Bring It

Serving wine in the United States can be tricky even for trained sommeliers. For instance, the international tradition of pouring the first full glass for the oldest woman at the table can be misinterpreted as the culinary equivalent of saying, “Hi! You’re the oldest woman at the table!” Which doesn’t necessarily go over well. Nonetheless, the servers at Pachamama’s (800 New Hampshire in Lawrence, 785-841-0990) stick with the traditions, and you have to respect that. “Our servers aren’t quite trained sommeliers, but we try to obey the traditional rules as much as possible,” says Sam Sieber, operations manager. “We pour a taste for the customer who orders the bottle. The oldest female guest is served first.”

On No-Corkage Tuesdays, bring your own bottle of wine, and Pachamama’s waives the usual $15 fee to open it. “It includes our glasses and wine presentation. We chill the bottle if it needs to be chilled,” Sieber says. Then, pair that wine with the nightly tasting menu: Three courses from the monthly market menu — including a starter, a main course and a dessert — for $35.

Pachamama’s

Tuesdays, 2007