Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Does anyone else not "get" fancy restaurants
- Thread starter Davidoc
- Start date
Gary dines in the restaurant I work at, on occassion. And I haved dined there once. He was gracious enough to provide a free appetizer and dessert, and then made me a wonderful cheese platter.
Fabulous restaurant, even for a vegetarian.
Fabulous restaurant, even for a vegetarian.
That was a very moving speech *sniffle* Jazzbo, I couldn't agree with you more. *sob* Simply beautiful!
jazzbo, where do you wait? pm me if you don't want it out in the public.
you people frighten me. a good meal can be one of the greatest experiences you'll ever have.
you people frighten me. a good meal can be one of the greatest experiences you'll ever have.
jazzbo said:
That's what I was saying - so a huge part of visiting Greece, Spain, Italy or other Mediterranean cultures is taking part in the experience of eating - which is central to their way of life!
So - there's nothing like sitting outside, preferably on the coast, with wonderful views, eating and drinking the best of fresh local produce, cooked well, by those who are steeped in the tradition and served with a love for those traditions.
So - this is something that takes up a whole evening - well into the early morning and the enjoyment is in being unhurried and living in the moment!!
jazzbo said:
Where do you work? You can PM me if preferred.
I'm a vegetarian as well, and Gary made special entrees for me and my wife (two different ones, because the one he planned had sesame oil in it, which I'm allergic to but my wife likes). Also, we had salads, the cheese platter, and dessert (followed by a free pastry plate), and drank great wine through it all. Best meal of my life!
Marshall
Most of those expensive restaurants are ripoffs. However, $15 is pretty much your average cost for an entre. In New York City, that might even be considered low end; really fancy restaurants are going to be much more than that. The expensive restaurants are those which cost, say, $100 for an entre. Usually, you do get what you pay for... but I myself only care about the food, not the fancy atmosphere, the music, or how difficult it is to read the menu. I have some friends that are into that sort of thing and feel proud when they spend hundreds of dollars at a restaurant. It's a waste to me, but some people can't afford to pay for a nice new car, so they'll go out to a very expensive restaurant on occasion.
You also have to make a distinction between the types of food that they're making. Italian restaurants are almost always cheap, as they should be. Italian food is very cheap to prepare, which is why they tend to be very successful. Think about it... how many different types of sauces do they have? 9 times out of 10 it's tomatoe sauce from the same giant pot, occasionally with a little of this and that added. When you're looking at it from a culinary aspect, there's not that much of a difference in the composition of the sauces and pastas between, say, lasagne, spaghetti, tortellini, etc.
Now, on the other end of the spectrum, we have French restaurants. French restaurants tend to be VERY expensive, and rightly so. There are very few French restaurants in rural areas; you need to be in a very wealthy area or a city to find one. I've eaten French food in New York City, France, and Monaco, and it was always excellent. The problem is that unlike Italian restaurants, they NEED to have TONS of different sauces, spices, cheeses, etc. on hand to make the food. $50 for an entre doesn't seem that ridiculous when you take into account the very high costs of maintaining such an establishment; that's why French restaurants tend to do very well.
When I was in Nice there was a lunch counter type of hole in the wall place that sold ice cream and a couple of VERY simple sandwhich type foods. The cost was about 3 euros for either ice cream or sandwhiches, which is about $3.60. The sandwhiches were so good, I would've payed $20 for them; they were an excellent value. The ice cream was only a cone with 2 tiny scoops, BUT, it was the best ice cream I'd ever had in my life. French Stratiatella blew the Italian Stratiatella out of the water, and the Italian ice cream I had was in fact quite good... much better than the vast majority of American ice creams. Keep in mind that although those don't seem like ridiculous prices, this is more or less the equivolent of a French McDonald's... there were no waiters, and they only had a couple of different pre-prepared foods to choose from.
You also have to make a distinction between the types of food that they're making. Italian restaurants are almost always cheap, as they should be. Italian food is very cheap to prepare, which is why they tend to be very successful. Think about it... how many different types of sauces do they have? 9 times out of 10 it's tomatoe sauce from the same giant pot, occasionally with a little of this and that added. When you're looking at it from a culinary aspect, there's not that much of a difference in the composition of the sauces and pastas between, say, lasagne, spaghetti, tortellini, etc.
Now, on the other end of the spectrum, we have French restaurants. French restaurants tend to be VERY expensive, and rightly so. There are very few French restaurants in rural areas; you need to be in a very wealthy area or a city to find one. I've eaten French food in New York City, France, and Monaco, and it was always excellent. The problem is that unlike Italian restaurants, they NEED to have TONS of different sauces, spices, cheeses, etc. on hand to make the food. $50 for an entre doesn't seem that ridiculous when you take into account the very high costs of maintaining such an establishment; that's why French restaurants tend to do very well.
