Saturday Night last week I hosted a wine dinner at Le Cirque. Beautiful
restaurant and in my opinion very nice food too.

The stand out wines of the night were only two...anyone here with experience
let me know:

1) Pouilly-Fume, Ladoucette 2005 Loire Valley...paired with Lobster salad
Le Cirque.

Tokaji, 5 Puttonyos, Royal Tokaji Company 2003, Hungary paired with Sauted
Foie Gras with Macerated dried fruits and hazennuts....

Both of these courses were standouts and outstanding pairings.

The next while excellent food was just ok on the wine.....

Lemon and Ceper Risotto with Diver Sea Scallops...paired with
Chassagne-Montrachet, Clillerets, Morey-Coffinet 2004 Burg.

The last couse the duck was great...but the wine not even worth the mention.

did you happen to read the wsj review of restaurant created wine
dinners

On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:37:41 -0400, "Richard Neidich"
> wrote:

>Saturday Night last week I hosted a wine dinner at Le Cirque. Beautiful
>restaurant and in my opinion very nice food too.
>
>The stand out wines of the night were only two...anyone here with experience
>let me know:
>
>1) Pouilly-Fume, Ladoucette 2005 Loire Valley...paired with Lobster salad
>Le Cirque.
>
>Tokaji, 5 Puttonyos, Royal Tokaji Company 2003, Hungary paired with Sauted
>Foie Gras with Macerated dried fruits and hazennuts....
>
>Both of these courses were standouts and outstanding pairings.
>
>The next while excellent food was just ok on the wine.....
>
>Lemon and Ceper Risotto with Diver Sea Scallops...paired with
>Chassagne-Montrachet, Clillerets, Morey-Coffinet 2004 Burg.
>
>The last couse the duck was great...but the wine not even worth the mention.
>

No, did not see. Was there something there to see?


"gerald" > wrote in message
...
> did you happen to read the wsj review of restaurant created wine
> dinners
>
> On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:37:41 -0400, "Richard Neidich"
> > wrote:
>
>>Saturday Night last week I hosted a wine dinner at Le Cirque. Beautiful
>>restaurant and in my opinion very nice food too.
>>
>>The stand out wines of the night were only two...anyone here with
>>experience
>>let me know:
>>
>>1) Pouilly-Fume, Ladoucette 2005 Loire Valley...paired with Lobster salad
>>Le Cirque.
>>
>>Tokaji, 5 Puttonyos, Royal Tokaji Company 2003, Hungary paired with Sauted
>>Foie Gras with Macerated dried fruits and hazennuts....
>>
>>Both of these courses were standouts and outstanding pairings.
>>
>>The next while excellent food was just ok on the wine.....
>>
>>Lemon and Ceper Risotto with Diver Sea Scallops...paired with
>>Chassagne-Montrachet, Clillerets, Morey-Coffinet 2004 Burg.
>>
>>The last couse the duck was great...but the wine not even worth the
>>mention.
>>

Richard Neidich wrote:
> Saturday Night last week I hosted a wine dinner at Le Cirque. Beautiful
> restaurant and in my opinion very nice food too.
[...]
> The last couse the duck was great...but the wine not even worth the mention.

RTWC is an internationally owned winery in Tokaj (Hugh Johnson is part
of the ownership group) that produces decent, if not exceptional,
Tokaji. 5 putts is sort of a Beerenauslese equivalent (6 putts being
more like TBA). Ladoucette is one of the better-known producers in
Pouilly-Fumé, but I can't comment on quality as I haven't had their wines.

So, did you come up with the wines, or did the restaurant, Dick? I'm
confused as to what the role of the host was at this event.

Mark Lipton

--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com

I hosted the dinner, the menu and pairings was what the restaruant did for
any guests that night...it was their 5 couse tasting menu for Saturday

I simply hosted some guests of mine, meaning I made the arrangements and if
the table did not object, we all had to do the tasting menu.

I have the full copy of the selections that night that they gave me with our
meal pairings and can send in PDF from scan.

