The most you've paid for a meal

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:57 pm

I would say that the most expensive meal I've ever eaten would have been at Millenium in San Francisco. We like to go there for our birthdays (Tony and I have birthdays a week a part, so usually celebrate jointly). Typically, that will include a couple of shared appetizers ($5-$7 each), entrees for three of us (usually $20 -$25 each), desserts for three of us (I'm not ordinarily a dessert eater, but the desserts at Millenium are so wonderful, I can't resist. $4 - $10 each), wine for me ($7-$10), soft drinks for Tony and Anna (about $7 each) and after-dinner coffee for me and Tony (I can't remember how much they charge for coffee, but let's say $5 each). Total, before tip, usually between $120 and $150. Not something we can afford to do more than once or twice a year, but not bad at all for one of San Francisco's better restaurants (and it is astoundingly good...I have yet to have a less than perfect meal or less than perfect service there).

http://www.millenniumrestaurant.com/res ... index.html

Redwolf

Boody · Post by **Boody** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:33 pm

Wow, I don't think I have ever spend over $20 for a meal, and hop to never do so!

I would rather be hungry and buy a nice new whistle than a $100 meal!

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:47 pm

I've eaten at Bistro Laurent Tourondel, where a 12 oz Wagyu steak (American version of Kobe beef) is $92.00, and that doesn't include side dishes (close to $10 each), drinks, or dessert.

You can easily spend $150-$200 a person there if you drink wine.

That said, it's a freaking great Bistro.

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 6:48 pm

Boody wrote:Wow, I don't think I have ever spend over $20 for a meal, and hop to never do so!

I would rather be hungry and buy a nice new whistle than a $100 meal!

It's like any other form of entertainment. I don't see paying for a fine dinner out once in a while as being any different from paying for a concert, a play, or a gallery exhibition. Art is art, after all, and that includes the culinary arts.

Redwolf

CHasR · Post by **CHasR** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:04 pm

Would this include meals I've sponged off of others?

or only one's Ive shelled out for myself?

Congratulations · Post by **Congratulations** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:08 pm

double post.

Congratulations · Post by **Congratulations** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 7:19 pm

FJohnSharp wrote:Please describe to me what you would be getting for $500 a plate, with approximate prices. Thank you.

Well again, I haven't been to any of these places, but from what others have said (I work in the "restaurant district"), a $200 steak isn't unhead-of, and when you add similarly-priced appetizers and other courses and wines and desserts, you'll get up in the $1000 range fairly quickly. The valet parking is free, though.

Aanvil · Post by **Aanvil** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:33 pm

French Laundry

Last year

5 people

240 pris fixe

Its a nine course menu (we did add a few things though so add another 30 bucks per)

4 bottles of wine. We brought at 50 bucks corkage.

Do the math.

I didn't pay for all of it but I would have. (I'm glad I didn't though

)

It was worth every penny.

Cork · Post by **Cork** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:05 pm

At Mega Burger one day, instead of one, I got two of the "specials."

Thank goodness, I had a coupon for the second one!

;-)

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:36 pm

Last summer we ate a meal at Rioz Brazilian Steakhouse Churrascaria. The tab was a bit over $100 for the two of us and that included-
more meat than I've ever eaten at a meal in my life, those gauchos bringing in all these different cuts on big spears and they just cut a "hunk" off for you if you want it,plaintains and fried bananas as sides, sushi bar, salad, wine and dessert for me. The whole thing was entertaining and the only down side was my husband didn't like the meat "so bloody" . I made up for it by eating enough for us both and was thoroughly miserable afterward. I'm not a pig normally but I figured for that price I was gonna try everything, and I did.

Charlene · Post by **Charlene** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 11:27 pm

We went out to dinner at CI Shenanigan's last month for my birthday, and it would have been over $80 for the 3 of us. We only had entrees, no appetizer, no dessert. Our daughter had a soft drink (she's 16) and I had wine and my husband had one glass of beer. We had a coupon for one "free" entree - "free" meaning up to $15.99 value. There wasn't anything on the menu for $15.99, so they took that much off. It came to right around $65.

That's about what I earn in a day.

I really cringe at spending more than one hour's pay for a meal.

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 11:43 pm

Charlene wrote:We went out to dinner at CI Shenanigan's last month for my birthday, and it would have been over $80 for the 3 of us. We only had entrees, no appetizer, no dessert. Our daughter had a soft drink (she's 16) and I had wine and my husband had one glass of beer. We had a coupon for one "free" entree - "free" meaning up to $15.99 value. There wasn't anything on the menu for $15.99, so they took that much off. It came to right around $65.

That's about what I earn in a day.

I really cringe at spending more than one hour's pay for a meal.

Ah well...birthdays are special. Think if you'd be uncomfortable paying that much for the three of you to go to a concert or a play. A fine dinner out is in the same class of entertainment. You're not just paying to eat...you're paying for a certain presentation and ambiance. If you look at it that way, it doesn't seem outrageous.

I've never been to Shenanigans...can you believe it? It's been there forever. My favorite "fancy" place in Spokane is The Steam Plant, but that's only for a major splurge. Where we usually end up going (another favorite) is The Spaghetti Factory. Now that's truly reasonable, and their broccoli with mizithra is one of the most heavenly dishes on the planet!

Redwolf

missy · Post by **missy** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:32 am

cowtime wrote:Last summer we ate a meal at Rioz Brazilian Steakhouse Churrascaria. .

we have one of those here, but the one time I've eaten there - I didn't pay for it, it was a company function (it's right across the street from our office).

I only had a "taste" of most of the meats - I, personally could have stayed at the salad bar the whole night and been perfectly happy.

All of us were miserable the next day!

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:46 am

Charlene wrote:I really cringe at spending more than one hour's pay for a meal.

Me too...

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:38 am

missy wrote:
cowtime wrote:Last summer we ate a meal at Rioz Brazilian Steakhouse Churrascaria. .
we have one of those here, but the one time I've eaten there - I didn't pay for it, it was a company function (it's right across the street from our office).

I only had a "taste" of most of the meats - I, personally could have stayed at the salad bar the whole night and been perfectly happy.

All of us were miserable the next day!

There are a number of Churrascarias around here..Fogo de Chao, Master Grill, Rio. They're all similar, all good, and all expensive. I definitely wouldn't take a woman to one if she's the kind of girl that is afraid to eat on a date.