Philly Offline

How would people feel about Bibou on Saturday May 15th? That gives us enough lead time to get a reservation, Saturday allows Mark to attend, hopefully with time to plan, and Bibou... Well, cause I wanna.

We have room for you in Pitt on April 24th ;-)

I'm in +1 !! For Bibou in Phila, that is.

I'm in. Maybe plus a couple.

I'm in!

Update: OpenTable didn't have a slot for eight on that date. I'm assuming that's just the usual difficulty with large parties, and e-mailed Charlotte. I also asked her, in case the 15th really is booked, to let me know when there might be a Saturday opening for eight between 6pm and 8pm. Are there Saturdays that do not work for people?

Alternatively, if Bibou cannot fit us in, would folks have a clear preference among Fond, Kanella, KooZeeDoo, Cochon and Matyson? Or another top BYO I might be forgetting?

Okay, as Charlotte, with full measure of Gallic charm, points out, I am a complete imbecile: 5/15 is Penn's Commencement weekend. There will be nothing available anywhere worth dining.

Also, she has nothing available for "such a large party" for at least a month beyond the fifteenth.

So. How does 5/22 work for everyone? Mark? I'm also inclined towards Fond as a venue, barring objections: I think the menu would match a broader range of wines than most of the alternatives.

And Fond won't seat a party of eight on a Saturday, unless we're willing to sit down after 9:30pm. How do people feel about Matyson? We can revisit our options if our numbers come in below the cutoff.

I could be in for two on the 22nd.

Mike

Okay, for once the low rate of response works to limit the damage: I'm sorry, Mike, but it looks as the 22nd can't work for me. Lame, I know, but about once every other year a couple of things come together at work and I need to be there for a twelve-hour stretch. That's the 22nd.

So anyway, I'll try this a little differently: which Saturdays work for folks? Mark?

I was just getting ready to reply that the 22nd was good, but oh well. The following weekend is Memorial Day and that's out for me. So then June 5th, which might work need to check. After that my Saturdays are shot in June, so if the 5th doesn't work then you'll probably want to do it without me.

I'm in +1 for June 5th

Confirming that the 5th does work for me...

Yup. I'm good for the 5th. I'll let folks know when I have a reservation. I'm going to make it for six: we have four so far, and restaurants seem to panic when they see anything larger. We'll be in better shape expanding later, I think.

And we have a winner: Fond, on E. 'Shunk. The food is very good, and will work with a wide range of wines (yeah, I'm a geek. What-evah!) Six people, 6:30pm.

We are good for the 5th.

So... any themes? Want to talk about what we are bringing? Can't wait to see what Capaneus comes up with, but I have a few ideas for unusual stuff too :-)

I think I'm going all-French. Probably a Burg, rather than a Bordeaux, given the venue; and a Sancerre, and something sweet, probably also Loire.

Or I could do Italian, especially on the red side, Piedmont or Amarone; and the dessert wine could be a Port. Any preference?

I likewise could go in either direction. My instinct, as you know, is French - red & whites abound in my stock. However, I also have increasing Italian red options (not many whites, but have a new super-Italian shop in NYC where I could easily find some small batch interesting stuff).

Capaneus, you should know that your comment to me about Piedmont at our famous first Philly Wine club, whether you intended or not, sent me on a Barolo spiral (down or up?). I don't have much of it yet, besides the Michele Chiarlo from a few months ago, but I've been drinking WILDLY GOOD specimens on the road in NYC (Massolino, Scavino).

So... votes from other attendees on French v. Italian? 'Course we don't necessarily have to confine ourselves to EU political disputes, but I do suggest we keep all the wine Western European for this get-together.

I just took a look at their web site and menu. I wish that the photos had captions, the food looks fabulous. Barring any unmissable specials I know what I'm going to have and plan to bring a Chateauneuf.

Is masi3v still out there? He attended the last one I believe, does anyone know how to reach him?

Mark

He posts on the CT forum. I assume he checks this, and that the date just doesn't work for him. Hopefully he'll join us next time - or, if he does decide this one works, I think we can just spring an extra person on them relatively painlessly.

I'm curious: what pairing made you decide on a CdP?

Lamb

Mark, are you reading a different menu? I see no lamb.

Pedro, just one. The wifeys out.

OK now I'm getting worried... Is this the wrong one?
http://www.fondphilly.com/menu.html

Jeff, Becky's going to be disappointed your wife's out! Send our regards (how formal does that sound?!)

Hmmm... Tim, that was Mike whose wife is out. Jeff hasn't signed on.

Mark, yes, that's the right place. A few things have changed from the last time I was there, and the addition of the lamb is one of them. That may have thrown Mike off.

Sorry Mark I was still thinking Bibou.

Sorry for the confusion Mike. Looking fwd to meeting.

Just so I'm not confused. Fond @ 6:30 and french wine.

Fond, Saturday at 18:30, and French wine is as good a notion as any, so why not.

See you there!

Sorry to miss it guys! I really wanted to make it, but it was a terrible weekend for us. Let's do it again soon, and I (we) will certainly be there!

Jeff