All I did was arrange, eat, drink and pay for table. It was very nice and
they had great food and service.
"Mark Lipton" > wrote in message
...
> Richard Neidich wrote:
>> Saturday Night last week I hosted a wine dinner at Le Cirque. Beautiful
>> restaurant and in my opinion very nice food too.
> [...]
>> The last couse the duck was great...but the wine not even worth the
>> mention.
>
> RTWC is an internationally owned winery in Tokaj (Hugh Johnson is part of
> the ownership group) that produces decent, if not exceptional, Tokaji. 5
> putts is sort of a Beerenauslese equivalent (6 putts being more like TBA).
> Ladoucette is one of the better-known producers in Pouilly-Fumé, but I
> can't comment on quality as I haven't had their wines.
>
> So, did you come up with the wines, or did the restaurant, Dick? I'm
> confused as to what the role of the host was at this event.
>
> Mark Lipton
>
> --
> alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com

Mark Lipton wrote:
> Richard Neidich wrote:
>> Saturday Night last week I hosted a wine dinner at Le Cirque.
>> Beautiful restaurant and in my opinion very nice food too.
> [...]
>> The last couse the duck was great...but the wine not even worth the
>> mention.
>
> RTWC is an internationally owned winery in Tokaj (Hugh Johnson is part
> of the ownership group) that produces decent, if not exceptional,
> Tokaji. 5 putts is sort of a Beerenauslese equivalent (6 putts being
> more like TBA). Ladoucette is one of the better-known producers in
> Pouilly-Fumé, but I can't comment on quality as I haven't had their wines.
>

Ladoucette used to be a very racy SB, full of tropical fruits and
agrume, almost
NZ-like certain years. Unfortunately it is a victim of it's success and
has been
priced out of contention (much like Cloudy Bay I suppose) for most of
us. I'd
guess it's a very safe menu choice though.

-E

> So, did you come up with the wines, or did the restaurant, Dick? I'm
> confused as to what the role of the host was at this event.
>
> Mark Lipton
>

On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:53:34 -0400, "Richard Neidich"
> wrote:

>I hosted the dinner, the menu and pairings was what the restaruant did for
>any guests that night...it was their 5 couse tasting menu for Saturday
>
>I simply hosted some guests of mine, meaning I made the arrangements and if
>the table did not object, we all had to do the tasting menu.
>
>I have the full copy of the selections that night that they gave me with our
>meal pairings and can send in PDF from scan.
>
>All I did was arrange, eat, drink and pay for table. It was very nice and
>they had great food and service.

I had occasion a week or so ago to explore a trip to Vegas for SWMBO
and Ich. I long ago became dis-enamored with gambling and matured to
the point of recognizing what had been repeatedly demonstrated to
me--the house always wins.

But, we like food and wine and nice hotels, so I explored some of the
upscale resort hotel restaurant lists. Gotta be impressed by the names
such as Lagasse, Puck, Batali, etc. Some are even known for their
food. Yet when I explored the proferred menus on the web sites I came
away singularly unimpressed. My suspicion is over-priced, over-hyped
and under-delivered for the edification of the high-rollers who get
impressed by name rather than actual quality.

Am I wrong?

Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com

I have not eaten at Wolfgang Pucks in Vegas but have in LA and San Fran and
they were excellent.

I don't eat at Emerils places...not impressed ever.

I have eaten at Il Molino in Vegas, expensive, yes, outstanding however and
worth the price.

Picassos was excellent but showey.

La Cirque...outstanding.

I actually enjoyed the 5 courses at La Cirque more than the French Laundry
at less than 1/3 the price total. However the oysters and pearls at French
Laundry was a stand out and nothing at La Cirque held a candle to that
course :-(
"Ed Rasimus" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:53:34 -0400, "Richard Neidich"
> > wrote:
>
>>I hosted the dinner, the menu and pairings was what the restaruant did for
>>any guests that night...it was their 5 couse tasting menu for Saturday
>>
>>I simply hosted some guests of mine, meaning I made the arrangements and
>>if
>>the table did not object, we all had to do the tasting menu.
>>
>>I have the full copy of the selections that night that they gave me with
>>our
>>meal pairings and can send in PDF from scan.
>>
>>All I did was arrange, eat, drink and pay for table. It was very nice and
>>they had great food and service.
>
> I had occasion a week or so ago to explore a trip to Vegas for SWMBO
> and Ich. I long ago became dis-enamored with gambling and matured to
> the point of recognizing what had been repeatedly demonstrated to
> me--the house always wins.
>
> But, we like food and wine and nice hotels, so I explored some of the
> upscale resort hotel restaurant lists. Gotta be impressed by the names
> such as Lagasse, Puck, Batali, etc. Some are even known for their
> food. Yet when I explored the proferred menus on the web sites I came
> away singularly unimpressed. My suspicion is over-priced, over-hyped
> and under-delivered for the edification of the high-rollers who get
> impressed by name rather than actual quality.
>
> Am I wrong?
>
> Ed Rasimus
> Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
> "When Thunder Rolled"
> www.thunderchief.org
> www.thundertales.blogspot.com

