Symposium Wine Bar

Color and tint can say a lot about a wine. Aficionados twirl their glass and gaze into the bowl, searching for clues only the hue can betray -- the wine's concentration, age and potential quality. Not so for Don Katz, 29, owner of the Symposium Wine Bar in Irvine. He is blind.

Color and tint can say a lot about a wine. Aficionados twirl their glass and gaze into the bowl, searching for clues only the hue can betray -- the wine's concentration, age and potential quality. Not so for Don Katz, 29, owner of the Symposium Wine Bar in Irvine. He is blind.

First there was Toi, the Thai restaurant with locations in Hollywood, West Hollywood and Santa Monica. Then came Koi, the trendy Japanese restaurant and lounge on La Cienega. Chi, a hip spot in the Hyatt West Hollywood soon followed, as did Yi (officially called Yi Cuisine), a sophisticated Asian restaurant. The chef? Rodelio Aglibot, a veteran of, you know, Koi. Finally, we thought the whole trend must have peaked, but recently Kai opened in the old Rebecca's space.