Where does your napkin go when you leave the table? Should you sniff the wine cork? Is aged beef a good thing? We've all experienced restaurant jitters at some point–the unshakable fear that you will be cowed into ordering an overpriced bottle of wine or unknowingly commit some fine-dining crime, whether it's using the wrong fork, mispronouncing foie gras, or gasping when your fish entrée shows up with its head still attached. Of course you know better than to chew with your mouth open or high-five the maitre d', but in the moment, the hype of the fine dining experience can bring on needless anxiety about whether you're doing everything right.

The Mere Mortal's Guide to Fine Dining will set you at ease. With insider tips from the nation's top restaurants, simple how-to and what-for guides on everything from matching wine and cheese to basic table and restaurant etiquette, to how to eat sushi, this straightforward introduction to fine dining is for everyone. It’s a shortcut for the beginner foodie who wants to order like a seasoned epicure and a no-brainer reference book for the college guy trying to impress his girlfriend's parents; a gourmet primer for the new executive with an expense account and a field guide for the rest of us who want to splurge in an upscale restaurant. With a few pointers, any mere mortal will be able to read a place setting, order with confidence, ask the right questions, select a great wine, and leave the correct tip. Above all, instead of worrying about the sommelier's sneers or deciphering a French menu, diners can focus on the most important part of the meal–the food!