Most expensive meal you've ever had?

[southerndoc]

I'm actually embarrassed by the amount I paid for a meal at the Royal Livingstone in Livingstone, Zambia.

[tripods68]

I bought a 4 1/5 pounder live lobster which cost $79 + tax for myself. I wasn't planning on it. ANd yes, I had to cook it myself.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

$200 per person at a sushi place. I think that much in japan too.

[FastFacts]

Over 200 in a posh restaurant that I regretted as soon as I walked in there and saw the menu.

[zetta]

We took a trip to Paris and went to a five-star restaurant called Fouquet (actually pronounced like F*ck-it!) for our anniversary dinner. A five course meal came to about $330 for two people. It was a great experience, great food including an amazing asparagus soup and foie gra. We had a waiter just for our table, and saw someone's pet dog bite another waiter -- quite the people watching!

I see nothing wrong with an occasional splurge like this if the rest of your finances are in order.

[sandrark]

We had a very expensive dinner when we went to Zurich in 1997. But we couldn't be in Switzerland and *not* have a fondue meal! I think, at the time, it was ~ $150 for two. A pint of beer was $12 at that time.

Last year, we were in NYC, and had a FABULOUS dinner at One If By Land, Two If By Sea. We had the Wine Flight prix fixe dinner, which I think was ~ $350 with six courses, accompanying wine, tax and tip. I'd totally do it again.

Sandi

[Snodog]

By far the most I spent was $50 at Martha's Vineyard in 2007 when we couldn't find anywhere else to eat. The food was horrible. I'm happy to say I have cheap taste in food.

I know for me that no meal is worth $50 no matter how good it is. But YMMV.

[disneysteve]

Thanks to all who have answered so far. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who has spent large sums on fine meals.

[jasonnoguchi]

My most expensive meal was about USD3000 in a top class restaurant in Shanghai.

[toboramai]

200+ with a coworker but it was not my dime.

[sarah]

125.00 at a Steak House in Washington D C. What made it memorable was the company

[Goldy1]

I was about 21 years old and invited on a casual date by a businessman a few years my elder.
IT was at the Golden Mushroom in metro Detroit. The place is now defunct due to the economy. It was 4 star I believe.
I remember calling the restaurant in advance to ask if they had any vegetarin entree options. (I was vegetarian at the time, but no longer am) They did have one.
I remember getting there and feeling uncomfortable with the valet parking. (I met him there)
He ordered expensive caviar. (I hated it) I also don't care for mushrooms and we had an assortment of rare ones for a starter.
It was a very pleasant and memorable meal due ot the abviance and conversation. I don't remember the entree much though

I miss dating sometimes(not being spent money on, but I love talking) lol

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Originally Posted by jasonnoguchi

My most expensive meal was about USD3000 in a top class restaurant in Shanghai.

Goodness! What was it --hummingbird tongues and creamed rhinoceros horn?

[GREENBACK]

Originally Posted by Joan.of.the.Arch

Goodness! What was it --hummingbird tongues and creamed rhinoceros horn?

Lol... it was more likely bear gallbladder and raw snakes blood. This is real stuff over there and is very expensive but supposedly cranks up the libido.

A'int no way.

[mom-from-missouri]

We had a dinner my husbands work sponsored at a fancy place in Kansas City. It was around $125 a person. And we left hungry because the portions were so small. We stopped at Sonic on the way home....and met several of his coworkers and their wives doing the same thing. Needless to say, the dinner was moved to a different place the next year.

[jasonnoguchi]

Originally Posted by Joan.of.the.Arch

Goodness! What was it --hummingbird tongues and creamed rhinoceros horn?

You won't believe it, it was nothing exotic at all. In fact, I can't name 90% of dishes and the whole table was filled with like over 20 dishes; some fishes, some meat, some vegetables etc... incredibly, there were no abalone nor sharksfin. I just had them bring up all their best dishes and it worked out to that amount. Apparently, the fish that was nothing more than steamed alone costs about USD500. Said its some rare fish or what.

[KTP]

I *almost* had a very expensive meal :-)

We were in vegas and noticed one of the only michelin rated 3 star restaurants in the MGM....at about $400 per person I think.

I made a half joke that if I won the $25 buy in poker tournament at the luxor I would treat us to this place (having never eaten in even a 1 or 2 michelin star)

Believe it or not I beat out 70 other players to win the texas holdem tournament...was paid about $590 for first place. Long story short, we decided to keep the $590 and ate for about $20 a person somewhere else instead :-)

[Pitman]

This is probably my "cheap" side coming out, but I'll never understand why people would spend over $100 for a meal when the portions are so small, and unfulfilling. I went to an "upscale" restaurant, and the prices were and small servings left my stomach . After that experience, I told myself I'd rather spend $20 on a full solid meal from a "hole in a wall" restaurant that serves excellent food, then spend hundreds in these so called top Zagat places, and leave just as hungry as I came in.

FYI- when I say "hole in a wall", I mean a place that doesn't look like anything from the outside, but inside is a whole different story, and the food my goodness the food is perfection. I highly recommend "Ripe Caribbean Restaurant" located in Mount Vernon for all my Westchester/NYC members. If you want "upscale" approval, it has been featured on the food network dozens of times.

Just my $.02

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by Pitman

This is probably my "cheap" side coming out, but I'll never understand why people would spend over $100 for a meal when the portions are so small, and unfulfilling.

Pitman, I agree with you. I wouldn't want to spend $100 or more for a meal that was small and unfulfilling either. The expensive meals I've had and have referred to in this thread were top notch, excellent feasts. I absolutely didn't walk away hungry from any of them. They were truly memorable experiences that you simply couldn't replicate anywhere for $20.

Absolutely nothing wrong with the "hole in the wall" places. That describes some of our most favorite restaurants that we visit frequently.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

My hole in the wall places keep closing. Y'all please support your local hole in the wall! Go out and look for one if you don't know of one. A good idea is to look for an ethnic one.