Mark Sommelier

I tend to think that this is silly hocus-pocus, too. I remember years ago, the Trader Vic's chain started featuring "Pyramid Wine". Their little table tents extolled the magical qualities of the pyramid. They claimed the pyramid would make wine taste as if it had been aged for years, just by putting the cases inside for a while. Sure enough, near the front door there was a cheesy plywood "pyramid" loaded up with cases of Almaden Mountain varietals. Yum - NOT.

Mark, I think it is about both. I want to drink better wine than is typically on the wine list at many establishments I like to dine at. And, yes, it is about saving some bucks, too. The mark-up that most restaurants add to their wine lists is somewhat ridiculous at times. A $30 bottle at retail going for $75-90? A $50 bottle going for $150? An $85 bottle going for $210? I have seen this type of markup all too often. BYOW allows me to dine out more often, and often with much better wine than is available on a given restaurant's list. I wonder, would any given restaurant rather I dine out less frequently but at a more profitable pricepoint (buying wine off of their list)? Or would they rather I dine out more often, but allow me to BYOW (paying a reasonable corkage fee (say $20 or less))? Tj, As you undoubtedly know, my chef does not permit people to bring wine to the restaurant. The markups you cite are typical in many places, but not mine. My list is not peppered with the usual suspects. I am able to obtain hard to find, rare and unusual wines. I was challenged once on another board about restaurant markups versus liquor store prices. The points I made supporting restaurant markups (not obscene ones, rational ones) were: A liquor store does not: -pay multiple dishwashers $11 an hour -buy 400 dozen stemware glasses a year -buy 100 dozen Fretté tableclothes at $85 each a year -buy several 100 dozen Christophle forks, knives, demi-tasse spoons that find their way into customers pockets and handbags -pay a staff of 85, including their healthcare benefits. I carry an inventory in excess of $300,000. This is an investment. The object of an investment is the return, n'est ce-pas? In addition, let me say, you rarely see people outraged about the markups the importer, supplier and distributor take before I even get my hands on the wine. If the 3 tier system were not the legislated form of piracy that it is, you would see lower prices across the board.

Repeat after me: my name is Don, and I am a risottoholic. Darren, Don is a friend of mine. You don't know the half of it.

For those interested, Bobby Kacher posted an interesting harvest report on Mark Squires bulletin board at the eRobertParker website. The bulletin board can be read without registering. Look at: http://www.erobertparker.com

The restaurant where I work has a marvelous chef's table (click my WWW icon, if you are interested). It seats 6-8. The table is in its own alcove inside the kitchen, fully visible from the dining room, as the entire kitchen is on display from the room. Many times, the kitchen is the quietest place in the restaurant. One of the advantages of an exhibition kitchen is that the cooks must constantly clean after themselves. The only person allowed to raise his voice is the chef. The chef's table offers a 10 course dinner with wines paired by me for each course. Our maitre d' goes to great lengths to explain to people asking about the chef's table that it is for people interested in food and in trying new things. It is not intended for people who only eat meat and potatoes, vegans , well, you get the drift. When the chef sees that people are excited about his food, it sparks his creativity. We tend not to have people with long lists of "I don't eat this, this and that". Some of the best times I can remember at work have involved the interaction with the chef's table clientele.

Is corkage about drinking better wine or saving money? DISCUSS

John W. , I guess we shouldn't divulge the weekly BDC blowout.

I realize that not everybody likes this style of shiraz. If you do, however, this new release is the epitome of the Parker "hedonistic fruit bomb". It is dense, unctuous, velvety. It clocks in at the now de rigeur 16% alcohol. Great length on the finish with incredible dark berry, chocolate and pepper notes pinging all over the tongue. Allocations seemed to be cut this year so look quickly or you'll miss it.

Wabeck, you boob. Giacomo Puccini wrote a little opera called "Tosca". At the end of said opera the tragic heroine, oddly enough named Tosca, leaps from the parapets of Castel Sant'Angelo to elude the sinister forces of Baron Scarpia, the man she has just murdered.

I once honked at the table on one really unfortunate evening. Should have known better than to order haggis tagliatelle. Haggis taglietelle!!! TFF ! ! !

For the record, my comments should be read as if they were followed by a smily-face. I assumed that it was obviously enough a joke to not be necessary. The barfing part was not a joke. To be fair, another restaurant in the city was fingered by the barfee for providing the mayonnaise laced campylobacter that triggered the incident. As Anna Russell said in her famous explication of Richard Wagner's Ring Cycle :"I'm not making this up, you know".

John W.'s celebrated Labor Day pootato recipe: 2 dozen new potatoes, scrubbed and oiled salt to taste place on grill, hood closed drink copious amounts of wine, wait for thick smoke to emerge from grill remark curiously about flames shooting from bottom of grill pootatos are ready when skin is scorched black and inside is raw Remove pootatoes from grill, place neatly in refuse receptacle. Doesn't serve 8. Voila! Pootatoes. NB: The name derives from friend Jarad's use of the word "poo" in place of the more common Anglo-Saxonism "shit".

Darren, You are, as the Germans say, einmalig Great commentary. I actually spit coffee on the screen when I got to "This doesn't suck". thanks What do you expect from Wabeck? He's a baller. Next time you talk to him, ask him about the recent barfing incident at the Minibar. You'll die laughing.

If it was on a Monday night, you might get to meet more of us.........

I hope someone gorged on Johnnie's fried oysters. I usually get a double order.

Sounds as if DC chefs are really hip to the Internet and how to use it. None hipper

The photo of "oysters" looks suspiciously like clams to me.

I have also heard this referred to as Power Decanting.

I will second the recommendation for Zu dem Drei Husaren. Elegant, old world service ( the waiter even carved my knodl tableside!), famous cold buffet. The pianist played everything from Scarlatti to Gershwin. Memorable dining experience. Demel's is the famous pastry shop. Fun eats and drinks are found everywhere- we used to love the Albertinakeller, under the Albertina Museum. This is where normally straight-laced Wieners let their hair down and drink and sing silly songs.

Too Much Information

Mr. Chen's in that neighborhood. Order the appetizer called "Peking Duck Rolls". Order many of them. They are outrageous. $4.95 each. I also like General Tso tofu.

Woo hoo! TMI

I met Tom in the late 80's when he was Phyllis Richman's assistant. Had dinner with him several times. He has been to the restaurant that I work in many times since I've been there the last 6 years. He's a friendly, nice guy. He is also a journalist. He dropped a line on the live chat that he had dined with us in "deep disguise". Geeze, I hope I wasn't there that night.

Damn, Wabeck, I keep forgetting how young you are! The peach beer from Belgium was the coolest part of the dinner we had.

I hear you Mark. To hell with gimmickry, I say! By the way, how's that "Virtual Paella" coming along at Citronelle? Well, Rocks, you ate it. Tell the boys here. I think it is awesome.