Friday March 23rd dinner 7 PM AT BISTRO CACAO -- UPDATE

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Sat Feb 03, 2018 11:02 pm

UPDATE: THE DINNER IS AT 7 PM AT BISTRO CACAO -- 320 Massachusetts Avenue NE Washington DC -- two blocks from the Union Station (red line) metro stop. The restaurant phone # is 202-546-4737. Try to arrive just a bit earlier than 7 so we can all get situated

REGARDING PAYMENT - they cannot actually run all the CC on the actual night, because it is too busy. I should have checked in on this earlier.

What we have decided to do is submit as many CC numbers as possible in advance to the restaurant. I am having them send me a PDF form on which you can put your credit card information. I will forward each form to the restaurant to be charged $140/person for the dinner, based on our current stated attendance of 22 people. Everyone who does not get me the CC info in advance please bring cash to the restaurant and check in with me when you arrive. I do prefer CC info in advance if possible to avoid charging too much to my bank account (I use a debit card). Thanks much!

Up to 30 people can attend. There is a $2400 minimum spend before tax and tip that will probably be our constraint. The actual prices are $82 for four courses plus hors d'ouevres and $300 corkage flat fee for wine. If we can get 25 people this is about $96/person for food and drink before tax and tip.

Currently listed attendees are:

marcs+1
Davidg
Jeanfred+Nicklass
Rob and Susan Dayton
Chris B. +1
JimHow
Carlos
Stefan+Lucie
SFEd
Stu and Kathy
Mr and Mrs Vino
MichaelP _
Peter and Julia
Noah +1

That is 23 stated so far. But I might have missed someone or misinterpreted a message

We can take up to 30, although that would be a bit crowded, I think 25-27 is ideal. But there is still room up to 30!

thanks

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Sat Feb 03, 2018 11:46 pm

Confirm Lucie and me.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sun Feb 04, 2018 12:14 am

I'm in.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Sun Feb 04, 2018 1:27 am

JeanFred and I are in.

I remember that SFEd is there too on Friday.

We need more info from MichaelP as I guess he should be there because I think he said he wants to be at the Rhône table.

I don't know if SdR and Kathy are doing another dinner than Saturday.

Nic

JeanFred · Post by **JeanFred** » Sun Feb 04, 2018 1:46 am

Just confirm I'm there with Nic

I have to choose between Rhone and Burgundy..

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Sun Feb 04, 2018 2:05 pm

I’m there.

SF Ed · Post by **SF Ed** » Sun Feb 04, 2018 7:59 pm

I'm in

SF Ed

sdr · Post by **sdr** » Sun Feb 04, 2018 11:11 pm

Kathy and I are in.

Stu

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Mon Feb 05, 2018 1:34 am

So with Stu, Kathy, and SFEd we are up to 16.

The fundamental issue here is that if more than 20 people show up we will be too many for the medium sized room

So someone who is experienced with past years let me know -- if we have 16 people confirming for Friday night, what is the chance we may unexpectedly get up to 21+?

The one outcome we need to avoid is reserving that room and then having more than 20 people show up on the night.

I think there is another room that holds 24 so I may see if we can get that one

thanks.

Sdayton · Post by **Sdayton** » Mon Feb 05, 2018 2:46 am

Rob and I confirm!

SF Ed · Post by **SF Ed** » Mon Feb 05, 2018 4:16 am

This tends to be a very precise group. The final numbers historically have been very close to the committed numbers.

The one variable that I don't see is MichaelP. I would find out from him his plan, but I would expect he will come.

SF Ed

Winona Chief · Post by **Winona Chief** » Mon Feb 05, 2018 4:41 am

With 16 right now, I expect the final count to be 16 to 18 with more than 20 very unlikely.

Chris Bublitz

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Mon Feb 05, 2018 3:33 pm

We have an engagement I can't change that weekend but I might be able to make Friday-not sure about mrs vino. Is this price inclusive or exclusive of tax and tip?

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Mon Feb 05, 2018 10:28 pm

Excluding tax and tip.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Mon Feb 05, 2018 10:41 pm

Thanks for working on that marcs, and I'm happy if Mr. Vino can join!

Looking forward to see you all in 45 days.

Nic

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Feb 05, 2018 11:24 pm

I agree with Chris, Marc, I would just limit attendance to 20.

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Mon Feb 05, 2018 11:28 pm

Mr and Mrs vino will attend!

