The best option, indeed

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Another really busy day, and thankfully I was able to unwind with the Specialist and friends.  We met at Le Mieux Bistro, a place they seem to have discovered recently.  I didn't have time to check out the menu that was circulated via email, and naturally didn't have any expectations.  I just wanted to grab some food and a few glasses of wine…

Iberico ham, roasted asparagus, "spa egg", truffle mash - the slice of ibérico was pretty good, and the asparagus spears were pretty nice.  The onsen egg was done very nicely, and having it together with mash that's got truffle oil is never a bad thing.  A very good start to the meal.

Spaghettini pasta with French pork belly and sausage - I'm having spaghettini 2 days in a row, although tonight it wasn't done quite as al dente.  Texture was still decent, though.  Interesting use of petit salé, which of course I would never complain about…  Not sure what kind of sausage was used - it tasted a little exotic but yummy.  A successful dish in my book.

Passion fruit sorbet with banana - palate cleanser, or dessert?

Red wine braised U.S. short rib and roasted pigeon - the short rib was pretty decent, although it could have been more tender and melt-in-your-mouth.  The pigeon was surprisingly good, with crispy skin that was just very fragrant.  Very good execution.

This was done like a galette pithiviers, but with a hazelnut and pistachio filling.  Not bad at all.

Where there's the Specialist, there's bound to be wine.  Six bottles for the six of us is simply par for the course.

1990 André Beaufort Grand Cru Brut - A bit of wood on the nose.  Ripe and sweet mid-palate with an acidic finish.  Caramelized and a little metallic.

1996 Vilmart Cuvée Création - nose was caramelized, grassy with notes of flint.

2002 Vincent Girardin Bonnes Mares - fragrant and fruity with strawberry notes.  A little sharp and alcoholic on the nose.  Animal, leather, potpourri.  Pretty full-bodied.  Very nice and sweet.  A little feminine.

2006 Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg - a little sharp, with smoke, exotic spices, pine needle and a little floral.

1996 Guigal Château d'Ampuis - classic Côte-Rôtie, with a lovely, beautiful nose of dried herbs, flowers, sweet fruit and a little leather.  This bottle drank very nicely, and I'm glad I brought it.

1998 Henri Bonneau Cuvée Marie Beurrier - fruity with lychees, rose, a little medicinal and smoked meats.

I had a lot of fun.  The food was very, very solid and an absolute surprise.  No surprise, though, that the wines were good.  I look forward to the next meeting of the Alcoholics...