"fine dining" news and stories

Every year, Forbes picks the most expensive restaurants in the world, pinpointing the upper limit on what people are willing to spend for a meal. Their 2006 list is complied with data that the Zagat survey provides and is based on the cost, per person, of one entree, one alcoholic beverage and a tip. Presumably, the entree prices and drink prices are an average amount and, of course, the inclusion of a tip shows the US-bias in the way that the list is set up, since in many places tipping standards would not be set up the same way, if at all. It does not seem to include any restaurants where prix fixe or tasting menus are the standard.

Topping the list, for the second year in a row, is Tokyo's Aragawa at $368 per person for a Kobe beef steak (they basically only have one entree). Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, in Paris, took second place at $231 per person. The rest of the list included: Gordon Ramsay, London ($183); Acquarello, Munich ($125); Sushi Kaji, Toronto ($109); Queue de Cheval Steak House , Montreal ($85); El Amparo, Madrid ($70); Whampoa Club, Shanghai ($63) and Boeucc, Milan ($62)

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It seems that more and more restaurants are offering prix fixe menus these days, a fact that the Wall Street Journal picked up on in their weekend edition. Restaurateurs and chefs like fixed prices because they can much more easily plan the labor and cost of what will be used for a meal, since everything will be timed and the menu options are limited. Diners who might have only had a main course and a dessert are now having salad, as well. For multi-course menus where the portions are small, a nice piece of duck that might have been one main course ordered à la carte, is now several smaller courses for multiple diners.

How can you, as a diner, tell if a fixed price menu is really a good deal? The WSJ suggests that a good place to start is by looking for "wide margin items," such as chicken, salads, pastas and salmon on the menu. They are foods that typically have a significant mark-up, which could be even higher behind the set price. Another thing to look for is tricky wording. For example, "tomato carpaccio" is really just thinly sliced tomatoes, though on the name alone some restaurants might up the price.

And what are signs that you're getting a good deal? Tasting menus that "bear no resemblance to à la carte offerings" often indicate that special time or care has gone into their preparation. And if the chef is well-known and you just want to "put yourself in his hands" the memories of the meal might be worth the price, no matter what it is.

When renowned high-end restauranteur Sirio Maccioni reopens

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