Short orders: Eatery gets spiced up

Friday, Jan. 2, 1998 | 11:34 a.m.

Undaunted by the failed sale of Nicky Blair's restaurant to the Capitol Grill, Nicky Blair's partners Bernie Sindler and Chef Raffaele Marsilio have added some new features to the decor, put together a new menu of Italian specialities and will reopen the restaurant Monday. There is new emphasis on fresh and light, says Chef Raffaele.

The always-popular piano bar will be mellow and feature music more appropriate to fine dining.

Restaurant service will start at 5 p.m., the bar opens at 4:30 p.m.

Welcome back.

Wines under $10

Wine sales were up again in 1997. Americans drank 6 percent more wine than they did the year before. And they're drinking some bargain wines that taste bigger than the prices would indicate. Wines from Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Romania and Hungary are selling for as little as $3.99 per bottle. None is more than $9. You may have to look in more than one wine source to find them, but at these prices, just consider it a treasure hunt. The top 10 choices are listed as rated: Cranswick Estates Chardonnay (Australia), Mahler Besse Monocle (French Bordeaux), Black Tower Reisling (Germany), Weber Zeller Swartze Katz Reisling (Germany), Egri Bikaver Bull's Blood (Hungary), Duna Merlot (Hungary), Zonin White Merlot (Italy), Zonin Montepulciano (Italy), Fu-Ki Sake (Japan) and Premiat Cabernet Sauvignon (Romania). All of the wines listed are Monsieur Henri selections. Monsieur Henri is a venerable importer, now celebrating its 63rd anniversary. Cheers, Monsieur.

More eating out

More than ever before, consumers are turning to restaurants for their meals. The National Restaurant Association predicts that sales in 1998 will be $336.4 billion, an increase of almost 5 percent over last year. The hottest fast-food trends are pita dishes and wraps; items gaining in popularity at table-service restaurants are: vegetarian items, tortillas, locally grown produce, organic items, fusion dishes and microbrewed/local beers.

Price change

There are new prices at the Stardust Warehouse Buffet. Breakfast, $5.95; lunch, $6.95; dinner, $8.95; Sunday Brunch, $7.95. Not changed, the-all-you-can-eat-and-more policy.