Hello everyone, how come there are no new posts in Rest. Rave. This is my favorite topic and I have been disappointed lately that there is no new scoop.
A coworker of mine went to TRU in Chicago last night. She was giving me the rundown in great detail. She started her evening out with a $16 Kir Royale. About 9 courses and 4.5 hours later ended up with a $500 bill (for 2 people)!! I couldnt believe it. She said it was great, but I was wondering if it is worth it. Of course I would go if someone else was paying. I cant see spending on one dinner what some people pay on a months rent.
Does anyone else have any 'over the top' dining stories? I would love to hear them.

[David Jones]

The same thing happened to three friends and I at Everest a few years ago. We wanted to see as much food as possible, so we ordered al a carte. When I started choosing the wines I chuckled out loud, and told my friends "we're in way over our heads." We had an AMAZING meal with flawless service and some of the most beautiful tabletop pieces I've ever seen. $1300 with tip. It was worth it once.

[Jim]

Cafe Escalera... Santa Fe, New Mexico. My wife and I had dirnks (1 each) and light appetizers before heading to a moive. $280. We had a cheese course with (no joke) 5oz of cheese...$50.

I have a similar story, kind of. Phillipes on Locust, in Philadelphia offers a seven course tasting menu with wines paired to each course for only a $100 a person. It is a great mix of an often over done teaming of French and Asian. But this place pulls it off well and reasonable. Worth checking out if you are in the area.

[youla]

for my husbands 40th birthday i gave him and a few of friends a degustation menu at one of the top hotels in Melbourne...his friends were quite funny..when we were given an appetizer of a teaspoon quenelle of creme fraich with a thin slice of gravalox and a croute of rye..this was complimentary...and his friends thought it was hysterical the serving size, etc..this went on through the meal[we had 15 courses] all of small sizes but beautifully presented. and I realized they really didnt know how much work had gone into each course...I found myself explaining the time it would have taken each one to prepare...they all thought the food was fantastic but thought I had been ripped off and I said its something you do every now and then...service was wonderful....view of Melbourne was wonderful and I couldnt fault any of it...the hotel was SOFITEL MELBOURNE...and I think they really looked after us especially as they had a couple of non.foodies on our table[ it has been 18 months since that dinner some of us want to do it again and the others I am still trying to explain the value of it..by the way I paid!

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I did post a new topic of a new restaurant...but nobody replied....maybe nobody knows who Alain Ducasse is.
Alain Ducasse is probably the best chef in the world. The first one to have two 3 michelin starred restaurants running at the same time. He has 11 restaurants now, spanning from New York to Tokyo. He opened in New York last month under much scrutiny. He would offer a $160.00 tasting menu with 5 courses. His ala carte prices from $22 to $50 for an app. and up to $80.00 for his steak entree. All deserts are $22.00. I had the pleasure of going 2 weeks ago with another chef and our wives. The finest china, stemware and crystal the world has to offer are his staples. He has 65 seats with only one seating per night. Closed on weekends, yes closed on weekends. Two luches per week with the same prices as dinner. The New York press has had a field day with him, and his crazy non-American antics. How could he? He wasn't even at the restaurant the second and third week after the opening. Because he was opening up in Lonodon and Tokyo in the same week. We managed to pull strings, get reservations and had the best meal of our lives. Truly memorable. Never had any of us (with three of four of us chefs who have eaten many many meals, me living and eating in France) I do not know of anyone in America cooking the way Alain Ducasse does. He is in a class by himself. There were a few things that were just good or very good. But, there was about 7 dishes that were the best all of us had ever tasted, and three of the 6 deserts were the best we had ever eaten. And by the way, the steak was worth the pricetag. The only thing lagging was the service. Timing was off and alittle slow. People have asked me many times since if it was worth it. Ands my response is that some people eat to fill their stomach, and that is fine. Others like us love the whole experience. Eating like this is like going to the theatre, or a ballet. These dinners are not for anyone. And 15 years ago I would not have appreciated it like now. We are not rich. But we believed it was well worth it. And being that I am getting married in Sept. Our honeymoon will be spent in Paris for one week and then in Monte Carlo where we am staying in Hotel de Paris, where Alain Ducasse has his baby, Louis XV (his first michelin 3 star restaurant) We have reservations there as well, We are very excited. P.s. Alain took over the restaurant there when he was 30 years old and said that if he couldn't get 3 stars in three years he would quit. He did get three stars, and he obviously did not quit. Check out his website www.alain-ducasse.com

[cape chef]

a couple of years ago my wife and sister inlaw went to le cirque 2000. someone I work with was nieghbers with marc pontvin-at that time chef de cuisine before going to open the le cirque in nevada. well my friend told marc that I was coming with my wife and sister in law. well we had the royal treatment. we ordered a total of two courses but were searved seven, foie gras with turned roast pears and port reduction- a simple rissoto adorned with the freshest white truffles I have ever eaten rare duck breast and confit of the leg with clemintine sauce and crispy lotus roots . meyer lemon sorbet with a fruit soup in a ertie glass and on and on and on awesome wines.impeccable service. oh and one of every dessert on the menu ( I think) with petit fours and mr torres blown sugar big apple , we had so much food, and we were treated like royalty. the bill came and we were charged for the two courses we ordered and our wine. we were comped 5 courses plus desserts. that was a great time. p.s seared diver scallops with osetra caviar and infused lemon drizzel at gotham bar and grill. awesome. p.p.s thanks for the info on ducasse, some day I hope to get a shot at a table

[shroomgirl]

The Crossing in St. Louis did a Farmer~Chef dinner in July.....
Corn soup in a demitasse (essence of corn)
A large peeled heirloom tomato with slivered fennel,red onion, basil oil
***A 3" ravioli with mascarpone, ricotta, parmesan,sauteed swiss chard piped into a nest with a farm egg yolk in the middle covered with the top sheet of pasta, poached covered in alfredo....when you cut into it the yolk drizzled out and melded into the alfredo.....OH MY!!!Talk about sensual. Absolutely the best dish I've eaten in a long time.


The chefs are from Daniels& Cirque 2000,
Cary McDowell and Jimmy Fiala. I've also had their foie Gras with pears and bitter greens
phenominal! and I didn't fly to NYC

Monday Annie Gunns is doing another in the series Mo Chapter Chefs Collaborative is doing 6 dinners with different farmers.

Hot trout on marinated veg
Smoked pork cheek with roasted onion risotto
and chanterelle chutney (I gave him my find)
Brisket with Marchand Vin, fingerlings, tomato
*****Lou Rook jr has a way with meats...this should be incredible.
The brisket was absolutely flavorful and tender....yummmmmmmm

[This message has been edited by shroomgirl (edited August 30, 2000).]