To go to an extremely expensive restaurant

[Fantaorage]

My adult DC and I both have big birthdays coming up and are foodies. We're not wealthy by any means, and we're far from posh / sophisticated / dressy up. I'm wondering whether to blow around £500 on a meal for 2 in a local 2 Star Michelin restaurant. We eat out reasonably often, but I don't think I've ever spent more than £40 per person before, and I usually spend half that. Neither of us are keen on wine, so we'd probably just go for water and not increase the bill that way. The £500 would just be food and tip for 2 people, with a sampling menu. I'm wondering how many of you have done that and whether you think it would be worth the cost for a once in a lifetime meal at a top restaurant, or whether we're likely to feel self-conscious among posher fellow diners and obsequious waiters, and to regret spending so much money!

We usually go to Michelin starred restaurants a few times a year, but rarely eat out at any other time. It’s always an amazing experience although very expensive, especially if you go for the wine flight. I don’t drink any more so that cuts the costs considerably, but DH still does. It’s worth it in my opinion. I would rather spend a lot on an exceptional meal than regularly eat out. Now it costs 40-60 per head to go to fairly bog standard places, so we probably spend less than most people on eating out over a year.

I would go for it op!

If it's going to be a "one off" I'd suggest going for the classical restaurant as you know what you are going to get and that you'll enjoy it, the experimental menu may be brilliant and right up your street but if it's not you've spent a lot on money on something you'll remember for all the wrong reasons.

Do it!! I'm very poor (single parent carer to disabled DC) and when I turned 40 my mum offered me up to £500 to spend on something for myself that I wouldn't usually do.

I took me and a friend to a similar sounding restaurant, it cost nearly £400 and was worth every single penny. I will remember it for the rest of my life.

Go for the ones which have a farm-to-table approach with local, seasonal ingredients and totally unpretentious setting. The decor should be minimalist and Scandinavian, which means they will also care less about dress code. Everything is about the food and people who love food.

Avoid any restaurant that tries to be luxuriously fancy. Or ones that have a bit of a reputation for being a "spot" with wannabe celebs or paps. Basically, if you walk inside and over 40% of women have grotesque pillow-filler lips, you need to leave immediately.

If you get the taste for it then check out lunchtime offers - you can eat amazing food much more cheaply there's just a bit less choice. I did go to one amazing restaurant where I really enjoyed it but did end up getting chips on the way home as the tasting menus were literally that, tastes....

I recommend Chez Pic in Valence. It'll blow your mind.

I would rather eat out once a year somewhere special than have regular rubbish meals out or spend money on mediocre takeaways. Do it!

I disagree.

We went to Town before Xmas, it had been in The Times hot restaurant list from Giles Coren.

Id absolutely say it was very much a spot. But the staff were outstanding, the food was quite wonderful and the only fly in the ointment was the delay for the bill because they were so busy.

In fact if you are going Michelin, a Spot is a lot of fun!

Tasting menu for me personally.

However, although I enjoyed one restaurant I went to another abd just couldn't wait to go home. It went on.....and on.......and on.....

Oh I forgot we went to another for my 40th. That was a classic menu. It was actually Sunday lunch but my goodness, it was the best Sunday lunch I've ever had. The food was absolutely top quality.

I took my son to a Michelin Star restaurant for his 18th and he loved it especially as he was studying catering at the time- he loved going to tell his tutor about it. He dressed up all smart and we had a great time
We went for lunch not in the evening so it wasn’t quite £500 as it was less courses but it was well worth it (plus it meant I could justify adding on the optional cheese course)

go for it ❤️

We are also not posh and comfortably off but but not rich by most standards but we love a fine dining meal, especially a tasting menu. We do usually go for the wine pairing too but that does add significantly to the cost. We have been lucky enough to eat in quite a few Michelin starred restaurants. Our favourites so far have been Black Swan in North Yorkshire (Tommy Banks) and L’Enclume in the lakes (Simon Rogan). Oh and Two Monkeys in Lisbon!

We do seek out fine dining for an occasion or if on holiday. So I say go for it!

if you are sure you would enjoy it, absolutely go for it - most research shows that experiences remain in our memories longer than physical gifts.

However (as it sounds like you are doing), make sure to do your due diligence. I like really good cooking too - but have realised that simple food, cooked well, with little fuss, and often cooked by myself is much more enjoyable. I am a single parent, busy life, limited budget, so I rarely get an opportunity to eat out anywhere, let alone a very expensive restaurant. However, two summers ago, I was treated to a very very expensive meal in a particularly fancy restaurant, by my brother. We were joined by my SIL's brother and he made much fanfare of the food, the tasting menu, the wine. I enjoyed it less and less as the meal went on - the food was special, but I forgot it fairly instantly, and it felt like style over substance to me (this restaurant is really highly regarded, so it's really just me).

