mogsob

Well, Charles, you are right about one thing -- you know nothing about running a restaurant. Regardless of whether you have a sommelier, you WILL need to develop a good working relationship with a liquor distributor. Absolutely essential to getting assured supply of particular bottles and volume discounts. That said, that matter of choosing that distributor is paramount. I would venture a guess that at least 75% of NYC restaurants could vastly improve their wine list by buying exclusively from Rosenthal Wine Merchants, who import and distribute wholesale in NY. Just look at the wine list at Etats Unis to see what that relationship can do. Yes, if you go the general route and get the UDV flunky as your distributor, then you will have a lousy list, but a good relationship with a small importer is the best way to go.

You mean besides drinking your cheese? A very big burgundy would do nicely for me.

The widely available Amarones from Zenato are good examples of the modern style. For my money, I would drink the Vigneto Mazzano bottling from Masi above all others -- but, very hard to find.

Steven P -- thanks for the tip on the Apple book! Sostanza was, indeed, already on the list from fond memories in the 1980s also and my hotel is, happily, located a few blocks away. I still can't believe Christ Cella closed. So few of the old school steakhouses are left -- the new ones are all modeled on The Palm, which is a bad thing.

That would be March, on 58th St. Totally agree, btw. Alison has indeed closed and One If by Land/TIBS is the single most overpriced rip-off in the city -- even worse than Tavern on the Green.

Went to "Baddo" about six months after it opened and had such a terrible experience that I have never gone back. Your meal sounds exactly like mine -- two of twelve dishes were excellent, most were sub-par, and a few were downright inedible and were sent back. This is a creation of food-tv celebrity, nothing more.

Happily, business has provided me with an excuse to indulge in on of my long-time fantasies, as I will be travelling to New York, Florence and Buenos Aires within a few weeks of each other. Yes, the great steak comparison -- US vs. Italy vs. Argentina (thank god it's not the World Cup!). Ok, I know where to get the best steak in America -- Peter Luger, the hometown hero. And I have contacts in Argentina that have promised me they know the best grills in Argentina. Which brings me to Tuscany, home of the great white Chianna cow and bistecca fiorentina. Unfortunately, I suspect that the best places to eat this steak lie outside of Florence. I'm looking for the 2 or 3 best in town. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!

I guess it depends on what kind of niche you see your restaurant in. If you are going to compete with ADNY, Lespinasse, Daniel et al., then yes, you do need a sommelier (as well as a hefty wine list). But if you are looking at competing with smaller fine dining establishments, then no, you don't. What you need is to develop a good working relationship with an importer/distributor, who can help advise you on assembling a proper list.

True, true. Haven't been to Chelsea in some time, so I really shouldn't comment. Can't believe I forgot Rene and all those great wines! Must go back soon. As for Jubilee, I was at one time a resident of the aforementioned Sutton Place and went to Jubilee on opening night (very delayed opening I might add). Used to go about 10 times a month, maybe more when I lived in the area. I go, now and again, because they still remember me and it has some good memories. Besides, the cramped room, haughty hostess, and tight entrance remind me of some of my favorite places in France. As for some of the others: balthazar & pastis (HATE, primarily the crowd, so I avoid), montparnasse (not been, will go), la goulue (haven't been in years as I generally stop at Charlot on the way downtown), la pere pinard (haven't been), jules (shit - knew I'd missed one -- definately in my top 5, for the jazz alone), quartorze bis (I live around the corner, but my wife HATES the staff), aix (haven't been)

For me, it really depends on the wine. I do a lot of shopping at La Vigneronne these days for French country wines (Languedoc, Bandol, Cahors etc.). Twenty pounds is just about my limit there, and only if I really want to try the wine. Generally, I'm more of a 10-15 pound buyer there. My price point is even less at RSJ for their fab Loire offerings. But I do indulge, then and again, in some very fine Rhone wines (CdP and Cornas mostly), Bordeaux (Gruaud Larose, Leoville Barton, Cos d'Estournel, Lynch Bages), and Burgundy (mostly Chambolle these days). My price point goes to about 40 pounds for these bottles, although I generally spend between 20 and 30 pounds per bottle. Ditto for Amarone and Barolo. I drink very little New Worlds wine in London, but when I'm in NY, I generally spend between 20 and 40 dollars for New World meritage (Affinity, Tapestry come to mind). Would I spend more? Probably not, unless it was a very special bottle, e.g., 1990 Suduiraut.

