Most expensive dinner?

Eh. Gibsons blows it away.

 

Eh on the Gibson.

 

I've wanted to try The Palm for a while now. Actually had reservations one night for the one in Tyson's, but had to cancel last minute. I was bitter.

 

Probably avoided most expensive dinner when some fellow reporters canceled a dinner at Harbour Steakhouse in Toronto after belatedly realizing how expensive it was. I did buy two beers for $25 before we left for Barberians.

I've dropped some serious cash at David Burke's Primehouse in Chicago. Good stuff.

 

I don't know about most expensive but two Chicago restos just got three Michelin Stars: Alinea and L2O

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hTJae3CCKHQgLXbP1JegJJM89Yug?docId=CNG.84021ce08fb57eea0b910a170ea74146.241

There are only 91 Michelin three star restaurants in the world. Not bad

 

Well, 93 now.

I could hit Alinea with a rock from where I'm sitting, but I haven't been to either. (They're both terribly expensive.)

What's interesting about L2O is that their chef left 6 weeks ago, and he's not coming back. He had a dispute with the owner and he's moved to New York to work on his next project.

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/thestew/2010/11/laurent-gras-makes-it-official-departs-l2o-melman-lashes-back.html#tp

Take a look up a couple of posts to see a Times blurb on Alinea.

 

I feel shame. Thanks. Missed that post even though it was on the same page

 

Maybe the biggest surprise among the Michelin ratings was that Longman and Eagle a neighborhood "gastropub" was awarded one star.

I've been there a couple of times & it's terrific, but it's basically a bar.

They've even got a burger on their menu:

http://www.longmanandeagle.com/pdf/DINNER.pdf

 

This dude ran up a bill of £1,021 (about $1,600) for two people -- and ditched on it:

 

Just went out to a price-fixe meal with a client in SF, $400 for the two of us without any liquor.

Used to go to a weekend tournament my buddy ran (36 of us) at Pebble Beach which had a private dinner on Sat. night. Just split the tab, which was not a good thing as the apertif cart came around and dudes just drank like hell which went on during the card game afterwards as well. Check out Sunday and get a bill for $250, which means it was around $10k.

 

I hope he gets a year in prison.

 

I can't really remember all the tabs that were rung up when I was a traveling sportswriter but I'm sure there were many of more than $1,000. Of course, that was being split but groups of people. Don't know what my biggest personal check was but a few thoughts:

If you have the opportunity to do the tasting meal at Gramercy Tavern, do it. For one of my significant birthdays, a friend did it for me, his wife and my fiance and brought the wines to match. It was unreal. No idea the cost but I'm sure it was up there.

Bern's is worth it just for the wine list and the dessert room. Also, it's fun to take the tour. It's not about the steak. I make better steaks at home but to have your own booth with TVs and jukebox and desserts and cordials at the ready, now that's cool.

No mentions of Joe's Stone Crab? Pretty much my all-time favorite restaurant except maybe Tre Scalini in Rome. Have not been to the one in Chicago but the one on South Beach rocks.