Fancy Pants Restaurants

I enjoy "fancy pants" restaurants but only once or twice a year. I generally don't eat out much....

I know the feeling. We've all had it, but I also know that feeling when you go out and you get a supurb meal and the dining experience makes you feel special.

I don't go out to the expensive places often but i really do enjoy them when i do. Sometimes i whiff on the resturant i try but for the most part i enjoy it.

My work gives out $50 gift cards to the resturant of your choice when you are the "employee of the quarter" I've gotten that a few times and that makes things a little easier to try some of these places.

The most expensive dinner I ever had was not planned at all. A friend and I had flown from Philly to Boston on a Saturday morning to go to an afternoon Bruins game. It was snowing when we left Philly and by the time we got to Boston, the snow was really piling up.

Later that night, we were trying to find some place that was open to get something to eat. We found a restaurant in the directory that was open and was less than two blocks away from the hotel. It was ‘something Grille and Bar” so we figured it would be a nice casual place to eat and drink.

Apparently, there is a big difference between "Bar and Grille", and "Grille and Bar"

When we walked in there, the place was basically empty but we soon realized it was a much higher end restaurant that we anticipated. And of course, we weren’t really dressed for the place, but they let us stay anyway. I remember being mortified at how under dressed we were.

My friend had lobster (at market price, whatever it was that day) and I had filet mignon. We figured, what the hell, we’re here, we might as well go all in. We drank expensive wine, and the bill was outrageous but we had a great time.
We knew we were way out of our league when the waiter came over and "combed" away the crumbs from the bread they served.

If you're paying more than $35 for any plate of food, you're just making some yanker absurdly rich for nothing.
I was in one of these fancy pants places with my aunt and uncle once when I was about 16-17. They tried to get me to eat garlic snails or some shit... So I caved and said I'd try it. But i'll be damned if I'm not gonna smell it before I eat it. apparently that's bad manners. My aunt slapped me. I think the slap was worse manners than smelling the garlic snails. I'll likely never go back to these type places.

Dissidentman wrote:

Hate them. Won't ever go. Not like it's an option anyway.

k

Get_Right wrote:

One of my greatest pleasures is sitting through a tasting menu paired with the proper wines, or enjoying omakase at a world class sushi bar.

Three hours at Per Se, Eleven Madison Park, 15 east or Sushi yasuda in NYC please!

I don't go out for steak unless its Luger's or the boss is paying.

For me, its go big or go home. Its the middle ground "fancy" places that always disappoint. Give me a diner or give me four star.

Four Stars according to who? Professional chefs, Yelp, or Zagat?

Always try to hit one really nice place when traveling on vacation.

Couple of my fav's from my travels.
Charleston, SC
http://peninsulagrill.com/restaurant.cfm

Portland, ME
http://www.forestreet.biz/

Philly, PA
http://www.jimssteaks.com/SouthStreet.html


not a big fan of the chains...been to Mortons a few times and was less than impressed. Looks like Harrah's in vegas when to ruth chris. back in the day, they had a steak place, forget the name, but it was one of the best steaks i've ever had. so fuckin good

Jason P wrote:

81 wrote:

Always try to hit one really nice place when traveling on vacation.

Couple of my fav's from my travels.
Charleston, SC
http://peninsulagrill.com/restaurant.cfm

...

Chicago, IL
http://www.medievaltimes.com/chicago.aspx