up) as everything's all moved about the store... ← Yup, it's a mess. I'll have to try it. The Freemark Abbey I didn't love so much (bit of that overripe taint viognier sometimes gets), but it was more than $11 in any case. Thanks for the tip.

You speak maybe of the Freemark Abbey "Carpy Ranch" Viognier? I ken no "Cline" a-Chairman'd. If I may be so twee.

We picked up a bottle of the San Telmo Malbec 2004 for comparison with the Kaiken 2003 but have not had a chance to try it yet. Maybe over the weekend. We did try the Vionta Albarino that's on the Chairman's Selection list. This is the first albarino that we have had and, I must say, that we liked it. We had it by itself and with a simple shrimp dish. Not being familiar with albarino, I can't say how true to type it is but it seemed about halfway between a sauv. blanc and vigonier. Fruity but with enough acidity to hold up well to the food. ← Your description of the albarino is spot on. It has the apricot and peachy elements of the Viognier and the citrusy elements of Sauvignon Blanc. It's a delicious wine and one of my favorites for summer quaffing. Perfect with the shrimp too, no doubt! There are good examples from Portugal as well, since albarino (or alvarinho as it's spelled there) is the main grape in Vinho Verde. Albarino grapes have a very thick skin so the yield of juice is pretty low compared to other varietals. It is rarely produced outside of Spain and Portugal but there are a few examples from other places. Verdad Winery in the Santa Ynez Valley makes a lovely domestic albarino. ← Had my first taste of albarino myself (I thought SB and riesling, but why quibble). I basically liked it, but felt it wasn't about to displace riesling, sauvignon blanc or vinho verde as my go-to whites, or white burgs at the high end, for that matter. Even if the prices were competitive (and I can do as well with the others, much better with the vinho verde), it just seems to me to be less... distinctive, maybe? Interesting, if I were being unkind.

Interesting point you make here. As I live 45 minutes away, it's all but impossible for me to order anything but the RPI. I've tried many times to just try their cheesesteak but that smell of the wonderful pork gets me every time. ← I'll agree with that. And it's alright by me, since, unlike you, I prefer the cheesesteak at John's.

I've asked that question, and was told it is updated overnight. I'm not sure how expensive real-time inventory control would be, but it's been standard procedure for most retailers for about a decade now. Including operations much, much smaller than the PLCB. I suspect they just don't feel any pressure to upgrade. After all, there are about five of us statewide who use in ways that require that degree of precision.

Standard Disclaimer: I have not tasted or priced the current vintage, but I have found it very consistent over the years, in both quality and cost. Canal's Discount Mart has had the best price in the past (about $6.50/btl by the case). Call ahead to make sure it's in stock: it's readily available from their distributor, but they sell out regularly. If that's the case, they should be able to tell you when they expect it back in. It's a blend of Monastrell (aka Mourvedre), Garnacha (Grenache) and Syrah, from Jumilla, Spain. Dense fruit, mainly plum and dark berries, a hint of raw beef, firm tannin and good acidity. Most noticeable flaw is a bit of alcoholic heat on the finish, though I've found that is no longer present after a few months of cellaring. Reminiscent of a good Rhone, unsurprisingly, but lacks the subtleties of the better ones, or of the better (and costlier) offerings from Spain. Still, I haven't been able to do better at this price point.

I haven't been in in some time, but in the past I found the list at La buca to be an underappreciated treasure: Barolos and Amarones with a fair deal of age on them for little more than you'd pay for current releases, carefully selected selections from Tuscany and the Piedmonte, fairly priced... I also like the list at Fork. Interesting and budget-minded, so in a different league from the big hitters above, but I don't need to refinance anything or sell an organ to partake.

Okay, I'll go out on a limb here, and stand alone as Not-That-Impressed Boy. Lush, yes; soft, check; jammy, true. No structure, though, and precious little distinctive character... I'd say it was a good buy if I couldn't find several better ones (*cough*Panarroz*cough) for less in a Neighboring State. I'd say that I've been less impressed by the Chairman Selections at the lower price points. I'd rather save my PLCB dollars for more singular offerings. Of which there are plenty, fortunately.

No, Katie, don't hold back! Tell us how you really feel... The issue is what sort of financial situation Matt finds himself in with the closing. I assume the township exercised some variation on eminent domain, which probably means he did not receive quite fair market value for the current place. I also don't think Mr. Ito is quite a big-city kinda chef. I got the sense he liked some of the quieter nights at Fuji.

Some of these are already in stores. In fact, I picked up some of the Taylor VP a couple of weeks ago to savor in my declining years. On another subject, the Omaka Springs Sauv. Blanc is abundant but nowhere in stores near me (Phila. area). It's available for purchase on the Web site but I have never tasted it. Is there anyone who may have an opinion before I stock up on SB for the summer? ← I haven't had the current vintage, but I've enjoyed it in the past. Just don't drink it immediately after drinking the Kim Crawford version. The Omaka Springs would seem diminished by a close comparison, I think. ← I liked the '04 pretty well - not as much as the KC, as you point out - but '04 was a much better vintage than '05. For what it's worth, the Wine Spectator liked the '04 and savaged the '05.

It does sound good. You think they're set up for that kind of headcount, though?

