I'm not much of a foodie, so I've not eaten at very many expensive places (the best I can boast is the Russian Tea Room and Tavern on the Green in NYC when I went up there with my parents when I was 16. I wouldn't have picked either place myself, and I have no idea what either one cost). There was once, though, my family and I went to Vail, Colorado with several of Dad's business partners and their families. We ended up a relatively nice restaurant with, IIRC, roughly 15 people in the party. For some reason, my Dad agreed to pay the bill for everybody that night. I remember it being around $900, and when my Dad handed the waitress his credit card to pay, she politely informed him that this particular restaurant didn't take credit cards. Thankfully, they would take an out-of-state check and my step-mother happened to have her checkbook with her. Otherwise, we'd probably still be washing dishes there.
i just spent $80 for myself for a meal on saturday night at a local steak joint... never have i spent that much on myself... the wine - that's where they get ya!
The most I've spent has always been part of a family dinner or birthday of some kind. Tops would probably be my 21st birthday at Benihana's. About $150/$160.
How long can you age a wine before its undrinkable? When is a wine in its prime? I don't know anything about the grape's decomposition sequence or what happens to it over time. I just drink the stuff. I read that the oldest in tact bottle of wine was found in Germany in the mid 19th century. The Roman sarcophagus that contained it dated back to 325 AD. They floated oil on top of the wine to prevent evaporation. There's nothing like a nice oily wine. I guess cork wasn't used yet. Can't imagine what that would taste like, much less if it would kill me or not.
I've had a Wagyu tasting menu which by itself ended up being ridiculously expensive, then the added sommelier tab made it seem like they were just making up numbers..
I haven't cracked the $400 mark, but I've dropped heavy change at Mark's on Westheimer, Galatoire's in New Orleans, and Jean Georges in New York. If you've got good company and full pockets, it's good fun. Like Dylan says, "Oh all the money that in my whole life I did spend, Be it mine right or wrongfully, I let it slip gladly past the hands of my friends, To tie up the time most forcefully." Now if I could only get a reservation at Dorcea...
Dude, $400 for a meal is ridiculous, I could get a haircut for that. Sincerely, J. Edwards PS. I am listening to Billie Jean on my iPod. ----
"Awesome Blossom? I hear that they're awesome." The most that has been ever spent on a meal involving myself was during my freshman year of college. My roommate's family had come with him from Chicago and they were eager to impress me and our trashy suite mate. They took us to a steakhouse in downtown Austin and the meal was amazing. They took a look at the menu and said, "Do you like wine? Waiter? We'd like three bottles of wine for the table." As for appetizers, they ordered half of the menu. When entrees came around they asked, "Do you like steak? Do you like lobster? You know what; steak and lobster for the whole table." For dessert they ordered the entire menu. I was sitting next to my roommate's father and snuck a glance at the bill: $800 for 6 people. Needless to say, I was endeared with my roommate for quite some time. However, our suite mate who had no roommate was silent for the entire meal. I believe each of us went through that year saying less than 10 words to him.
I'm very jealous. That place is supposed to be amazing. If food is what you like, spending that much on a special meal can be worth every penny. On the other hand, if you spend that much and the meal underwhelms you, it can be a bitter pill to swallow. Risk and reward, I guess...... We spend a small fortune at the Herbfarm, and I'd be more than happy to go back and spend another small fortune there. It was just a wonderful experience.
I have to include the reference piece because Jerry's last quote is LOL. Oh and I spent around $400 at some fancy place (Edit: Tony's) in Houston back in 1989 but that included a bottle of Dom for $200. It was a special night that I still remember. Jerry: [George comes out of the doctor's office looking puzzled] So how was it? George Costanza: I was in there for two minutes. He didn't do anything: touch this / feel that, 75 bucks. Jerry: Well, its a first visit. George Costanza: Well, its 75 bucks. What, am I seeing Sinatra in there? Am I being entertained? I don't understand this. [long pause] George Costanza: I'm only paying half. Jerry: You can't do that. George Costanza: Why not? Jerry: He's a doctor. You gotta pay what he says. George Costanza: Oh no, no, no, no, no. I pay what I say. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jerry: I don't even want to talk about it anymore. What were you thinking? What was going on in your mind? Artistic integrity? Where, where did you come up with that? You're not artistic and you have no integrity. You know you really need some help. A regular psychiatrist couldn't even help you. You need to go to like Vienna or something. You know what I mean? You need to get involved at the University level. Like where Freud studied and have all those people looking at you and checking up on you. That's the kind of help you need. Not the once a week for eighty bucks. No. You need a team. A team of psychiatrists working round the clock thinking about you, having conferences, observing you, like the way they did with the Elephant Man. That's what I'm talking about because that's the only way you're going to get better.
$20,000 meal ...at my cousin's wedding, for 100+ people. pysche. Bet you guys didn't think of wedding dinners now, did you? So far I'm winning.
I've never spent that kinda of cash on a meal before. It helped that my friend let us stay at her flat so the cash we saved we spent there. Justified it as being part of the tourist experience. It was definetly worth it just for the experience. Only other place I would consider doing that again might be one of the Michelin three star restaurants is Spain.
The owner of the company that my wife works for is a very wealthy man. He often takes his office (about 12 people) out to lunch and drops about $3,000 or so on it. Usually at Tony's or something. The food isn't the expensive part, its the wine or champagne they get to celebrate whatever took them to lunch in the first place. He apparently eats very healthy, so doesn't splurge on big meals very often, but apparently when he does, he does it right.
I second that "best meal ever" comment. It was over $1,000 for my girlfriend and I last year and mainly because we had a different half bottle of wine with each dish. Got to tour the kitchen too.