On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:09:26 -0400, "Richard Neidich"
> wrote:

>I have not eaten at Wolfgang Pucks in Vegas but have in LA and San Fran and
>they were excellent.
>
>I don't eat at Emerils places...not impressed ever.
>
>I have eaten at Il Molino in Vegas, expensive, yes, outstanding however and
>worth the price.
>
>Picassos was excellent but showey.
>
>La Cirque...outstanding.
>
>I actually enjoyed the 5 courses at La Cirque more than the French Laundry
>at less than 1/3 the price total. However the oysters and pearls at French
>Laundry was a stand out and nothing at La Cirque held a candle to that
>course :-(

That's reassuring. Since the usual purpose of our trips is eating and
drinking rather than gambling, golfing, diving, swimming, shopping,
etc. I may have to reconsider.

Last time I had a notable meal in Vegas was probably about 30 years
ago when they had a prix fixe luxury dinner at Ceasar's Palace in a
room called The Bacchanal. The food was acceptable, but the grand
part was the scantily clad and overly-endowed hand-maidens who poured
wine from a distance and at the end of the meal cradled my head
between her most noteworthy physical accomplishments and massaged my
forehead while her accomplice dipped strawberries in champagne and
then fed them to me from her lips....don't know that they could get
away with such in these days of OSHA regulations.

Don't remember the wines or what I ate. Do remember the softness of
the head rest.

Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com

On Apr 11, 5:28�pm, Ed Rasimus > wrote:
> On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:09:26 -0400, "Richard Neidich"
>
>
>
>
>
> > wrote:
> >I have not eaten at Wolfgang Pucks in Vegas but have in LA and San Fran and
> >they were excellent.
>
> >I don't eat at Emerils places...not impressed ever.
>
> >I have eaten at Il Molino in Vegas, expensive, yes, outstanding however and
> >worth the price.
>
> >Picassos was excellent but showey.
>
> >La Cirque...outstanding.
>
> >I actually enjoyed the 5 courses at La Cirque more than the French Laundry
> >at less than 1/3 the price total. �However the oysters and pearls at French
> >Laundry was a stand out and nothing at La Cirque held a candle to that
> >course :-(
>
> That's reassuring. Since the usual purpose of our trips is eating and
> drinking rather than gambling, golfing, diving, swimming, shopping,
> etc. I may have to reconsider.
>
> Last time I had a notable meal in Vegas was probably about 30 years
> ago when they had a prix fixe luxury dinner at Ceasar's Palace in a
> room called The Bacchanal. �The food was acceptable, but the grand
> part was the scantily clad and overly-endowed hand-maidens who poured
> wine from a distance and at the end of the meal cradled my head
> between her most noteworthy physical accomplishments and massaged my
> forehead while her accomplice dipped strawberries in champagne and
> then fed them to me from her lips....don't know that they could get
> away with such in these days of OSHA regulations.
>
> Don't remember the wines or what I ate. Do remember the softness of
> the head rest.
>
> Ed Rasimus
> Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
> "When Thunder Rolled"www.thunderchief.orgwww.thundertales.blogsp ot.com- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Ed-I just returned from a week in California for the purposes of
eting, drinking and managed to sqeeze in a little business in Napa.
Two days in Big Sur at the Post Ranch was pretty nice. They ahve a
pretty good kitchen and a wonderful wine list with some hidden gems.
Lunch at Nepenthe is no gourmet spot but the burgers and swordfish
sandwich is killer as is a very interesting wine list. In Napa we
stayed with freinds and at Mustards, Tra Vigne and Taylor's Refresher
and dined at Martini House, La Touque and Aubere du Soliel. Great
food, great wine, beautiful views and plenty of winery visits to
boot. No Las Vegas glitz.