I see it quite simply: if (and it's a big if) the Django-That-Was merited four bells, then the Django where I ate a couple of weeks ago does too. And so does Marigold Kitchen, come to think of it. I'll concede they may not, but the problem was created by LaBan, when he bestowed the original rating. If what he was going for was recognition of historical significance, I can only say I find that horribly misguided. I expect him to evaluate the dining experience, not give out Lifetime Achievement Awards. But the other side of that problem is that that he dropped them not to three bells, but to two. And when I look at the lists of three-bells and two-bells BYOBs, as rated by the Inky, I find it really easy to see where I'd place Django, both because of what it does and what it doesn't. Couple that with LaBan's personal relationship with the former owners, and I strongly suspect that someone's biases were not accounted for.

Let's hope they are keeping the stock in temperature controlled facilities in the meanwhile. Anyone know if this is the case or not? ← The warehousing is temperature controlled. The stores are not, except for the ones that have been fitted with a temperature-controlled space to display their high-end wines. I think all new Premium Selection stores have them, and the old ones are getting retrofitted at leisure. So the strike should actually help overall, in terms of storage conditions.

Everything I hear about them is good, but every single time I try getting there (a good dozen, by now), they turn out to be closed.

I am... I am very sad. I hope Shola's measureless ongoing success will dispel that soonest. And I hope it will take some form that will allow us to be part of it.

I finally got there last night, first time since new management took over. I agree that LaBan's little "demotion" was, at best, problematic, and at worst quite a bit worse than that. My meal was absolutely on a par with anything I've had at any of the many three-star eateries, and a good deal better than many. Having gotten that off my chest... We started with the oysters and the sweetbreads. The oysters were served with a gelee the exact composition of which I forget, but it added just a touch of acidity and a vegetal note that grounded the bracing brine of the bivalves perfectly. Possible the best oyster preparation I've had in Philadelphia. We also had the sweetbreads, which came gently crisped, with a side of baby greens in vinaigrette. Perfectly simple, delicious, nice contrasts. As an entree, feeling unwonted compassion toward poor Evan, I ordered the pork loin, a choice I was really happy with: the pig came sliced into a light pink fan over the paella, and surrounded by clams. First reaction was a wave of homesickness, since pork and clams is one of the favorite dishes of my childhood. Really, though, beyond that there is little resembance, because there was a good deal more thought here than in the very plain Portuguese dish, and a lot more going on, with the chorizo in the paella interacting with the salt in the clams, and the whole thing lending richness to the pork. It was a dish that was clearly at its best when you got a forkful of all the ingredients, which, in my experience, is always a good sign. The other entree at the table was roast chicken with dumplings and... sumpin else I forget. I got to taste the chicken, and it confirmed my belief that chicken, while frequently deadly dull in the wrong hands, is often a good choice when the chef is as skilled as Mr. Essner. The chicken was seasoned very gently, to let the very flavorful organic Bluefoot flesh shine through. The dumplings I got none of, so i cannot vouch for them except that they created pretty happy noises for those luckier than I. I got to polish off the pot-au-feu-like stew they came in, and that was truly delicious, the vegetables' flavours distinct and vibrant over a rich chicken broth, enriched by... sherry? Madeira? I forget - but certainly delicious and redolent of the dearly departed bird. We shared a cheese plate, which was exactly as described by Evan above. I will single out for praise the Madeleines, which were the best iteration I have ever encoutered, but evident care had been put into the selection and presentation of the cheeses. It was certainly a broader selection that I've ever had anywhere else, and the quality easily their equal. The pinapple upside-down cake was delightful as promised, moist, fruity and comforting. All in all, a truly wonderful meal. Now, was it four-star-worthy? I liked it better than anything I've had a Susanna Foo's in donkey's years. The food was a match for some of the things I've had from the Fountain kitchen, though perhaps not all. Overall I'd judge that no, but that only because the whole demeanor of the place does not attempt to match those of the four-stars. The place's former incarnation was also, I thought, on a par with most of the other three-bell restaurants in LaBan's list, excellent places like Marigold Kitchen and Matyson, and that remains very much the case. The fact is that this meal was as good as anything I've had at any of the other Inky Three-Bell-Winners. And, which I think is most telling, it was a damn sight better than anything I've had at any of the two-bells. So yes, there's a disconnect there that irks me a good deal. I hope to see it corrected in due course.

I'm not sure precisely how Shola keeps his heartstrings tuned, but I find that story cute enough that I cannot imagine you'd have much trouble securing a date yourself. Then you can just wave the little red SK kerchief (in the ISO thread) and we'll all come charging.

Amazing dinner. For me, it was a lot about new small touches with big results: the spring egg (new for me, that is) blending with the foie gras into pure tastebud gladness; the combova gelle, which had a fiercely tart kick of it's own, but picked up the tomato acidity in the lobster remoulade to striking effect; the yuzu kosho contrasting with the muscovado streusel; the farro stew; the lemon-chaource ice cream, much more lemony than I remember it in the past... My favorite dish, in a tight race with the egg-foie gras amuse-bouche, was probably the lobster, which was such a surprising dish in so many such pleasant ways: how often have you had a lobster dish constructed around *acidity*? The wines were excellent all down the lineup, but I'll single out for special thanks Dr. Sconzo's contributions: the Ygrec in particular was an extraordinary offering. Made me recall frequent past decisions to revisit white Bordeaux.