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Tue Feb 06, 2018 1:56 am

Great, Jay. We were wondering about ya'll.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Tue Feb 06, 2018 6:47 am

Marc, I used a little moderator magic to update the list in your first post.

I agree with limiting it to 20. What usually works is to keep the list going and start a wait list if it gets above 20.

You can ask for checks to lock down spots but in my experience we have very few last-minute dropouts.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Tue Feb 06, 2018 5:54 pm

Mrs Vino too! What at treat!

Nic

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Tue Feb 06, 2018 10:48 pm

I have a 3L bottle of 1988 Beaucastel. Enough for everyone to have a glass. Any interest?

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Tue Feb 06, 2018 11:00 pm

Definitely! Very festive.

I can add another Beaucastel as well, maybe the 2000, along with a couple of other CNDP (2001 Clos De Caillou, Pegau).

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Feb 06, 2018 11:10 pm

Can't wait!

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Tue Feb 06, 2018 11:55 pm

DavidG wrote:I have a 3L bottle of 1988 Beaucastel. Enough for everyone to have a glass. Any interest?

Good for me. But I wonder what you guys will drink?

Nic

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Feb 07, 2018 12:04 am

Save me a sip!

SF Ed · Post by **SF Ed** » Wed Feb 07, 2018 12:41 am

I love 1988 Beaucastel

My plan is to bring a 1978 Jaboulet Les Cedres CdP. Other bottles from this recent release have been extremely good.

And a 1998 Potel Bonnes Mares

SF Ed

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Wed Feb 07, 2018 12:52 am

I am sitting at the Burgundy table on Friday. But I do like Rhones.

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Wed Feb 07, 2018 1:37 am

We will have at most two tables on Friday and it is not a giant room, so I think people will not be able to segregate themselves and will have to taste all kinds of wines!

P.S. also I am planning on bringing Burgundy AND Rhone so I will have to sneak around between the two tables

Michael-P · Post by **Michael-P** » Wed Feb 07, 2018 3:28 am

I am trying to find out from my DC hosts if they want to join us on Friday or if they had another plan that I need to join them on. Nalan does not arrive in DC until Sat morning.

Hoping I can join the Friday event, I will, of course, be at the Rhone table. Laughing at the people wasting time, energy and money on those Peanut wines. OK, maybe I'll sneak over for some Chardonnay.....

Michael-P

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Wed Feb 07, 2018 8:33 pm

If Michael-P and his DC hosts (two people?) attend that could put us above 20.

I am thinking I probably want to cap this at 20. That would let Michael-P come +1 but not +2.

does that work for people, or are there others who want to attend?

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Wed Feb 07, 2018 8:53 pm

We certainly want BWE original MichaelP to come, even if he does not appreciate the finest wine in the universe that is not from Bordeaux.

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Wed Feb 07, 2018 11:21 pm

stefan wrote:We certainly want BWE original MichaelP to come, even if he does not appreciate the finest wine in the universe that is not from Bordeaux.

I added MichaelP to the list at the top, possibly with a +1

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 5:22 pm

OK I'll bring the 3L of Beaucastel. Hope it isn't corked.

I can't recall the last time I opened a 3L of anything. What works best: decant into multiple decanters or pour from the bottle? If multiple decanters are needed, does the restaurant have them or should I bring them?

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 8:25 pm

How about starting with the '88 Beaucastel instead of Champagne, David?

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Sun Feb 11, 2018 12:25 am

I'm fine with whatever the group wants to do.

Michael-P · Post by **Michael-P** » Tue Feb 13, 2018 4:16 am

My DC hosts (+2) have asked how much Fri will cost. Do we have a number per person?
I guess they will be on the wait list since we are capped at 20?

Michael-P

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Tue Feb 13, 2018 4:36 pm

It should be about $100/person all in based on a 20% tip, perhaps a bit more if we want to give a bigger tip given the size/glassware consumption of our group. But probably no more than $115/person.

I will ask the restaurant if we can handle 21 but I think we may need to have a hard cap at 20.

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Tue Feb 13, 2018 7:55 pm

Keep in mind 10% food tax.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Feb 13, 2018 8:58 pm

Well done marcs.
I'll bet you can squeeze one more in to let MichaelP's friends attend.

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Tue Feb 13, 2018 9:03 pm

Jay Winton wrote:Keep in mind 10% food tax.

the all-in $100 included 20% tip and 10% food tax both

menu (four courses) -- $65
wine -- flat fee of $200 between 20 people = $10/person
20% tip -- $15
10% tax -- $7.50

total $97.50

there are deals to be found in DC