Quote:
Originally Posted by NemesisX
Nah, you're technically correct. I waste more money every year on fine dining than anyone I know but I'll be the first to admit that none of this food is worth as much as restaurants charge for it.
You have to view it as an expensive hobby.
Some people spend thousands of dollars on watches or designer bags or designer clothes or jewelry (which to some extent one might even view as "investments" albeit poor ones, because you can always sell them). I spend thousands of dollars on filets and red wine reductions and potato purees and jus which disappear the moment I consume them  It's just what I like.
But honestly if you're going to waste thousands of dollars on fine dining you better have deep, deep pockets, because as you implied the product doesn't really justify the cost. You're just hemorrhaging money that goes towards paying for the preparation (and sometimes the ambience), because food at its core is really quite inexpensive.
I will say though I think it's worth going to a Michelin star caliber restaurant at least once in your life.
The thing about fine dining is an expertly cooked piece of meat isn't really worth $50 or $100 or $200 or whatever restaurants charge for it, but at the same time it's highly unlikely that you'd be able to replicate that kind of preparation at home. You might be able to replicate 50% of it for 1/10 of the cost (i.e. you'll always get much better value cooking at home), but it'll never be quite the same unless you're a classically trained chef.
If I ever get the chance to marry a chef I'm totally going for it  |
For me its not even really that it's not worth it in the sense that the food doesn't really cost that much. I simply do not enjoy the experience X times more than I would eating at a cheaper place. All of the "expensive" restaurants we have tried also happen to be fancy. I don't do well with fancy. I find the whole thing rather uncomfortable which is completely the opposite of what I want when I'm eating.
If given the choice of having to pay $200 regardless of if I choose a fancy steak house or a hole in the wall Mexican joint, I would still go for the Mexican place.
Also is it just me, but I find the filet to be one of my least favorite cuts of meat. I would much rather have a cheap skirt steak any day.