I did eat at the French Laundry a few years ago. (My client paid) it was over a grand for 4 of us, but I must say it was the best meal I have had in my entire life!

 

Raj, i agree that pretty food is cool, but it's annoying that it is usually small in portion and doesn't taste good. if it was pretty and good, well then smack my sideways.

i hate the attitude that you have to learn to enjoy something, esp something as simple as food or entertainment. actually, with movies or books, there is a bit of appreciation to be learned, but honestly c'mon. john stossel did a bunch of tests where he had a rookie cook up some crap, served it with $5 wine in an expensive restaurant and everyone LOVED it. hype goes a long way.

thanks for the person who reiterated for me, not all expensive food sucks, but the price does cloud the issue.

 

I think you might be going to the wrong expensive restaurants if that's been your experience... Or maybe *I* have been going to the wrong expensive restaurants? Let's see, most expensive dinner I've had was a bit over $200 for two people (including drinks.) Nothing like these $245 per plate ones, but still more than Hooters! http://www.pappasbros.com There was more than enough food for us to take some of the steak and lobster home for leftovers. And it tasted excellent.

Speaking of the $245/plate place, the French Laundry, looking at the sample menu suggests there's actually quite a bit of food included.

 

Another "down with the rich" dyhppy thread!

Dude, you really, really need to move out of California. You're going to get an ulcer hating on the wealthy.

Good food is more than good taste. It involves all the senses, not just the tastebuds. Subtle influences and textures may be lost on you if you're not receptive to them.

Saying that the greasy, sloppy stuff is "better" than the "refined" stuff is like arguing that a big block Camaro is better than a Cayman S. You're only considering the eating / driving experience on a single level.

"You can't even get a good buzz" off a glass of Chateau Lafite when compared to Coors Lite. I'm sure many people in trailers would think spending more than $2 on a drink is crazy.

When I'm hungry, I choose someplace to EAT. Heck, if I'm working I'd rather have a Jimmy John's sub than a gourmet meal. But you're talking about DINING, not just eating.

 

hehe, dont feel stupid for overpaying for bad food. we all have fallen for it at least once. the trick is to learn from our mistakes.

how bout we discuss what was the best dining experience you have ever had and why

 

taco truck/roach coach F.T.W

 

Chicago:

Les Nomades: Was an early date with my wife. She's a "looker" and never had to plan a date before this one. She fumbled like a 16yo boy at prom. It was fun to watch her sweat a little in a cool, refined atmosphere where literally someone would sweep up a breadcrumb within 3 seconds of dropping it. It established that she was going to have to pull her weight as a partner from the beginning. I enjoyed it immensely. Her quote, "I never realized how much planning it takes to have a 'spontaneous' night out go smoothly!" Yah, babes. Welcome to our world!

Spiaggia: Was a nice "I quit" celebration from a crappy job. Was very romantic and the dinner was great. Wife and I wrote poems for anniversary.

Tru: Before going to the opera, also with the wife. Was a ballet of serving with orchestrated place settings....

You know, now that I think about it: the things that I remember most about our "best" meals are the dining experience and sharing it with my wife.

I guess like cars, sometimes we're in the mood for different things. I can only deal with the ultra-upscale dinners every once in a while. But there usually is a big difference in the quality of the food.

The clearest example is sushi. After a few rounds with good vs bad sushi, there is a striking difference.

Here are my dinner / car comparisons. They're just my opinions.

$250+ per person, nice but like opera... I don't want to do it every day. (Bentley Conti GT)

$50-75 per person, our usual dinners "out." A nice blend of fun, tasty food, nourishment, and good service. Not too stuffy, but less obnoxious than a TGIF's or Outback steakhouse. People would rather have a dessert with a candle rather than people in striped vests chanting and clapping. (RS4)

$20-40 per person, when we want to be loud and obnoxious. Usually with friends. Macaroni Grill or some such fare. (Subaru / Mitsu StEvo twins)

$10 per person, usually picking up dinner. Don't care about ambience. Pure nourishment and basic greasy spoon. Chipotle, Gyros, Jimmy Johns, etc. (Honda Civic).

 

what makes the food great is the service

 

Ahem

Where was the S2000 in that listing

 

What makes food great is the taste! Crappy food will still be crappy food even if you have great service.

Service does nothing to or for the food. It is like the plating, it is ancillary.

There is a thread on the North Texas forum about looking for a romantic dining place. In that instance I would presume that food would be secondary to atmosphere.

This is not to say that atmosphere or presentation is completely useless. Would you rather eat off a hand pushed taco cart or in a restaurant? But atmosphere can only add just so much to the meal. The food is still #1 in my book.

Unfortunately many, many restaurants think that atmosphere is the most important. I think that is what the original poster was trying to say.