Would you / have you ever spent £300 (or more) on a single meal? Was it worth it?

[workwoes123]

DH wants us to go for a once-in-a-lifetime meal. We’re in France, one of the top chefs in the world has several restaurants here. His flagship restaurant offer a menu which is €310, not including wine. So we’d be looking at around €700 at least for the two of us. For one meal. Even the children menu is €75.

I can appreciate good food, lovely surroundings, excellent service. But at that price? Even if we could afford it without blinking, I just don’t think I could justify it. Maybe I am being too tight though?

I haven’t spent that sort of money, but I did book a Michelin three star restaurant for my dp’s 40th a few years ago. Uliassi in Senigallia, Italy. Can’t remember how much it was but under 200 euros per head including wine, so much cheaper than anything like it in the UK.

It was a very memorable experience. The food was absolutely beautifully presented and the service and welcome second to none. We also got an outdoor table as I’d requested, despite them making very clear that they can’t guarantee it. DP loved it and talks about going back. Personally, I did find the flavours rather muted and for that reason not one of my favourite ever meals, but as an overall experience worth it. Not sure about £300...

@ruthieness

It is a Bocuse, well guessed. A few friends have been and raved about it which is why DH is really keen. We’ve been to a few of the cheaper ones around Lyon but this is the mothership, so to speak. No worries about not being full at the end- it’s 6 courses including a fill-your-boots cheese trolley.

It’s just so much money!

[quote workwoes123]@ruthieness

It is a Bocuse, well guessed. A few friends have been and raved about it which is why DH is really keen. We’ve been to a few of the cheaper ones around Lyon but this is the mothership, so to speak. No worries about not being full at the end- it’s 6 courses including a fill-your-boots cheese trolley.

It’s just so much money![/quote]
I haven't been to that one. I have his range cooker which he designed for Rosieres. I love Lyon so I'm going to check it out now!

If you've donated the same amount or more to the DEC I'd say go for it and enjoy! But otherwise I couldn't justify that. But that's me personally!

Yes. Fairly often.

My dh is a mad keen cook. He loves nothing more than to go to a great restaurant, preferably Michelin starred. Me? I can take it or leave it as I’m not really a foodie.

He loves a wine pairing too, so it can end up silly money.

Many times in the UK.
We had a week in Paris for a celebration dining exclusively at Michelin starred restaurants. Still remember that now and glad we did.

Yes I have. Ours have always included wine that was paired to each course. It is 100pc worth it. We would never pay for cheap chains or "2 for X" type places but every few years we treat ourselves to something amazing like your are suggesting.

I have once as a proper treat with a few friends. It was incredible, the food, drink and whole experience was totally worth it. I'd love to do it again but there's no way i can afford it.

I don't mind splashing now and then for something special but that would be too much for me I think. We've had a couple of excellent meals that have come to in the region of £300 for two of us but much more than that I'd be wondering if it could possibly be worth it.

(That said, I'd love to go the Fat Duck, or to Noma or the Alchemist in Copenhagen, should I ever win the lottery).

Nope absolutely not.

We used to enjoy high end restaurants when we were younger, but in those days the tasting menu plus wines was generally £50-80 per head maximum.

As I get older, I'd rather spend less money and enjoy more meals out. We go to six by nico quite often as that has a six course tasting menu that changes every six weeks for £32 per person.

£350 per person would buy you a weekend away somewhere really nice. But I suppose it depends how much it matters to your DH, ours is in the process of frittering away most of our life savings in a Porsche so I guess one £700 meal in that context isn't so bad.

I’ve been to 3 Michelin started restaurants in this price range. 1 was fab! 1 I didn’t enjoy (very stuffy and fussy service in weird setting that meant we didn’t relax) and 1 that was meh so felt poor value.

I don’t do that any more as don’t think it’s worth it (drinks/tips really add to the bill), however if I’d never done it I probably would once - obviously if you can afford it.

We did once in Tokyo. My husband was working there for a week and his company paid for me to fly out and stay with him too. We were staying in a fancy hotel and paid about £150 each for the taster menu in the panoramic restaurant. It was a great experience and the food/wine was nice, but absolutely nowhere near worth what we paid. I enjoyed it, but am not sure I'd do it again...

Have several times, never worth it, sadly. Perhaps my expectations are much too high.

Depends - Mum always took us out to a nice pub near her - not necessarily complicated stuff but always perfectly done - and so for a treat once I took her to a local place that had a Michelin star. It was good, don't get me wrong, but the law of diminishing returns applied - I didn't feel I got twice as much pleasure out of it and it was over twice as much as her favoured establishment.

So if you appreciate culinary refinements, go for it, but if you think it'll go a bit over your head...

@MrsDanversBroom

We have, fairly often. It’s mostly been worth it. If you can afford it, do it.

We’ve been to The Fat Duck, Le Manoir a few times, Dinner by Heston, Pollen St Social, the Greenhouse, Hibiscus and quite a few others. We have a high enough income to not mind even if it’s not amazing.

Can I ask which was best and which were not worth it @MrsDanversBroom ? We haven't spent more than a couple of hundred on a meal but would like to try a couple of these so yes OP, would spend that much on a meal but probably not more than once a year.

Yes, many times and we enjoy it very much. I suppose we could call it a hobby (we don’t have other hobbies, expensive or cheap). We probably do it a couple of times a year.

You need to have an interest in food and ingredients, not be fussy, and be prepared to pay attention to the whole experience.

Have a look at the online menu - there is a set menu at 275 euros and one at 200 euros including tax and service.

I can comfortably afford it, but no, I would never spend my own money on that. If work was paying, then sign me up!

@Gowithme LeManoir is amazing imo, we’ve been 3 times, I really rate it in terms of food and excellent but unobtrusive yet welcoming service.

Not sure I’d bother with The Fat Duck again but it was an interesting experience, I’m glad we went.

Claude Bosi from Hibiscus is now at Bibendum. A friend who is a chef says he’s the chef’s chef and many chefs want to eat there as he’s well respected. I’d love to eat his food again, we went to Hibiscus a few times and it was always amazing.

I’d love to try L’Enclume.

Once or twice for special occasions.

We're going to eat at the Dorchester in July and it will probably come to c.£500 with wine. It's our wedding day and it's just the two of us before anyone starts.

We have and the experience was absolutely worth it. However, fixed price lunch menus at Michelin one/two star restaurants can be a great mid-point, and we have had some fabulous experiences that way too.

I've eaten twice at the Jules Verne at the top of the Eiffel Tower. My French friend managed to book a window table and it was absolutely amazing. It was 9 years ago (first time) and I still remember it.

Six by Nico is great fun and extremely cheap for the quality of cooking as long as you are a fairly easygoing diner.

Yes, like PP eating out (steady on) is our hobby, we spent a similar amount at Geranium in Copenhagen, and are still talking about that meal 7 years later (no ragrats).

Yes, absolutely worth it as well. You can’t really knock it if you haven’t tried it.

I wouldn’t get into debt for it, but if you have the spare income, go for it.