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TheBuzz Erika Engle |
No wasted wine
whining under new
restaurant regulationsIt is now legal to doggie-bag your leftover wine from a restaurant, hotel, club, cabaret or brewpub.
A new decision by the Honolulu Liquor Commission gives on-premise liquor licensees the option of allowing customers to take home unfinished bottles, allowing a consumer to keep the remnant of what may be an expensive bottle of wine, rather than leaving it behind.
The 2002 state Legislature passed Act 49, the law behind the decision, but it was up to each county liquor commission to create language consistent with ordinances.
The 750 or so Oahu licensees will receive an explanation of the decision and best practices guidelines, according to Liquor Control Administrator Wallace Weatherwax.
For starters, consult with attorneys and insurance agents "because of the risk exposure," Weatherwax said.
Servers should make sure patrons are not intoxicated, that the cork is "flush with the top of the bottle," that the bottle is in an opaque bag and "perhaps consider taking it to the (patron's) car, taxi, or whatever, because it remains an open container," he said. By law, open containers must be placed in the trunk or in the case of a sport utility vehicle or minivan, the furthest portion away from the driver and passenger compartment.
Leading up to legislative approval of the bill was testimony indicating that "individuals would get their value by power drinking the remainder of the bottle," Weatherwax said. He hopes more responsible drinking will result.
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Under new regulations, customers will be able to take home unused portions of wine from restaurants, clubs and brewpubs.
Ed Wary, owner of the Auntie Pasto's, Dixie Grill and Eddie's Burgers and Frozen Custard restaurants, sees it as great news.
"It's one of the first laws that's gone into effect that's actually helped the industry," he said. "We expect it to help wine sales and we're just thrilled about it."
Partial bottles of beer are not included in the bill, but Kona Brewing Co. & Brewpub managing partner Mattson Davis is encouraged nevertheless. He was present when the Hawaii County Liquor Commission finalized a similar decision last week.
The take-home wine bill may pave the way for take-home beer jugs, known as growlers, he said. They are often a gallon or half-gallon in size and are popular in the Pacific Northwest.
His company's India Pale Ale recently won the top award in its category at the United States Beer Tasting Championship. "We want people to enjoy that fine crafted ale in the brewery in moderation and then take some home," Davis said. "We very much respect the effects of alcohol.
Davis' Kona location includes a microbrewery but the Koko Marina location set to open in October will be a restaurant and pub, without the on-site beer-making.
The Honolulu Police Department had not received the decision, but the Traffic Division's primary concern had been that the language is consistent with existing open container laws, according to spokeswoman Michelle Yu.
NRA's big gun
The National Restaurant Association's board chairman, Regynald Washington, is Honolulu-bound.The vice president for Disney Regional Entertainment and general manager of the eight-restaurant ESPN Zone chain will speak at a fund-raiser for the NRA's political action committee Aug. 24 at the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel.
The PAC's funds "are used primarily to support candidates that support issues favorable to the restaurant association and there are a lot of issues out there that need our participation," said NRA Hawaii board representative Ed Wary.
The two men go back a long way.
"Reggie and I worked together at Magic Pans," a national chain of creperies, Wary said.
As regional manager for the West Coast, Wary gave Washington his first promotion to general manager of the Phoenix location.
Cocktails begin at 5:30 p.m. and will be followed with dinner by Tiki's Grill & Bar chef and partner Fred DeAngelo.
Tickets are $100 and may be reserved through the Hawaii Restaurant Association at 536-9105, Tiki's at 923-8454 or through ewary@aol.com.
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Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at: eengle@starbulletin.com
