Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

for years, the french restaurant 'la sirene' on broome street in the west village had no wine/liquor license, and no corkage fee for those who byob'ed their treasured bordeaux and other bottles. alas, no more. i was wondering if anyone had suggestions for restaurants in nyc (including boroughs) where one can bring bottles with minimal or no corkage fees, and still be welcomed. it doesn't have to be french. any nice place is worth exploring. often, such places are waiting for their licenses; so it is understood that recommendations are of a temporary nature.

unfortunately, bordeaux at the retail level has become far too expensive. tripling the retail prices, as is typical in nyc restaurants, makes those prices just criminal. we need to fight back. any information and/or recommendations help.

thanks in advance.

there is a forum on the WB board which keeps track of those. i used to maintain an extensive spreadsheet when i lived there, but moved, so am not on top of these things.

in general, most restaurants can find a way to do corkage, if you call ahead of time, and propose something, usually with a manager (get their name). most places are being economically irrational if they decline corkage at some rate that is ~ 2 x price of by the glass wine less a buck or something. so if they have their lowest btg at $8, then $15 is reasonable price that reflects stemware, service, foregone revenue etc.

i hope they are still in business, but i have always loved Les Sans Culottes on 57th/2nd, which was old school rustic froggy food. it hosted many a great BWE event. Note the sausage strings....

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipP ... JEySADRfa2

Les Sans Culottes closed two years ago, Arv. Sad.
Tribeca Grill with $20 corkage (free Sunday and Monday), one bottle per couple, nothing on their list.
La Mangeoire, $20 corkage
Riverpark (my favorite) $20 corkage (free Tuesday) nothing on their list.
Check with the restaurant first, corkage fee may have changed, free days may have changed

I can give a solid recommendation to Fabio's Cucina Italiana (214 E 52nd St, New York, NY 10022). Food ranges from excellent to mediocre, the space is quiet, so you can hear everyone talk which is nice. They've always waved corkage for us and were generous with decent stemware, but we were usually groups of 8+ so they had an incentive. Fabio passed away we learned this past April, so things may have changed since then.

My wife is really bummed/sad about L-S-C closing.

I loved their rillettes in the little ceramic ramekins.

So many good, happy memories of that place.

IIRC that building was owned by the family (i.e. they were not tenants) and it was very valuable, and there was always tensions over that between family faction members.

MichaelP and I were gonna go to Riverpark, Jacques, but the corkage was $45 per bootle.

I guess Riverpark was discovered. But you can ask for the sommelier Jarred Roth, say you're a friend of mine, and hopefully, he will still be there, would still remember me, and would give you a break on corkage.

My first BWE event was at Les Sans Culottes, a St. Julien night in 2005.

Blanquito wrote:My first BWE event was at Les Sans Culottes, a St. Julien night in 2005.

I think I was there, was it when Art came to visit? Arv?

BTW, Les Sans Culottes had been there for decades, Jill and I used to go there in the late eighties when we lived on 55th st. It was sad to see it close.

Riverpark seems like a nice place, I'd like to give it a try sometime.

jal wrote:

Blanquito wrote:My first BWE event was at Les Sans Culottes, a St. Julien night in 2005.

I think I was there, was it when Art came to visit? Arv?

BTW, Les Sans Culottes had been there for decades, Jill and I used to go there in the late eighties when we lived on 55th st. It was sad to see it close.

I remember you there, Jacques, and Art and Kathy, and Arv and Dale, maybe Matt Richman too?

Blanquito wrote:

jal wrote:

Blanquito wrote:My first BWE event was at Les Sans Culottes, a St. Julien night in 2005.

I think I was there, was it when Art came to visit? Arv?

BTW, Les Sans Culottes had been there for decades, Jill and I used to go there in the late eighties when we lived on 55th st. It was sad to see it close.

I remember you there, Jacques, and Art and Kathy, and Arv and Dale, maybe Matt Richman too?

Yup all of you were there.

We had a crazy amount of St Juliens that night, including many estates/vintages that were not so frequently seen.

Here's an album of that night, from google photos

https://goo.gl/photos/sh1uFvsLoxHu59Z97

Great to see these pictures, brings back fun memories, thanks for sharing. I shouldn't say it, but wow we all looked so young. I had forgotten that Chris Chasse-Spleen (whatever happened to him?) and Ramon (who's become one of my favorite people) were there.

Chasse is still around, his band continues to play in and around Manhattan.

Yes there is the proof that I am seized of existence external to the internet. I also recall Kathy buying stuff that weekend, possibly benefiting from a sales tax holiday or something.

As long as its open mike / photo day, here's the replacement for my basset hound

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipN ... LsHT4O4LBJ

The observant will note that he's

a) not a Basset
b) not supposed to be on the couch

thanks for all the responses to my query. perhaps, as suggested, this topic is better dealt with elsewhere. but if anyone finds something new in the way of a cheap or no corkage fee restaurant, please let me and others know by adding it here.

As Arv said, use this as a guide ...

http://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/vie ... YO&start=0