CITY Issue 53

W MONTRÉAL & SPONSORED EDITORIAL NEW YORK: ADOUR ALAIN DUCASSE At the New Alain Ducasse, it’s Love at First Sip Always wanted to become a master of mixology? Get mixed up and celebrate the new season with Bacardi ambassadors Manny Vides and Nikola Bozic. Discover the secrets of balancing cocktails and stirring up the freshest ingredients to warm up with a mojito during the coolest days. Dec. 12, 6 to 9 p.m. To RSVP, e-mail rsvpwmontreal@whotels. com. 901 Square Victoria, Montreal, (514) 395-3100. How many sommeliers can say that a restaurant was designed specifically to fit their needs? Most places are laid out according to the chef’s designs while the wine staff simply makes do. Adour Alain Ducasse, which will open in January at The St. Regis Hotel, New York, may be the top toque’s latest baby, but it is also the mastermind of its wine director, Thomas Combescot. “Restaurants are usually designed to cater to the chef but this is completely different,” boasts the Burgundy native, who started working for Ducasse last year at the Essex House. “We really identified the best conditions to showcase wine.” Designed by the Rockwell Group, Adour will cater to the oenophile’s every whim and fancy. Regulars that want to BYOW can invest in a temperature-controlled private wine vault. The Rockwell-designed vaults, which store up to a case of wine, resemble luxurious traveling trunks of a bygone era (Ducasse is a big fan of antiques). Regulars can simply call the sommelier in advance and have him pull a bottle from their stash. “Let’s say they want to drink their Joseph Jamet Côte-Rôtie ’98 with dinner. I’ll take it out in time and decant it,” explains Combescot, pointing to four decanting stations conveniently spotted around the restaurant. Additional benefits for vault renters include seats within a special private dining room and an industry insider’s perspective to great wine. “New York really is the platform for visiting winemakers and amazing importers. We’ll conduct monthly wine director tastings and invite private wine vault members to join us,” Combescot says. For those not bringing their own bottles, Adour offers two different wine lists. All diners will be handed a whittled down list focusing on a few specific regions and bringing to light more obscure wines. Or, request the “reserve list” and spend ages perusing the wine bible—a true wine geek’s religious past time. The most playful element to Adour, however, is the four-seat interactive wine bar (illustration above). “This is the age when we’re all glued to our computer and we love touch screen features, so this is our version of a fun game using digital technology,” Combescot says. An interactive screen will be projected from the ceiling onto the pristine white bar where wine novices and pros alike can explore regions, appellation, subappellation, grape varieties, and more. And if you want to make friends with a fellow sipper at the bar you can send them a tidbit of oenophilia from the generated screen. Of course, this being Ducasse, the food promises to be magnificent and, ultimately, wine friendly. In other words no artichokes or crazy sauces that drive sommeliers mad when it comes to wine pairings. Offers Combescot, “The chef really has to think about wine and listen to what the sommelier has to say when creating new dishes.” That said, Ducasse still gets the final say—with a glass of wine in hand, naturally. —PAMELADEVI GOVINDA 2 E. 55th St., New York. Or go to www.alain-ducasse.com W CHICAGO – LAKESHORE Join Chef Kristine Subido to sample the savory flavors of Spain. For $35 per person eat, drink, and say wow! Munch on lunch and dive into drinks at this all-inclusive event. Reservations are required. Dec. 8, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. To RSVP, call 312-9439200. 644 North Lake Shore Dr., Chicago. W SAN DIEGO Witness your favorite local and regional stars shake, pour, and stir it up behind the bar. How do you take your star bartender? Dec. 20, 9 to 11 p.m. in Magnet lounge. No RSVP required. 421 West B St., San Diego. For information on these and other W Happenings go to www.whotels.com http://www.alain-ducasse.com http://www.whotels.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of CITY Issue 53

CITY Issue 53 Contents Letter from CITY Our Friends Action Wanted City Moment In Rogue Fast Food The Amused Bouche Fit Unnatural Wonders Paradise Found Gold Standard Parc Yourself Get Wet Naughty or Nice Raise the Roof Luxury Is... Bird of Prey Hardwear To Die For Twisted Sisters Basic Instinct Where To Buy It Socials Icon

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