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Would you spend $446 to feed yourself for one meal?

DRB

DRB

unemployed bum
Oct 24, 2002
15,242
0
Watchin' you. Writing it all down.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15334798/

Americans are hungrier than ever to eat out. Last month, they spent $36.2 billion in restaurants. This year, they are on track to spend $511 billion, a record high. But the most impressive number? $446.

According to the Zagat Survey, that's the price of dinner for one at Masa, the high-priced sushi restaurant in Manhattan's Time Warner Center.
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I just can't fathom doing that. Even on the company dime.

Edit: Though there are some resturants I have been to on the list on the company dime.
 
narlus

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
where'd you see the list?

most expensive restaurants i've been in are both in Dublin. Thornton's, and Patrick Gilbaud's.

edit - found both the US and world lists....haven't been to any of the places mentioned. $62 per person for the place in Milan doesn't seem very expensive for top 10 in the world...
 
N8 v2.0

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
narlus said:
where'd you see the list?

most expensive restaurants i've been in are both in Dublin. Thornton's, and Patrick Gilbaud's.

edit - found both the US and world lists....haven't been to any of the places mentioned. $62 per person for the place in Milan doesn't seem very expensive for top 10 in the world...
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not to mention it's Milano...
 
I Are Baboon

I Are Baboon

The Full Dopey
Aug 6, 2001
32,413
9,424
MTB New England
I've never been to a restaurant that has cost two of us more than $200 total. I just feel very uncomfortable in high class places like that. Not sure why...maybe my low-income upbringing?

Edit: I seem to recall paying a $160 bill once for me and MBC to dine out New Year's Eve. I don't think I've had a more expensive meal than that.
 
Westy

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,396
20,187
Sleazattle
I Are Baboon said:
I've never been to a restaurant that has cost two of us more than $200 total. I just feel very uncomfortable in high class places like that. Not sure why...maybe my low-income upbringing?
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It is the virtual ass pounding you are taking. I've never found the food/experience of a really expensive restaurant to be proportionally better than the price would lead you to believe.
 
Heidi

Heidi

Der hund ist laut und braun
Aug 22, 2001
10,184
797
Bend, Oregon
On the company's tab, I ate at Donovans Steak House in La Jolla, CA one time and if you include wine, it was WELL over $200 for the two of us. And that was for me to order a lobster when I don't even like lobster!
 
LordOpie

LordOpie

MOTHER HEN
Oct 17, 2002
21,022
3
Denver
I Are Baboon said:
I've never been to a restaurant that has cost two of us more than $200 total. I just feel very uncomfortable in high class places like that.
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really?

Even with alcohol?


My woman -- who used to be a chef and manage high-end restaurants -- wants to have a 3-star Michelin meal in Europe. She said they're the finest restaurants in the world with the best service and the meals can be well over $1000 for two people.

I told her to sell more :D

I don't think there are any in Italy or we might very well have to do that once in our life. Not sure when we'll get to France, but if we're there...
 
I Are Baboon

I Are Baboon

The Full Dopey
Aug 6, 2001
32,413
9,424
MTB New England
Westy said:
It is the virtual ass pounding you are taking. I've never found the food/experience of a really expensive restaurant to be proportionally better than the price would lead you to believe.
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$40 (beer included) is a lot for me to spend on a meal for myself, even on the company dime. I just never really feel like I "belong" in upscale restaurants...and I don't like having my ass kissed by three waiters.
 
Westy

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,396
20,187
Sleazattle
I Are Baboon said:
$40 (beer included) is a lot for me to spend on a meal for myself, even on the company dime. I just never really feel like I "belong" in upscale restaurants...and I don't like having my ass kissed by three waiters.
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I never feel like I belong in any restaurant but I know what you mean.

I've racked up some serious restaruant tabs at work, easily over $150/person but that is only when my boss is there with me to approve things. On my own it's a couple of tacos and a 6-pack.
 
binary visions

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,098
1,144
NC
I've only ever been in one extremely upscale resturaunt, and it was freakin' delicious but I'm sure it would have been far less delicious if I had been the one paying the $800 tab for the five of us. That did include a few drinks, though.
 
narlus

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
high end restaurants offer an experience which you can't duplicate at yr neighborhood appleby's. at least some do; some are overpriced and fairly useless. it's not about gorging yrself on huge portions, but rather being able to sample foods which are either uniquely prepared, hard to come by, or just plain delicious, w/ a wine list to match. it's not something i'd ever want to have to eat every week, but i don't have a problem dropping some serious coin on such an experience on an infrequent basis.
 