When I was in Nice there was a lunch counter type of hole in the wall place that sold ice cream and a couple of VERY simple sandwhich type foods. The cost was about 3 euros for either ice cream or sandwhiches, which is about $3.60. The sandwhiches were so good, I would've payed $20 for them; they were an excellent value. The ice cream was only a cone with 2 tiny scoops, BUT, it was the best ice cream I'd ever had in my life. French Stratiatella blew the Italian Stratiatella out of the water, and the Italian ice cream I had was in fact quite good... much better than the vast majority of American ice creams. Keep in mind that although those don't seem like ridiculous prices, this is more or less the equivolent of a French McDonald's... there were no waiters, and they only had a couple of different pre-prepared foods to choose from.
ehhh, i can swing both ways...i remember walking 7 miles after just pulling in for a port call at HMNB Clyde in scotland to hit a mcdonald's for a quarter pounder (royale w/ cheese) and i've paid close to a grand at a 5 diamond restaurant in the french quarter in n'awlins...god, i can only afford to get married once, right? but then again, they don't skimp on the food in louisiana 
I don't mind paying a little more, to have nicer food & drink, & being able to avoid the Glen Danzig types of the world.
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
- 23,054
- 45,945
- Disclosures
- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
jazzbo said:
All I can add is that anyone eating only a pasta course at an Italian restaurant is 3-6 courses shy of the intended experience. That dish was small, so you'd have room for all the other stuff, dig?
My favorite Italian joint in the City was some basement place in the Village, with "family" seating (basically, you sit with whoever happens along), and about a 40 page menu.
- Apr 21, 2000
- 10,465
- 866
- 60
- Disclosures
- Gallien Krueger for the last 12 years!
If I'm paying, I don't get them. On a serious note, the owners of Paramount Studios took the band to a steakhouse on Sunset Blvd. and we ran up a $900+ tab! 
The bottled water was $20 a pop, and we ordered like 7 of them. As for the food, it was very good (aged steaks!) and the portions were great, but the prices! The producer, Darryl Swann, ordered some huge steak that was $67! When the bill came, the owners looked at it like is was "normal". Ahh, high society! As for NYC joints, I like Cafe Espaniol (sp?). EXCELLENT food. It's near Washington Square Park, and Apache West Indian Cafe in Bed Sty in Brooklyn. Ooh, I forgot about Wo Hop in Chinatown!
The bottled water was $20 a pop, and we ordered like 7 of them. As for the food, it was very good (aged steaks!) and the portions were great, but the prices! The producer, Darryl Swann, ordered some huge steak that was $67! When the bill came, the owners looked at it like is was "normal". Ahh, high society! As for NYC joints, I like Cafe Espaniol (sp?). EXCELLENT food. It's near Washington Square Park, and Apache West Indian Cafe in Bed Sty in Brooklyn. Ooh, I forgot about Wo Hop in Chinatown!
Agreed with you about the scotch, but not the swordfish.SMASH said:
Jazzbo, eloquent, as always.
Bruce, you've got it nailed.
I've had truly sublime food at upscale restaurants and at dirty holes-in-the-wall alike. All in all, I'll take the surprising discovery of great food in proletarian guise over the pomp and pretense of an upscale restaurant. Don't get me wrong, reading Jazzbo's post practically made my mouth water... but I've eaten at too many places where nicely dressed professionals pay dearly for atmosphere and ceremony and food that looks pretty but which is far from equal to all of the fuss. Even the great "food towns" are full of touristy crap traps. It may be the Texas rube in me showing here, but my take is that I'm willing to pay good money for good food, but paying for a pretentious "dining experience" is money foolishly wasted unless the food really knocks my socks off. Bonus points to any restaurant that offers casual but attentive and expert service. Big points off for stiff, snotty and aloof staff. Just my personal preference and opinion, of course...
And I'm with Smash - often is the time I've thought to myself... no... known with certainty that I could have done better at home. Just last week I sat and contentedly ate a $23 piece of fish (not upscale but pricey enough to expect a modicum of decency) that was quite overcooked. I smiled and told the waiter it was great when he asked, because it just wasn't worth the hassle of sending it back. I've certainly accidentally overcooked fish before, but I darn well realized it and apologized to my guests for it.
And I'm with Smash - often is the time I've thought to myself... no... known with certainty that I could have done better at home. Just last week I sat and contentedly ate a $23 piece of fish (not upscale but pricey enough to expect a modicum of decency) that was quite overcooked. I smiled and told the waiter it was great when he asked, because it just wasn't worth the hassle of sending it back. I've certainly accidentally overcooked fish before, but I darn well realized it and apologized to my guests for it.
I would rather grill my own steak.
I tried lobster once....man, that was a mystake. Like trying to eat rubber.
I guess for some people getting to be surrounded by fancy stuff is worth all that money, but personally I love to hang out at home.
I tried lobster once....man, that was a mystake. Like trying to eat rubber.
I guess for some people getting to be surrounded by fancy stuff is worth all that money, but personally I love to hang out at home.
3 crotch grabs said:
Seriously, and, as jazzbo mentioned, there is more to a good meal than just good flavor in your mouth or filling portions of food.
Food is great! let's eat it!*
*ridiculous Ramones reference
Heh, well it wasn't just pasta. There was also mandatory appetizers and encouraged deserts. I'm not gonna bitch about the appetizers (antipasto etc) because I don't like any of the stuff they had, as far as I know. I'm pretty sure I tried what i got and gave it to my mom. The $15 was just for the main course.
Nick Gann said:That was beautiful, Jazzbo.
It made me want a cheeseburger.
I'm terrible at culture.
$15 is an expensive restaurant?
A good steak at Chilli's will cost you $13 bucks.
I apreciate good food but Id rather learn to cook it on my own.
Peace
Nick
A good steak at Chilli's will cost you $13 bucks.
I apreciate good food but Id rather learn to cook it on my own.
Peace
Nick
