Due to some very unfortunate family circumstances, I’ve been unable to post this past month and this month’s RCC was put together at the last minute. For that reason I sort of decided to be super laid back. Uri who cooked solo this month did a Chinese Takeout theme which sort of meshed with the laid back wine theme. What’s really impressive is that Uri did not grow up with many of these dishes as they are uniquely NY based Jewish Chinese dishes – so the Hot & Sour Soup and General Tso’s Chicken were things he heard and read about, but had no real experience with. Having said all that, while I prefer my Hot & Sour soup both more hot and more sour (Uri let diners add their own white pepper and vinegar to the soup as season ing to bring it in line with each person’s taste), the General Tso’s might have been the best I’ve ever had. Same is true for the Banana Fritters – just excellent. The lamb ribs were a call back to the veal spare ri that used to be a staple on NY Chinese menus (and is no longer found at all – last trip in I really got in the mood for those ribs and checked no fewer than 4 Chinese places, none of them make it any more – don’t know why). In any event this was the only time since moving here that I have had anything resembling the Chinese food I grew up with. Time for Uri to open a restaurant. But we are here for the wine so let’s get to it. As noted, the list was a bit more laid back than usual – and I was fine with that.