From the news story: " 'I asked the waitress if she could recommend something decent because I don't have experience with wine,' Lentini said. 'She pointed to a bottle on the menu. I didn't have my glasses. I asked how much and she said, "Thirty-seven fifty." ' " - Stephen Mack

More: "The total bill was $4,700.61, including tax. The bottle of wine, Screaming Eagle, Oakville 2011 -- cost $3,750. 'I thought the wine was $37.50," Lentini said.' " - Stephen Mack

They settled with him for $2,200, which he split with two other diners. - Stephen Mack

But it seems you can find this bottle for as little as $1,000 (http://www.wine-searcher.com/find...) so I'm surprised they wouldn't move lower. - Stephen Mack

It sounds like he really didn't know wine. A decent bottle of wine at an upscale celebrity restaurant is never going to be $37.50, not with the normal 3x or more liquor markup. - Jessie

Yeah, it's absurd that he'd think he could get a bottle for less than $50, but as you say, he's not a wine drinker. Which is why it's ridiculous the waitress would recommend the second-most-expensive bottle on the menu to someone who says he's not a wine drinker. - Stephen Mack

The bit about "thirty seven fifty" being mistaken as $37.50 when it's really $3,750 reminds me of this ancient urban legend: http://www.snopes.com/busines... - Stephen Mack

Honestly, it feels pretty sketchy that you'd recommend one of your most expensive bottles to someone who has professed ignorance about wine and is asking for help choosing something for the table. They had a lot of bottles that were more in the $50 range. - Jennifer Dittrich

She should have called over the sommelier or recommended wine by the glass. Recommending such an expensive bottle to a novice is a bad move by the staff. - Eric - Final Countdown

Oh I agree, it was a dick move on the waitress' part. - Jessie

TIL: always have your glasses handy to read a menu; don't let the wine newbie order for the table; don't trust the server to make the best decision for you re: wine purchases. - Corinne L