Ok, my top 5 NY bistros: 1. L'Absinthe -- really feels more like a brasserie, but what the hey. 2. Le Gigot 3. Bistro Margot 4. Le Charlot/Le Bilboquet 5. Chelsea Bistro Honorable mention to Jubilee. On the brasserie/bistro front, Artisinal rates highly, as does Brasserie. I like Balthazar for breakfast (not brunch, and certainly not for dinner -- too many tourists/posers).

baruch -- expensive for roast chicken, yes. Expensive for great roast chicken, no. And roughly half the cost of L'Ami Louis, btw. And as for the wine list, name me 10 restaurants in NY where you don't have to hunt for a good deal (below 100% mark-up). You can't. Also, real steak frites is steak with frites. There is no particular cut that is appropriate. Moreover, I'd rather have L'Absinthe's sirloin than Les Halles poor entrecote any day of the week. Really, is there a more overrated restaurant in NY than Les Halles? Moreover, there are no other bistros in NY that are on par with L'Absinthe (although I will note never having been to Orsay, which is a FG fave). The test is whether the bistro would succeed if transplanted to Paris -- L'Absinthe would (indeed, its clone has been doing great business in the Marche St. Honore for years).

baruch -- clearly you are right. Wine is in the eye of the beholder (my wife has had first growth bordeaux, gran cru burgundy, gaja barolo, but her favorite wine in the world is a table wine made mostly from sagrantino that used to cost $20 (now $50 ), followed closely by a rather moderately priced Amarone). But that simple fact does not excuse what I believe to be suspect practices by the WS. Essentially, the WS hypes large conglomerates. Granted, Guigal makes some good wine (his CRs are a good example), but his CdPs are shit (and overpriced at that). Now, does WS hype these wines because the producers advertise heavily in their publication. Maybe. Perhaps WS doesn't like to hype small producers because of the relative lack of availability of their wines -- why buy a wine mag if you can't ever buy the wines they like best? I don't know the answer, but WS has some very tough questions to answer. hollywood -- while I agree with Steve P., I think history is also a guide. Certain wines in good vintages historically improve with age. Thus, it is fair to assume that future good vintages of these wines will also benefit from age. That is not to say, however, that it is written in stone. One of the great things about wine (as baruch has so eloquently pointed out) is that even the most knowledgeable among us (as Steve P. pointed out) can be wrong. No one is really master of wine. Wine challenges us. It is unpredictable. From the fields, to the barrels, to the bottle -- no one has mastered the grape. Which means we can still strive to excellence, be it in growing grapes, making wine, or picking out the best bottle on the list. That said (let me adjust my winesnob hat here), I think everyone could benefit from a rudimentary course in how to taste wine. Just as the Greeks divided the world into 4 elements, so wine should be tasted for its 4 elements: fruit, acidity, tannins, and alcohol. A great wine, IMHO, should present all four taste elements in balance with each other. But the best way to learn about how to taste wine is to drink unbalanced wines. To taste fruit, get a cheap California merlot. That's all fruit, no structure. To taste acidity, get a Muscadet -- that puckering is the acid. To taste tannins, get a bottom end Cornas -- sort of like drinking tea that has been seeped too long. Finally, get a young California zin to taste the alcohol -- the burn more typically associated with distilled spirits. Then, get a 1997 Argiano Brunello (as per ron's rec above), and see how a master winemaker skillfully plays off all of these elements in perfect balance. If you want, spend the $40 to get a Guigal CdP to see how not to make great wine.

DISCLAIMER: The following post is merely an observation, and does not accuse the WS of any impropriety. I am not a regular reader of WS, but it seems to me that the top 10 list seems to be dominated by both (1) very large and rich producers who (2) also advertise heavily in the WS. For one, I am glad Brunello is getting the recognition it deserves -- 97 was a monster year there. But Banfi????? Please. Perhaps Altesino, Argiano, Biondi-Santi, Caparzo, Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona, Fattoria dei Barbi, Pertimali, Piccolomini, La Pieve di Santa Restituta, Poggio Antico, Poggio San Polo, Il Poggione, San Felice, Angelo Sassetti, and Val di Suga should revisit their advertising budgets? When was the last time that a real artisian wine from Europe topped the WS list? Ever? The mag has its purpose. It brings Mr. Merlot and Ms. Chardonnay to real wine. But beyond a very superficial use, the magazine is, in my opinion, completely worthless. Nestia was right, yawn.

Jeez -- I never said it was not expensive, just that it is not overpriced. Therein lies the difference. I close my eyes at ADNY as well, but I wouldn't say that it is overpriced (although their wine list is also in serious need of repricing). Anyway, you can always find a bottle or two that are good value on any list.