Ed, I was there 6 nights, gambled about 4 hours at most collectively for
trip.

Most of time spent dining for dinner, spa events, massage etc, poolside,
shows. Elton John, some Cirque du Soleil etc.

Food really was excellent.
"Ed Rasimus" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:09:26 -0400, "Richard Neidich"
> > wrote:
>
>>I have not eaten at Wolfgang Pucks in Vegas but have in LA and San Fran
>>and
>>they were excellent.
>>
>>I don't eat at Emerils places...not impressed ever.
>>
>>I have eaten at Il Molino in Vegas, expensive, yes, outstanding however
>>and
>>worth the price.
>>
>>Picassos was excellent but showey.
>>
>>La Cirque...outstanding.
>>
>>I actually enjoyed the 5 courses at La Cirque more than the French Laundry
>>at less than 1/3 the price total. However the oysters and pearls at
>>French
>>Laundry was a stand out and nothing at La Cirque held a candle to that
>>course :-(
>
> That's reassuring. Since the usual purpose of our trips is eating and
> drinking rather than gambling, golfing, diving, swimming, shopping,
> etc. I may have to reconsider.
>
> Last time I had a notable meal in Vegas was probably about 30 years
> ago when they had a prix fixe luxury dinner at Ceasar's Palace in a
> room called The Bacchanal. The food was acceptable, but the grand
> part was the scantily clad and overly-endowed hand-maidens who poured
> wine from a distance and at the end of the meal cradled my head
> between her most noteworthy physical accomplishments and massaged my
> forehead while her accomplice dipped strawberries in champagne and
> then fed them to me from her lips....don't know that they could get
> away with such in these days of OSHA regulations.
>
> Don't remember the wines or what I ate. Do remember the softness of
> the head rest.
>
> Ed Rasimus
> Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
> "When Thunder Rolled"
> www.thunderchief.org
> www.thundertales.blogspot.com

On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:38:43 -0700 (PDT), "Bi!!" >
wrote:

>Ed-I just returned from a week in California for the purposes of
>eting, drinking and managed to sqeeze in a little business in Napa.
>Two days in Big Sur at the Post Ranch was pretty nice. They ahve a
>pretty good kitchen and a wonderful wine list with some hidden gems.
>Lunch at Nepenthe is no gourmet spot but the burgers and swordfish
>sandwich is killer as is a very interesting wine list. In Napa we
>stayed with freinds and at Mustards, Tra Vigne and Taylor's Refresher
>and dined at Martini House, La Touque and Aubere du Soliel. Great
>food, great wine, beautiful views and plenty of winery visits to
>boot. No Las Vegas glitz.

That sounds a lot like my idea of heaven!

Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com

In article >,
Ed Rasimus > wrote:

> On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:53:34 -0400, "Richard Neidich"
> > wrote:
>
> >I hosted the dinner, the menu and pairings was what the restaruant did for
> >any guests that night...it was their 5 couse tasting menu for Saturday
> >
> >I simply hosted some guests of mine, meaning I made the arrangements and if
> >the table did not object, we all had to do the tasting menu.
> >
> >I have the full copy of the selections that night that they gave me with our
> >meal pairings and can send in PDF from scan.
> >
> >All I did was arrange, eat, drink and pay for table. It was very nice and
> >they had great food and service.
>
> I had occasion a week or so ago to explore a trip to Vegas for SWMBO
> and Ich. I long ago became dis-enamored with gambling and matured to
> the point of recognizing what had been repeatedly demonstrated to
> me--the house always wins.
>
> But, we like food and wine and nice hotels, so I explored some of the
> upscale resort hotel restaurant lists. Gotta be impressed by the names
> such as Lagasse, Puck, Batali, etc. Some are even known for their
> food. Yet when I explored the proferred menus on the web sites I came
> away singularly unimpressed. My suspicion is over-priced, over-hyped
> and under-delivered for the edification of the high-rollers who get
> impressed by name rather than actual quality.
>
> Am I wrong?
>
> Ed Rasimus
> Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
> "When Thunder Rolled"
> www.thunderchief.org
> www.thundertales.blogspot.com

Isn't that what Vegas is all about. The restaurants in the Borgata in
Atlantic City are similar. Way over-priced and under-performing.