quote:

Originally posted by brookelyn_FD:
Yeah I read this story I think the waiter got a 7 thousand dollar tip.

50,000 will buy you a cute little cozy house in kansas. Granted you would be living in Kansas.

I used to live in Kansas when was a kid. Don't remember much about it other than playing outside, though.

As far as expensive restaurants go, I really haven't been to a super duper one. I think the most expensive restaurant I've been to was about $50 a person, and even then I cringed. I'm kind of frugal with my money. I save, save, save! Of course I'll spend a good bit on video games, clothes, and arts and crafts, but when it comes to food, I feel like I'm wasting my money if I spend too much. Heck, I'm happy with Chillis.

I went to Arbys today.

sometimes you gotta splurge

Indeed.

Taco Bell FTW!

Wow, I checked out the website and the "Chef Room" seems like it was once used for mob bosses

All I eat is heroes and pizza everytime im visiting the fam up north so I dont think i'll be going there any time soon, but the thought is awesome.

quote:

Originally posted by zeeEVIL1:
That said, IMO unless the staff physically feeds you wipes your mouth for you or provides what I mentioned in an earlier post, then $100+ for a plate of anything is a ripoff. Even if Emeril himself stood at my table and cooked it for me. Well maybe then.

Well you have to remember you are not just paying for hte food. You are also paying for the ambiance and atmosphere, etc. Some times it is worth it and sometimes it is not. I have to say though that the meal I had at Whistler, and also one or two of the ones I had in Mexico recently were so amazing. I would pay $100 for them. Just wouldn't do it every night

My most expensive meal was a business dinner in Dubai. It came to about $250 per person. But that included a $150 bottle of wine, and Cocktails. It was at the JW Steakhouse at the JW Marriott. Best fillet I ever had, 20 ounces.

While the most expensive it was not the best. The best was during my honeymoon. It was at a small Italian restaurant on the island of Kauai called the Kauai Pasta Company.

I have eaten at some of the best Italian restaurants in the world, Dubai, NYC, DC, Rome, Florance. This one beat them all.

quote:

Originally posted by stonelance:
Well you have to remember you are not just paying for hte food. You are also paying for the ambiance and atmosphere, etc.

Quite right. I remember this resturant in Spain I ate in. It was a villa style place overlooking the seaside at Barcelona. I would have paid to be there just for the view and the atmosphere. The seafood was exceptionally delicious!

quote:

My most expensive meal was a business dinner in Dubai. It came to about $250 per person. But that included a $150 bottle of wine, and Cocktails. It was at the JW Steakhouse at the JW Marriott. Best fillet I ever had, 20 ounces.

Haha! Nothing is cheap in Dubai Their standard of living and COLA is really really high. Still I hope you enjoyed the experience

Dubai is very expensive. I spent a lot of money when I was there, mainly because I had no choice.

There were a couple of restaurants in Barcelona Spain that where relatively inexpensive but the food and the view was phenomenal.

The best pizza I ever had to this day was made at this little hole in the wall that could seat like 30 people. The ambiance in the place was was early 20th century tool shed. But the food even beyond the pizza was so good you would kill someone for it.

I like ambiance as much as the next person. but lets get some perspective here.

When you go out to eat, the things that are important are as follows.

1.Good Food.
2.Reasonable pricing
3.Being there to enjoy it with the person you want to enjoy it with.
4.Good Service

Beyond that, at the end of the day nothing else matters.

for the prices we are discussing, basically anything $25 and up. I would rather go to a Japanese Steakhouse like OTANI or SHOGUN (two local places)
You get a lot of food.
You get entertained, Your food is prepared right in front of you.

But when it comes down to it, $100 is to much to pay for anything that is on a plate.

The resturants that dont have prices on the menu always scare me. I find it hard to relax and enjoy myself.

quote:

Originally posted by loversheart:

Haha! Nothing is cheap in Dubai Their standard of living and COLA is really really high. Still I hope you enjoyed the experience

I was an ex-pat living in the Persian Gulf for 2 years. While my flat was in Bahrain I did not spend much time there. I spent most of my time if UAE and Kuwait.

Certain parts of UAE were very nice. Dubai being among them. I found little about Kuwait to enjoy. The locals were not always friendly to Americans and I hate the way they treat the work force.

Bahrain was largely a nice place to live... A bit hot and dusty but mostly a nice place to live.

I do find it sad that I did not get a chance to visit Israel while I lived there. However it is difficult in the extreme to fly to Israel and then go back to a Muslim country.

Any place that sells something marks up the price over what it costs to make it. 400% mark up for a bottle of wine is typical of all restaurants no matter how chic or homey it is. When you take your car to the mechanic, he marks the price of the parts up at least 50% if not more. Do you think that washer and drier really cost $500 (an example) for the pair to build?

If there was no mark up on anything, businesses would go out of business for the fact that they could not pay their employees or their bills.

For my brother's wedding, we all went to dinner at the Williamsburg Lodge where he works (he is like the 3rd from the top as far as chefs go) and if it weren't for his employee's discount, the bill would have been more than $800 or so and that was a party of at least 8 of us. This was also at Christmas where they had a show called An Evening With Thomas Jefferson (dinner theater type deal). When one is spending that kind of money, it isn't just about the food as noted, it's the atmosphere.

@whiteKnight; I don't think anyone has an issue with markup.
Most things you spend money on are marked up at minimum 50% anyway.
That is just business.

But when you take for example, a T-Bone a Baked potato , Salad and some veggies. At one place it costs $25-$35 and the same plate at a resturant like what is being discussed it costs $100+ for the exact same plate of food.
Well that is rediculous.

Now a dinner theater is a good example of getting your moneys worth.

The two most expensive restaurants I've been to with my own money are Food Studio in Atlanta and Cosmos here in Minneapolis. Both were exceptional, and I would pay that much for a meal again. It was pricey, for my budget, but well worth it for a nice date.

I learned something important from a chef recently, though, regarding wine. There is such a minimal difference in a $30 bottle of wine vs a $300 bottle of wine most people, even those who are wine gurus can't tell the difference. There are differences, and some people truly can tell a difference, but most can't at all. This guy told me that when I go to a nice restaurant or make a nice meal for someone at home, aim for a mid-ranged bottle because the quality will be like that of a really expensive wine but won't break your wallet.

Dubai is on the top of my destination list...

quote:

Originally posted by theexpozay:

quote:

Originally posted by loversheart:

Haha! Nothing is cheap in Dubai Their standard of living and COLA is really really high. Still I hope you enjoyed the experience

I was an ex-pat living in the Persian Gulf for 2 years. While my flat was in Bahrain I did not spend much time there. I spent most of my time if UAE and Kuwait.

Certain parts of UAE were very nice. Dubai being among them. I found little about Kuwait to enjoy. The locals were not always friendly to Americans and I hate the way they treat the work force.

Bahrain was largely a nice place to live... A bit hot and dusty but mostly a nice place to live.

I do find it sad that I did not get a chance to visit Israel while I lived there. However it is difficult in the extreme to fly to Israel and then go back to a Muslim country.

I once ate at a McDonalds in Japan.

quote:

Originally posted by Brimtown:
I once ate at a McDonalds in Japan.

.

I have eaten at the one in the Narita airport on several occasions. I think I ate in one in Sasebo too.

quote:

Originally posted by Brimtown:
I once ate at a McDonalds in Japan.

I once ate at a McDonalds in China.

quote:

Originally posted by Brimtown:
I once ate at a McDonalds in Japan.

I once ate at one in France.
Big Mac and a Beer.
I think I have a picture around here somewhere.