But the main issue was the price - I wasn't paying but the bill was obscene - over €2000 for the 4 of us. (The others at the table ended up getting various cocktails, aperitifs, after-dinner wines and what-not, and the drinks portion of the menu got significantly increased). I couldn't justify spending that kind of money - even though I didn't!

About a week later, the DC and I ate in a well-regarded pizza restaurant in a small town where we were on holidays and I realised I enjoyed that so much more - amazing flavours, gorgeous pizzas, lovely wine and all very relaxing.

I mean, it sounds like you will really enjoy this so do absolutely go for it, just choose the type of food you know you will love.

I’m not really a foodie but I would deffo go for it in your position, you only live once after all . Enjoy ☺️

Definitely go for the tasting menu.

The a la carte will have side dishes like potatoes and veg. You don't go to a restaurant like that to eat potatoes!

I'd also recommend going with the slightly more 'experimental' restaurant rather than the French one. The french one will have lots of cream and sauces - delicious, but also very rich, and nothing new. The more experimental one will possibly have asian influences, Some of those kind of meals have blown my mind!

I can think of 3 dishes in different M* restaurants that I will never forget.

• a butter confit hispi cabbage. Yes just exactly what it says, with some kind of herb/split and buttermilk dressing. It was the most glorious thing I have ever eaten.
• a dessert that included jerusalem artichokes and sea buckthorn. Sounds wierd but was my favourite ever dessert.
• A place in Madrid where they had an olive oil trolley. For dipping your bread, they had different oils and 3 different salts. The theatre was spectacular. We were giggling.
• a place where they integrated, stories and smell and taste - childhood food and memories but in tiny delicious mouth sized portions.

Biggest disapointments:

• Marcus Wareing - they were ironong the tablecloths for the next sitting while we were finishing our lunch. That's just rude!
• Hakkasan. Disappointing food. Disappointing service.
• L'enclume. Actually, everything we ate was fantastic, and the staff were fantastic - really engaging. But we arrived having had a mulled wine on arrival, and a complimentary glass of champagne in our room. So we didn't want any more to drink. We were given the menus then sat for 45 minutes with a glass of water, before any food was brought.

Do it! As for the cost, if the two of you happened to be football fans instead of foodies you could easily spend £500 on tickets to a premier league match plus train tickets there and back, food and drink and maybe an overnight hotel, and neither you nor anyone else would bat an eyelid.

My partner took us to heston bleaumantals 2* for our 40th...came to about £800 (I believe) but we did have a bottle of wine and cocktails. One of best things I've ever done, was such an experience, a real treat and ill never forget it.

A good variety of opinions here! I'm going to sit my DC down for a good look at the menus.

I'd go for a lunch rather than a sampling menu. The first time I did it I was overwhelmed as although the portions are small they're invariably quite rich.

It would be a shame not to do the paired wines but then I'm a wine lover.

Whatever you do enjoy - and don't count the pennies.

Absolutely do it don't think of it as just a meal think of it as an experience

I think it would be far more interesting to go experimental.

I was fortunate enough to be taken to Gordon Ramsay at Royal Hospital Road many years ago in the days when the man himself was cooking - and even came out and spoke to the diners. It’s the only Michelin 3 star restaurant I’ve ever eaten in and quite frankly, it blew my mind. The food was incredible! We had the (7 courses I think) tasting menu with (chosen by my companions) various wines. This was a good 20 years ago and even back then the bill came to £1k each. No idea what we were drinking (it was obviously expensive) as “the men” were in charge (they were paying!) and I was given a “ladies menu” (i.e. no prices) but I was willing to compromise my usual independent woman principles for such an incredible meal / evening. Apparently I am that shallow if good food and wine are involved. 😛

I’ve been to lots of 1-2 star Michelin restaurants over the years but nowhere has ever made an impression like Gordon’s cooking did that night.

Basically, go and enjoy!

It was many many moons ago, but the best food I’ve ever eaten was at Gordon Ramsay Petrus

Would you fancy a tasting menu? A tasting menu and the accompanying wine flight is a fantastic option. It takes the pressure off choosing and it allows you to compare notes.

Do it and go for the tasting menu. As well as food you are paying for the experience. I have gone with friends to Michelin restaurants over the years. I love it as a treat.

DP is not into taster menus but we went a few months ago to Dorchester as he wanted to experience- in his words - normal fancy food. He loved it and loved the service. Food cooked amazing and the service was incredible. He is hooked now

But unless your thing is cooking, it’s a completely different experience. It would do nothing for me to cook it myself but someone who loves cooking I guess might

but then you are clearing up and yikes. Where is the luxury