John W.

True that!

Enjoyed the Rainoldi "Inferno" V.S. '97 yesterday. Great way to drink Nebbiolo without paying a truckload. I think we spent $40 or less at a local restaurant. The wine pretty much mirrored your notes, "T," with seemingly more pronounced fennel/licorice notes, and hints of prune to boot. I found this pretty informative.

No.

Either that, or they've been lurking here and have decided that they had better get their act together ← That's a good one.

I've seen the Chronicle too many times have columns like "100 reasons why we are the best dining city in the country" or similar for my taste, but I guess if you read it it's true. Yes, we are worthy of being promoted, more now than ever. And with the likes of MR et al, it's no longer the "big fish, small pond" syndrome. And it's only going to get better.

Perhaps the new food editor will take note. Read the SF Chronicle lately? The PR arm of the dining scene.

To add to this...If you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one. Michel needs to please about 400 people a day, and he does that with ease. Our little band of criminals have been going to BdC on Saturday nights for well over two years, I've missed maybe three episodes. We all drink the same things almost without fail. When they see me, the hoes flow. When they see Mark, the Cap'n flows. If you go anywhere with that type of frequency, then perhaps you'd receive the treatment as well. Does being a restaurant 'insider" or VIP help? Of course it does. But I think it's not as weighted in that direction as you'd think. We still pay the same as the rest of the joes, we still wait for tables, we just get our drinks faster. For the record, I know of one person that has been banned from there. I've been told to get fucked (had to match the profanity) when asking for big wine glasses. I've had not 3 star Michelin correct service there too. And I sit up right (and not falling over to defend BdC, or Falling Down, which is a documentary) as I type this. If you count the restaurant types, my unofficial tally was three dissenting and 4 in favor. Not quite unanimous. It is what it is.

I heart Bistrot du Coin.

Rocks, that was beautiful. Maybe I'll try the 4 times in 48 hours technique.

Who's up for BdC tonight?

← I've seen some horrible stuff in a lot of places. I just don't go back. I've also seen Michel pull off the most gracious things I've ever seen anywhere to people he didn't know. One man's poison is another man's Le Bureau.

Must be packed with pricks. I know for a fact it is every time I go.

The only problem I had at the bar at Palena on Friday night was that I left before the decided-upon allotment of Guillon Gevrey Chambertin was depleted.

Restaurants typically will try to limit seating during the first few weeks of being open, although speaking with Josh Radigan (the guy who put the wine list together) it seems anything but a soft opening. I'd have to say the wine list is pretty sick. Good thing this place is in Virginia, I'd run out of cash quicker than a misguided Restaurant Week diner at Citronelle.

An antidote to mini-burgers.

Something to save youse all from your own hell - "Three little piggys" at DG. Three excellent black pepper bisquits, each adorned with a different pork style. Can't recall exactly what was in them, but I do recall ordering two more when the first one came. Not three invariably overcooked tiny patties of meat. Greggory Hill's new pork technique is unstoppable.

Working. But at least we'll be working where the booze is.

POLSKA

Really? Why, it's Michael "His royal Arrogance" Landrumm, of Ray's the Steaks Fame. ← thanks, that's what i figured but i wasn't entirely sure. Looks like I will have to conduct a taste test when i get back into town, kinda like the pepsi challenge. except with rib eyes. and probably not blindfolded. ← Totally different. Michael's is more of a glaze, and arrogant, ours is more classic French (but equally as arrogant). We can help with the blind part.

Really? Why, it's Michael "His royal Arrogance" Landrumm, of Ray's the Steaks Fame.

Apologies to all of youse, but our lounge is closed today , November 11th, for a private party until 8:30 tonight, rendering happy hour impossible. Don, please to remove this when deemed necessary.

Decanting the Bordeaux Michael? How arrogant.

es ist tatsächlich an

I hate to spoil everyone's evening, but the much sought after (among many other phases) Mr. Derek M. Brown will not be attendance on Friday (or tonight or Thursday for that matter). We are looking into a sign (similar to the gentlemen's clubs around the corner) that would state right out front if his adorableness is holding court or not.

← I had an acceptable cassoulet at the Cote d'Or (now apparently renamed Bistro des Celestines) in Arlington a few months back, and the Duck confit at Mendocino (not a full cassoulet) is scrumptious. ← The best thing I have ever eaten in my life is cassoulet last winter in Minervois, I'd like to do better than acceptable.