Most Expensive Meal

[deltadoc]

Most expensive meal (several times actually cause we liked the place so much) was Chouette in Wayzata, MN in 1976-1979 time frame.

Dinner for two with wine came to $375-425. Only one time was the server "snooty". All the rest of the times everything was perfect. The wine steward even recommended a house wine which was the equivalent of the best Poully Fuisse I ever had! He had a little taster's cup on a necklace around his neck and we invited him to share a snort with us!

Pepper crusted filet mignon ala bearnaise. Artichoke bottom medallions with crabmeat sauce. Appetizer plate which was a lazy susan affair half as big as the table!

Chateau Margot at $175 a bottle. Remember this was the 1970's!

Jean Claude Tindillier, one of the best chefs I ever encountered.

doc

[Stewey]

We are not rich, but D@mn will we spend money on dinners...and living in Vegas is dangerous for this attitude

Three most expensive meals for us:

1) Craftsteak at the MGM...my first Kobe beef experience. WONDERFUL! Two people $350...no alcohol.

2) SW steakhouse at the Wynn. Nice to find a place that serves classical sauces for your steaks. Three people, $400.

3) Shintaro at the Bellagio. Three people $500. I think I am still paying this one off

All of these experiences were worth every dollar!

And a honorable mention...er, I mean "horrible mention" :

Capital Grille at Fashion show mall. $250 for two people and the service was lacking and the food was served lukewarm and was brought to the table while my date for the evening was in the restroom. They would not keep it in the kitchen for me while she was away. Never, ever again!

[Waltwill6]

Once was picked up and flown to Ft. Wayne from Minneapolis and back, for a tour and lunch.
Fantastic ribs, probably pretty cheap, but I know the pilot bought 700 gal. of jet fuel, one way! Twice!

[pupon]

I once ate $100 worth of Toro at the Narita Airport in Tokyo which made me sick and caused me to miss a flight and trip which cost around $1K.

[KYHeirloomer]

Most expensive to me is a variable term, depending on what you're spending the money on.

When we were in Sweden, before they were accepted into the EC, Stolkholm was the most expensive city in the world. At a squat & gobble hamburger place, little better than a McDonalds, we paid 16 bucks for a cheeseburger & fries.

At a neighborhood Chinese restaurant I dropped a C note for the two of us.

At a fine dining establishment in New York, 50 bucks a plate is nothing. But in a neighborhood Chinese place? I'd call that expensive.

[mochefs]

Probably Aqua in San Francisco. $2400 for 6 people. Chef's tasting menu. I have to admit it was a pretty incredible meal, and the tuna tartare was the best I've ever had (this was Michael Mina's version, it's changed a bit at Aqua now but I hear it can sometimes still be had at his own restaraunts now). Quite a bit of that $2400 was in alcohol though. The table had essentially 2 bottles per course @ 5 courses so it adds up fast.

This was back in my internet venture capital days (i.e. money flowed like water) and was charged to the business, I certainly didn't pick up the bill myself.

[gonefishin]

Most expensive for the wife and I is at Le Francais restaurant in Wheeling. We've been there a couple of times under different Chef's and we have always gotten a superb dinning experience. The price has range from $225-275 with no alcoholic beverages.

This has been our benchmark for food and we've yet to find equal or better. The atmosphere leaves a little to be desired (they're still stuck in the 70's look) but the food is good and well prepared. I'm slowly trying different places with well regarded Chef's in Chicago and have so far been underwhelmed. We always get a good meal...it's just fallen a bit short of my expectations.

I'm certainly not rich or well off. But my wife and I do love food. We've got three lovely kids under four and usually eat at home (where we have some pretty decent meals ). Bottom line...we rarely eat out like we have when we were younger. Eating out once or twice a year at a nice restaurant is still MUCH cheaper than when we used to eat out a couple of times a week at lower priced places.

happy eating all!
dan

[nofifi]

My teenage son and his girlfriend back in the 1980's had the most expensive meal on Mom once. He took his little girlfriend to a restaurant in St. Louis with $50 in his pocket. The restaurant did not post prices on the menu (should have been his first clue). Of course, they both loved steak and lobster. I got a call around 10 p.m. from him to bring MONEY, lol. I told him that they could offer to wash dishes which he didn't find amusing. I took my time getting there (letting them sweat alittle was kind of funny). I do believe the bill was over $200 if I remember right. Thank goodness they weren't old enough to drink otherwise I think I would have let him wash dishes. Ahh...another lesson of life learned at the tender age of 16, always find out the price before you order. lol.

[kuan]

Don't you wish as a chef that you could get that kind of money for your food?

[nofifi]

After reading all your posts here, along with the other professionals, I would venture to say most of you could not post prices on your menu's and still have a good following. I am constantly blown away by you professionals on this forum...i.e. what you do...what you know, etc. I remain your humble grasshopper. I just wish I had the money not to care about prices.

[Ninja_59]

Hi

I was invited last year at the Montréal Delta, the restaurant turns 360 degres, wonderfull view of the city, gosh just two people & 2 btles of wine, the bill was over 350 Can funds.

What a meal and ambiance, I would go back anytime


[code]http://www.deltahotels.com/hotels/hotelinfo.html?categoryId=2&hotelId=35[/code]

[kuan]

I'm flattered Nofifi. Cheftalk is indeed a fantastic board, and I've tried many others.

[nofifi]

Ok, Kuan, you can pay me that 5 bucks now for all those nice things I said about you, lol.

[shroomgirl]

If you include wine......I remember one mushroom tasting meal where 6 of us had Grange Grunge from 1976, White Bourdeaux, something else and a btl of vintage Yequim......
The food was $100pp the wine I did not pay for nor know what they paid but it had to have been a whole bunch.

Bagwell 2424 (HI) in 1978, $300 for 2. Several meals at Nicolias Roof in Atlanta during the late 1970's-80s.....first you start with the many flavored in house vodkas....
Splurging in New Orleans can take on a whole new meaning.......

My lately departed guy introduced me to fine wines....that's where your ticket can expenitially multiply.....$800+ btl of Margaux 1983 or 4.....
ummmmm old Argmanac.....thank goodness his cellar was deep and wide, guess it helped that his father was an importer.

Dining at An American Place can easily set me back $100 pp.....I actually plan to drop that.

When I dined around Chapel Hill hitting a multitude of restaurants for a mydrid of tastes it was not crazy to drop $50+ per place with 3-4 on that evening's list.

[phatch]

Most expensive for me is about $175 for two people. No alcohol as we don't drink. Once at Christophers with some truly prime beef. The other at Bambara, I had locally grown lamb (Utah raised lamb can be some of the finest), wife had the Muscovy duck. Was very good.

It's hard to hit the kind of numbers you guys are throwing around in this part of the country.

Phil