SkaredShtles

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,634
12,699
In a van.... down by the river
narlus said:
high end restaurants offer an experience which you can't duplicate at yr neighborhood appleby's. at least some do; some are overpriced and fairly useless. it's not about gorging yrself on huge portions, but rather being able to sample foods which are either uniquely prepared, hard to come by, or just plain delicious, w/ a wine list to match. it's not something i'd ever want to have to eat every week, but i don't have a problem dropping some serious coin on such an experience on an infrequent basis.
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Some day I want to experience the French Laundry or something similar. Although I'm not sure I even own appropriate attire. :D

I think that I'm going to give one of these tasting menus a shot when we go here next weekend for the wife's b-day:

http://www.coloradoeats.com/RKT/KT Fall Winter 2006.pdf
 
OGRipper

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,650
1,121
NORCAL is the hizzle
There are no menus at Masa; the chef adjusts his meals according to the availability of ingredients (white-truffle tempura is a specialty in the fall) and his diners’ whims. These meals are intricate, lavish cultural entertainments, part nourishment, part entertainment, and part ancient performance art. They’re designed to be enjoyed in a state of blissful suspended animation, and sitting at the bar at Masa, with a world-class chef preparing food for you, that’s more or less what happens. After the tuna tartare, I was presented with aji mackerel sashimi tossed in shiso blossoms. This palate-cleansing course set up a whole salvo of rich, uniformly delicious dishes that began with uni risotto (rice plus sea urchin plus copious amounts of truffles and truffle butter), continued with a meltingly sweet version of Kobe-beef sukiyaki, and culminated in an extravagant shabu-shabu composed of fresh lobster and lobes of foie gras.

http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/food/reviews/restaurant/n_10201/
 
SkaredShtles

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,634
12,699
In a van.... down by the river
OGRipper said:
There are no menus at Masa; the chef adjusts his meals according to the availability of ingredients (white-truffle tempura is a specialty in the fall) and his diners’ whims. These meals are intricate, lavish cultural entertainments, part nourishment, part entertainment, and part ancient performance art. They’re designed to be enjoyed in a state of blissful suspended animation, and sitting at the bar at Masa, with a world-class chef preparing food for you, that’s more or less what happens. After the tuna tartare, I was presented with aji mackerel sashimi tossed in shiso blossoms. This palate-cleansing course set up a whole salvo of rich, uniformly delicious dishes that began with uni risotto (rice plus sea urchin plus copious amounts of truffles and truffle butter), continued with a meltingly sweet version of Kobe-beef sukiyaki, and culminated in an extravagant shabu-shabu composed of fresh lobster and lobes of foie gras.

http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/food/reviews/restaurant/n_10201/
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So how much did you spend?? :D
 
narlus

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
SS, i highly recommend the tasting menu...it's pricey, but an unbelieveable experience if a highly skilled chef is sending the stuff out of the kitchen. i've had 3 different ones, and they were all sensational.

that menu you posted looks great.
 
DRB

DRB

unemployed bum
Oct 24, 2002
15,242
0
Watchin' you. Writing it all down.
OGRipper said:
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/food/reviews/restaurant/n_10201/
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When the foie gras shabu-shabu appeared, my wife perked up a little, but when I told her the rest of the meal would consist of sushi only, she looked at me with her mouth agape. “You realize,” she said in a flat, matter-of-fact voice, “I could have bought a ticket down to Florida, chartered a boat, and caught my own tuna for the price of this meal?”
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That's one way of looking at it.
 
OGRipper

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,650
1,121
NORCAL is the hizzle
Hahaha, no I haven't been to Masa (or TFL for that matter). But I would like to try them both.

There's a great section on Masa in Ruhlman's book "The Reach of a Chef." He's charging what he can for a no-compromise, unique and personal experience. (BTW, I would never sit at a table if they offered the bar - at any sushi place. The connection with the chef is part of the experience.) Also, unless I'm missing something, you don't have the huge wine/bev bill that you get at other places. That book lays out a very interesting contrast between Masa and Per Se - even more interesting since they're in the same building.

As for the main question, I dunno, I guess it depends where your passion lies. I mean, go to Chowhound and post a question about whether anyone there would spend $5,000 on a bike.
 
Silver

Silver

find me a tampon
Jul 20, 2002
10,840
1
Orange County, CA
No, never.

My favorite food is bistro stuff anyways...haute cuisine never gets me going. Why in God's name would you want to deep fry truffles?

I did just eat at Mr. Stox last week. We had a fantastic dinner, with a couple of great bottles of wine, appetizer, salad, main course and dessert for less than $100 a person. That was money well spent (plus is was a birthday for a very special lady, and a family event.)

Was it better than Ruth's Chris? Marginally...$40 a person better? Not really.
 
Brian HCM#1

Brian HCM#1

MMMMMMMMM BEER!!!!!!!!!!
Sep 7, 2001
32,119
378
Bay Area, California
The most I ever spent on a dinner for two was $600 at the French Laundry in Yountville, CA (Napa area). Was it worth it? F yes!!!! Would I spend it again for the same quality of food and dining experience.......F yes!!!!!!
 
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