Mark Sommelier

The glaring error Mr. Bruni makes in his descriptions of the food: "The Kobe beef, which comes from Texas.....". This is my new pet peeve. If the beef is not imported from Kobe, it is not Kobe beef. It is Wagyu. Wagyu is the breed of cattle that is pampered and massaged in Kobe to produce their famous steak. Wagyu is now bred in Australia, Texas, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Virginia and other places. The clever fellows marketing Wagyu in the US are feeding this misconception: "domestic Kobe beef". Wagyu is selling in the US at around $28 a pound wholesale. These are the $37.99 a pound steaks you see at the upscale butcher. Certified Kobe beef is many times more expensive. Rant over.

Those who know me , know that I'm not shy. If you don't bring me syrup with my pancakes, and don't come back quickly to check on things, I'll get up and go looking for it. That's just me.

The Guards in Georgetown has the look and feel, minus the dart board. You might even sit next to an English professor from Georgetown University and actually discuss Joyce.

What happened to "Nectar- Cool new place"?

Dominique's re-opened briefly several years ago at 600 New Hampshire Ave. in the Watergate. Dominique passed away about 2 years ago and Diana sold the business. The restaurant is now called 600.

Where is Alice?

Um, thanks Sara, I think.

While it is true the RP's scores have an effect on vintages that he rates highly, I have found that there is a boomerang effect that benefits consumers, as well. The '99 vintage was a good example. As the '98 and '99 Bordeaux were in the market when the scores and high praise for the 2000 vintage was released, wholesalers were forced to take large positions on that vintage. This caused them to dump their stocks of '98 and '99 at ridiculously low prices to make room for the 2000s. Some examples of '99s I bought or was offered (these are wholesale prices per bottle): Clerc Milon $19.99, Pichon Lalande $33, Palmer $59, Haut Brion $75! I predict this will happen with the 2001 and 2002 vintages. You read it here!

Those of us old enough to remember R. Crumb's undergound comic book "Mr. Natural" will recall his favorite epithet: EAT BUG ! !

Fortunately or unfortunately, I live near the Watergate Safeway. This store is over-run by both the very elderly Watergate residents and the GW students who live in the famous Watergate Howard Johnsons turned GW dormatory. Between the dowagers shopping with their nurses and the hordes of students walking down the isles talking on their cell phones, shopping there is a chore that I don't look forward to. Best times to shop are early AM, which I am rarely ready for. Truly, this is the real geriatric Safeway.

Croquettas!!

How's the Rhone blend? (Cuvee L or something I think?) The Cuvée L is the flagship meritage. It is cabernet sauvignon and merlot with a small percentage of cabernet franc, I believe. It is quite expensive. The Rhone blend is delicious, if unorthodox. The cepage is syrah, merlot and cabernet franc. It's called Alex' Blend. Very fragrant, good weight on the palate, chocolate mid-palate, excellent finish. Randy's 2001s are the best wines they have made so far, IMO.

I'm a big fan of Lewis wines. Randy has become a friend, too. Helen Turley was the early winemaker at Lewis. The Lewis Napa Valley syrah is worth looking for. It is spectacular.

My friend Roberto Donna won best chef!! My friend Robert Wiedmaier won best fine dining restaurant!! David Guas won best pastry chef. Look at the website for the others. Some of them are real head scratchers.

The Oval Room, Bombay Club and Equinox are a short walk to Constitution Hall.

FYI, Lulu's on M Street is having a cicada eating contest this weekend.

I heard a whisper tonight that Patrick O'Connell is involved somehow.

Here you are getting some real professional advice from someone who deals with it every night in the most difficult of situations. I would go with Mark's advise if it was my money. As an aside, I have been told that Schott-Zwiesel is a major contractor for Riedel, and produce most of their less expensive glasses under contract. The Top Ten glasses resemble the Riedel Extreme series. S-Z is also well known in Europe for its testubes and beakers.

Q: Why do the French only put one egg in an omelet? A: Because one egg is un oeuf <rimshot>

mmmmmmm...... poutine

Look for the "Top Ten" line of glasses from Schott-Zwiesel. They are attractive, drastically less expensive than Riedel, dishwasher safe and are more durable. Schott is distributed by Oneida.

There are no bad vintages, only bad winemakers.

My favorite small guy producer is Ted Lemon at Littorai in Sonoma. His "One Acre" pinot noir is my favorite current California wine. His production is so small that he only sells to selected restaurants, plus his mailing list. Worth looking for.

I've been many times. My friend owns it, so I'm not that impartial. Love the coconut milk Indonesian seafood soup, the pad thai.

I have had many good to great meals at Cafe 15, although none really recently. While I really like the place and the service and cuisine, it just isn't fun sitting in an empty room. I suggest you stop by Le Bar for a cocktail and peruse the menu and dining room. Yes, Antoine Westermann is still the consulting 3 star chef.