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Zinny bypasses the BYOB again, but scores a great deal.

Tuesday Dec 18, 2007.     By Zinny Fandel

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As a BYOB-or-bust socializer, I've made it clear to my close friends that their invitation to hang will be replied to in the affirmative with one stipulation—that we make it a BYOB. But this bird is beginning to change her feathers just a wee bit. Don't worry: I'm still married to the idea that drinking and dining shouldn't cost an arm and a leg. I'm just starting to diversify my wine-centric portfolio.

After falling hard for the $22 glasses of wine-gone-half-price at the Tasting Room, I started scanning for more worth-writing-home-about wine deals, preferably ones that involved dinner. What I found was another Monday zinger: half-off all bottles of red and white at Rodan with the purchase of two entrees.

I had only ever been to Rodan to booze, and was reminded why the second I walked in with Merle for a long-needed catch-up meal: It was dark and smoky, but wonderfully empty. We grabbed a giant wooden booth in the back, took a look at the menu and kicked things off with a $28 bottle of Chariot Sangiovese on the recommendation of the waitress. Heck, I'll try anything that's cut to $14.

We were brought glasses that looked like baby tea-light candle holders (whose small volume made the bottle seem to last a pretty long time) and ordered an $8 Rodan pizza with roasted vegetables off of a surprisingly global menu: Vegetable dumplings with soy ginger sauce, Chinese sticky buns and wasabi tempura-battered fries were three Eastern representatives; sea bass ceviche and potato empanadas took things south of the equator.

We took a nip of wine and agreed that it was a fine choice—very juicy and berry, a deep ruby color, a really tasty wine. I liked it enough that I gave it a Google run the next day, learning that it's from California (I just assumed Italy and didn't bother to read the label in the relatively unlit room), lauded as one of our country's best sangioveses, and is made from fruit from Mer Soleil Vineyard—impressive when you learn that those vines are owned and managed by Caymus Vineyard winemaker Chuck Wagner, who also uses the property's fruit for his wow-I-love-it Conundrum white blend. Rodan, you have found a winner.

The cracker-thin crust appetizer-size pizza came out a mini-glass or two later. It was topped with asparagus, tomato, avocado and plenty of cheese, with a layer of sauce as pronounced as its layer of dough. It was an inoffensive pairing with the wine, and a perfect starting bite for two portion-wise, but as a girl who makes her own sauce and dough weekly (under Steamer's watchful eye) it didn't wow me with the freshly made taste I was hoping for.

The appetizer and salad/soup menus list an impressive number of vegan options; the "third" menu was more meat- and fish-focused. My entrée—grilled fish tacos with guacamole and mango corn salsa—cost as much as my appetizer, a pleasant $8. Merle went with the chili-garlic chicken breast with quinoa and vegetables, which was a bit steeper at $14.

I'm used to fish tacos being a messy, DIY order, but my plate was served ship-shape: Two pre-rolled flour tortillas came filled with a reasonable amount of grilled fish and topped with a green sauce, with ramekins of guacamole and salsa on the side. I layered my bites, talked Merle's ear off and felt pleased with the evening; it wasn't exactly a gastronomic coup, but the food exceeded what I've come to expect from bars (though it came in a notch below what I had hoped for Rodan).

Merle ordered a caramelized plantain roll with jackfruit ice cream for dessert, and since I polished off the scoop thinking it was vanilla, I can't shed much light on what jackfruit is. I was having so much fun that I made the classic Zinny mistake of ordering one more glass of wine after we polished off the bottle (Merle had had enough), effectively killing the wine boon by tacking $6 on to my tab for a single glass of merlot.

I felt a little better two days later, though, when I was at Whole Foods and spied a bottle of Chariot Sauvignon calling my name—for $14.99.

Zinny Fandel's tales of living the (mostly) BYOB life are intended to be attempted at home and in the community, preferably at BYOB restaurants. If you know of a BYOB spot she simply must tipple at, let her know.