Restaurant that does wine right

I hate restaurants that have wine lists with bottles I'd find in the local grocery store -- at two to three times the price.

I hate restaurants that have a wines that don't match their menu.

I hate when I write, and I sound like a bad Andy Rooney. Why is that?

While running errands on a recent day off, I decided to have lunch out. As always, I looked for a locally run restaurant vs. a chain and I realized I hadn't been to Mezza in some time.

What started as a lark became great luck, as I had a wonderful lunch with a memorable wine experience. You can check out their Web site at: http://www.mezzarestaurant.net/home.html

Their wine list matched the food, which is described as Mediterranean fusion. And the wine list wasn't long. But it had a selection of Turkish, Lebanese and even a chenin blanc from India.

As my Nort'wood friends would say: "How frickin' cool."

I'd had a taste for chicken shawarma, an addiction formed at a little Middle Eastern restaurant I frequented in Lansing, Mich.

I asked for the Turkish wine, even if I wasn't eating Turkey -- or any other small country.

The Kavaklidere Emir de Nevsehir was a perfect accompaniment for a chicken heavily spiced and served with a beautiful hummus. The white wine mixed strong citrus and flower notes balanced by medium mineral tones. You could almost envision the rocky Turkish vineyard.

But the nice combination became an experience when the chef herself, Sarah, checked on me and we started talking wines. She let me taste two other whites, a Lebanese wine and the chenin blanc from India.

A chef who engages a cheap patron is a treasure.

She said she tries to find wines that surprise but still complement the food, which is a challenge because Mediterranean food usually has an array of spices.

That's what good restaurants, do, though. It's a mixture of a challenge -- in the form of offering unusual wines -- and comfort -- knowing what goes with the food while playing perfect partner.