9 Crazy-Expensive Tasting Menus: Are They Worth It?

Imagine for a moment you've got $450 to spend on dinner (or if you don't have to imagine that hard and are looking for a dinner date, drop us a line ASAP). Would you rather blow it all on one tasting menu or spread it out to try a variety of different restaurants? Despite the bumpy economy, the trend of ultra-expensive tasting menus shows no sign of slowing down. Read on for a breakdown of some of the priciest options in the country. Do you think these sound over-the-moon or simply overkill? Let us know in the comments.

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Comments

[CarlyHope]

07:11 PM on 11/09/2011

I was lucky enough to have the tasting menu at Charlie Trotters as a gift. It was incredible. We ate there ten years ago and my whole family still talks about it

[Al Schrader]

03:00 PM on 11/08/2011

I routinely make meals for people like Rudy Guiliani, Hillary Clinton, Faith Hill, etc. Sure, I make the Petit Four trays and Smoked Salmon with Caviar, etc. But, that's not what I eat. I eat the good stuff, and the good stuff is not on the menu. Looking at the slides I wouldn't order any of that, though I'm sure it's fine. For example, a handfull of radish slices just isn't for me....Al-

[AngusC]

07:47 AM on 11/08/2011

This is one of those subjective questions.
To the average person of course it is not worth it, you could eat for a month on those prices. If your net worth is in the millions then it does not matter, it will barely make a dent in your pocket and if it brings you some joy for a little bit then so be it.

[hotsparks]

09:04 PM on 11/07/2011

A fool and his money is soon parted.

It looks like I could spend $1000 and still be hungry when I left. No thank you.

I wonder how much they would charge for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? And by the looks of some of that I think I would rather have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

And remember, it all comes out the same in the end.

[Mochilero]

08:32 PM on 11/07/2011

(Sensual) desire is the primary cause of human suffering, according to the Buddha. When people spend a lot of money on food they are just paying for imaginary dreams. I always wondered what Eliott Spitzer's two thousand dollar hooker could possibly do that would be better than the loving and tender ministrations of my very ordinary looking honey. The first mouthful might taste exquisite, but the rest soon becomes ashes in your mouth. Home-cooked vegetable soup is better and much healthier. In many ways, I feel sorry for the 1% who suffer from the delusion that great wealth can buy happiness.

[MaryinNM]

11:11 PM on 11/07/2011

I would disagree with your statement, "When people spend a lot of money on food, they are just paying for imaginary dreams." For many of us, eating is an aesthetic experience, one that encompasses all the senses. It makes no difference to me whether I spend a lot of or a little money on a meal that ignites my senses and palate and provides me with an experience I won't soon forget. For foodies like myself, it's the epicurean experience. While I can appreciate the magnificent simplicity of a really well made vegetable soup, I can also appreciate the magnificence of someone who sees food as more than just sustenance. For some, food is fuel. For others, food is a celebration of life and the bounty that the earth provides. It is the difference between the house painter and the artist. Both serve a purpose, one practical, one artistic. There is room for both.

[Freedom Rush]

11:12 PM on 11/07/2011

that was deep

[journ student]

08:05 PM on 11/07/2011

I'm planning to have dinner at Alinea, Charlie Trotter's or Moto in Chicago in the spring on a holiday with my boyfriend. I don't mind paying a lot for a good meal, especially if it's unique, theatrical and memorable. If you have the money and that's how you choose to spend it, I say go for it. It's a treat and for many people may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. So do it if you want, without guilt.

[BluebirdofUnhappiness]

07:55 PM on 11/07/2011

Meh. Tried it once. It's not really food, just art, and typically pretentious art at that.

[MaryinNM]

07:52 PM on 11/07/2011

Le Grand Degustation at Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia is $185 for a nine-course tasting. I wonder why it didn't make the list? I had it back in February of this year, and it was amazing!

[Celtic0k9]

07:05 PM on 11/07/2011

Perusing these restaurants and their tasting menus its pretty clear that your determination to indulge at thse places is going to be based on three potential factors -- 1) how refined your palate is; 2) how adventurous you are; and 3) how deep your pockets are. Obviously, the offerings on these tasting menus are not something the home cook whips up for a family dinner -- so your expectation is that there is something "special" about what you are served when ordering in a high-end restaurant where a single patron's meal is equal to what most families spend in a week for a grocery budget. People who elect to eat in these restaurants are usually familiar with the idea that they will be eating food prepared by a star chef; have impeccable service; and a memorable dining experience. If you come away from any of the restaurants mentioned in this article remembering only the amount of the bill -- then the restaurant failed to meet its primary goal -- gastronomic excellence and satisfaction.

[momschlep]

06:53 PM on 11/07/2011

Go to Le Bernardin, NYC. Tasting menu $190, with wine pairings $330. Absolutely an evening in heaven. Service is impeccable. Fish fresh, day of, perfectly prepared. Anyplace else is second best.

[MaryinNM]

08:43 PM on 11/07/2011

Wonderful suggestion! If I ever find myself in that part of the world, I'll definitely try to get in on that action!

[Dan-Snyder]

06:36 PM on 11/07/2011

"Worth it?" Maybe not. If it were free? It would be awesome.

[N133]

04:26 PM on 11/07/2011

Here is a rant: does it annoy anyone else when restaurants claim that their prix fixe is a "tasting menu"?

In my view a tasting menu is supposed to feature multiple very small courses displaying fun/creativity/ingenuity?? And a prix fixe is starter/course/dessert or cheese...Am I just not getting something and the two terms are actually interchangeable???

I'm not frequenting any of these places (though I would love to), but I love prix fixes because they're a great deal, and I don't understand why we need to use a synonymous but not correct term...is the French trop difficile??!?

[dblueII]

05:10 PM on 11/07/2011

No, the terms are defiantly not interchangeable. a pre fixe menu is offered as a bargain, usually a simple soup or salad. mid priced entree and dessert.

A tasting menu is a multiple corse undertaking, highlighting the very best that the chef has to offer. These chefs are true artisans.

I had the tasting menu at The French Laundry. It was a three hour undertaking, and almost excessively pleasurable.

People pay more than that to see a basketball game, to each his own.

[journ student]

08:07 PM on 11/07/2011

They should be two different things, yes. Prix fixe menus are the "bargain," usually a simple starter, an unfussy main and a dessert. The tasting menu is typically much more complex and lavish, and more expensive.

[scoobe2]

04:17 PM on 11/07/2011

hey if one can afford it why not? having eaten in restaurants such as this and much cheaper ones it depends on what you are in the mood for. yes the quality of the food and the service is much better. that being said it doesnt mean you cant get a good meal elsewhere just different.

[golfinkatiekat77]

04:03 PM on 11/07/2011

Of course that even in this economy it shows no sign of slowing down. Expensive meals are consumed by the 1% and this economy has fazed them little! It's the 99% that the economy is impacting! I just wonder who will be the servers for the 1% when the 99% decide enough is enough!

[dblueII]

05:13 PM on 11/07/2011

I'm a 99%, big time, and I have enjoyed the tasting menu at two of these restaurants. French Laundry, and 11 Madison. They were worth every penny.

[ArChiMi]

06:29 PM on 11/07/2011

Oh lets see a cat fight ;) *kidding*

[ArChiMi]

06:30 PM on 11/07/2011

Me too. Every once in a while its nice to treat oneself to such a pleasant experience.

[TaurusRose]

03:52 PM on 11/07/2011

That's 'whined about the cost'