Put a cork in it ... or take one out
Stock photo of a fork spearing a wine cork. Credit: photos.com/photos.com
One of the pleasures of Orto, the new Italian restaurant in Miller Place, is its corkage fee.
Zero.
Yes, there's no charge if you bring your own wine. They even provide the corkscrew.
This civilized gesture extends to Orto's siblings, Kitchen A Bistro and Kitchen A Trattoria in St. James. Kitchen A Trattoria, which doesn't have a license to serve alcohol, is strictly BYOB.
Lately, you might find corkage fees in the $15 to $35 range. I've heard of a $100 corkage fee, too, which may be understandable if you're bringing in that 1945 Mouton-Rothschild.
But, given the relentless markups that define so many wine lists, and the fact that reading the list from right to left is standard, the no-fee corkage makes a restaurant especially appealing, and frees up some cash to spend on an extra course or two.
Eat, drink, be merry ... and sensible.
Orto, 90 North Country Rd., Miller Place; 631-473-0014.