You know, I have seen the overpriced tag applied to L'Absinthe many times, but I really think it is entirely without justification (with the notable exception of their wine list, which is in serious need of repricing). First, roast chicken is $18 per person. Certainly, this is not overpriced, given that you are served the entire bird, which is roasted and carved to order ($36 for two). Indeed, it is far less than comparable roast chickens in Paris -- the only suitable comparison here. The roast chicken for two at Allard is approximately $25 per person, and that is reasonable by Parisian bistro standards. Moreover, you don't need to fly to France. Second, $10 for a huge dessert souffle. This is not some coffee cup souffle that is served at most restaurants, but an old fashioned football sized souffle. I think $10 is pretty reasonable, given the that it is by far the best souffle in NY. Granted, you do need to order side dishes and that is an extra cost, but the frites are excellent, and they are not that expensive. It is really not fair to compare L'Absinthe to other bistros in NY, as it is far and away superior in every respect. The only comparable bistros are really in France. And compared with the cost of comparable Parisian bistros (Allard, Chez Georges, Benoit, D'Chez Eau etc.), L'Absinthe is certainly well-priced indeed.

L'Absinthe is one of my favorites. It is the only restaurant in NY that comes close to replicating a Parisian bistro/brasserie (the food is bistro, the decor is brasserie). Of the restaurants you list, I would go to L'Absinthe in a heartbeat (Cafe Boulud a close second, but an entirely different restaurant indeed). Here is the perfect L'Absinthe experience. Start with a glass of champagne. Progress to starter of your choice. Then, the perfect roast chicken (for two, carved whole tableside, as in Paris) with frites and haricots verts on the side. A nice Burgundy or Rhone to accompany. The dessert souffle (pray for pumpkin). Calvados. Pay the bill with your eyes closed. The sole meuniere is the only decent rendition in NY, if you want fish.

It is a bit commercial, but Geller makes a "pure chocolate" that is incredible. Of the major brands (Godiva, Neuhaus, Leonidais), I think Geller is the best (although Neuhaus truffles are great). There is a relative newcomer across from Wittamer in the Grand Sablon, but I forget the name. Last time I passed by there were a group of French students outside groaning in delight as they ate the chocolate -- always a good sign.

There is no question that I am going to try Le Calandre in 2003. The menu is fantastic, and I doubt that there is a restaurant in the world where you could drink better in the $50 to $100 range. Unbelievable prices, even for Italy. Even if the food does not live up to expectations, at least I'll drink well. BTW, for a three star, their prices are remarkably reasonable. Any hint that they will now inflate?

You're not kidding about Allen. I haven't tried them out of fear of cost, but they are on the list. I will get a great steak in London, damnit.

Steve P -- I agree wholeheartedly about the need for a great quality steak. Florence Meat Market, IMHO, has great meat and when in the area, I will buy steak there. Otherwise, Lobel (which is indeed superior, but we already knew that). London has been trickier. Currently, I go to Porteford (sp?) in Bow Lane. Very old fashioned and very good and well hung sirloins. Simon recommened a place up in Islington, but I've been too busy to get up there. My next source will be Lidgate in Holland Park.

Steve P -- it's been a long, long while since I had a Newport steak, but I was wondering how you prepared it. Living in London, it is difficult to find beef on par with Lobel (my local butcher as well). I have taken to the following: Getting a steak that is about 4 fingers thick. Season dry with salt and pepper. Searing the steak on medium/high heat (so the fat sizzles, but doesn't pop) for about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes a side, plus rendering the fat side (if there is one) for about a minute. Then roasting in a 325 degree oven until rare inside. I add 2 tablespoons of butter about 5 minutes into the roasting process. Let the meat stand for about 10 minutes, covered in foil, until serving. I find that I am able to concentrate the flavor of the beef as well as improve the texture through slow roasting. I sear the meat to keep the juices in and to get a nice crust that slow roasting just can't do. Any secrets anyone else wants to share?

As a longtime Met subscriber, I have endured the endless parade of overpriced, and underwhelming, restaurants in the immediate area. The only relatively consistent restaurant in the area is Picholine, whose charms are wasted on the pre-theatre crowd. Currently, there are three options: (1) Ouest + taxi, (2) Cafe Luxembourg, or (3) Epices de Trateur. The first two are likely over your budget, but ET is pretty reasonable. While pretending to be Morrocan, I guess (it only has two or three real Morrocan dishes on the menu), the food is palatable, if not good, and very well priced. The best option by far is intermission dining on the Grand Tier, which is expensive but worth it. BTW, the Met's chocolate brownies are incredible, so skip dessert at dinner.

Kikujiro -- thanks for the link to the regulation. I intend to carry this around in my jacket pocket to produce at key moments like Bob Dole and the 10th Amendment. I actually had the reverse problem at Roussillon last month. I ordered venision which was described on the menu as being paired with "truffled celeriac purée". There was also a list of truffle dishes on a separate menu (including a venison dish a lot like the one on the main menu) and a note that white truffles could be added to any dish for 25 pounds. My wife ordered white truffle risotto, but I ordered the venison off the regular menu. When my venison arrived, there were clear shavings of white truffle in the dish (about 10 slices, I'd say). Immediately, I was concerned that I had been served the more expensive truffle dish. Happily, however, that was not the case (and the dish, btw, was amazing).