Whether you love it for its insight or hate it for its undue influence on the wine industry, the Wine Spectator magazine is a force to be reckoned with. One local wag, who in my opinion knows more than most of the magazine's writers about the subject, calls it the "Wine Dictator". Its influence cannot be denied regardless of whether you agree or disagree with its ratings.
So when the Spectator chooses its annual restaurant awards, people listen. This month's edition lists two B'game establishments as Award of Excellence winners. There are slightly less than 3,000 such winners worldwide. That means our little town has the same number of award-winning restaurants as have Belgium, Columbia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, the Phillipines, Poland, Russia, Venezuela, Vietnam or Wales.
The winners are about a block apart.............Il Fornaio and Nectar. I can vouch for Nectar's Monday night winemakers' series as serious fun. Congrats to both winners!
These "awards" are bought and paid for by the restaurants which earn the award. It costs $250. A couple of fellows sent in a bogus wine list for a non-existent restaurant and were, for $250, given an Award of Excellence.
The scam was unveiled at a conference of wine industry economists last year.
Here's a link to an article on the Los Angeles Times website:
http://articles.latimes.com/2008/aug/22/business/fi-winehoax22
More restaurants in Burlingame would be able to boast of a Spectator award if they would simply pay to play.
Posted by: Gerald | July 27, 2009 at 05:40 PM
Nectar is definitely one of the best lists in town. I don't eat at Il Fornio so I won't comment. What else would you put on top? Ecco is a good list but small and very traditional. Mingalaba has a better list than I expceted but the spices don't pair well. Broadway Grill is a joke.
Posted by: Pam | August 22, 2009 at 11:20 PM
Tonight was the Nectar closing party and it was a riot. The place was shoulder to shoulder with locals, see-and-be-seen socialites, a table of Franklin School teachers (on vacation) and Chris and Joe holding down the bar. With the warm weather, the sun shining and the elixir flowing at retail or cheaper prices, Nectar went out with a bang. Who will step in and take over?
Posted by: Joe | June 29, 2010 at 12:12 AM