slo’s TUESDAY 7/2 poll - High End Restaurants & The Bear TV Show

[BlueStarryHat]

I went to a fancy restaurant once. I'm not a party person really, so my Mom and I decided to 'do it up right,' and went to a high end place to celebrate my 30th birthday. I *think* it was called the Chart House, but I'm not sure. As soon as we were seated, we knew it was a mistake. There were courses with a teeny tiny serving of lemon sherbet in between. We both got market price lobster, and the old saying about if you have to ask the price you can't afford it really resonated with us at that time.

The sommelier (I guess that's what he was), who we wound up referring to afterwards as the 'wine guy,' was so snooty, especially after he spent a good ten minutes telling us about the different wines and I joked that I wanted Franzia (boxed wine.) I thought he was going to beat me over the head with the bottle.

The food was expensive, with really tiny portions on big plates except for the lobsters. They were a good size. I asked the waiter for some melted butter to dip my lobster, and boy was *that* a miscalculation on my part. "*Ma'am,* the lobster is sauced with..." and I got a short lecture on my market price dinner.

So, yeah. After we left, we went to a Dunkin' Donuts in our fancy outfits and had Croissandwiches. We laughed about that dinner for years afterwards.

 

[BrianL]

I went to a fancy restaurant once. I'm not a party person really, so my Mom and I decided to 'do it up right,' and went to a high end place to celebrate my 30th birthday. I *think* it was called the Chart House, but I'm not sure. As soon as we were seated, we knew it was a mistake. There were courses with a teeny tiny serving of lemon sherbet in between. We both got market price lobster, and the old saying about if you have to ask the price you can't afford it really resonated with us at that time.

The sommelier (I guess that's what he was), who we wound up referring to afterwards as the 'wine guy,' was so snooty, especially after he spent a good ten minutes telling us about the different wines and I joked that I wanted Franzia (boxed wine.) I thought he was going to beat me over the head with the bottle.

The food was expensive, with really tiny portions on big plates except for the lobsters. They were a good size. I asked the waiter for some melted butter to dip my lobster, and boy was *that* a miscalculation on my part. "*Ma'am,* the lobster is sauced with..." and I got a short lecture on my market price dinner.

So, yeah. After we left, we went to a Dunkin' Donuts in our fancy outfits and had Croissandwiches. We laughed about that dinner for years afterwards.

That can be the experience at some places, but a really good nice restaurant will not do that - they will get you what you want - whatever you want. They might snicker behind your back if you decide to ruin that filet mignon by having it made well-done and pouring ketchup or A1 all over it, but you're paying the bill so you can do that if you want to.

I don't tend to request things like that, but I was once at this snooty place in New York City where I ordered a Diet Coke and was told, "Uh, we don't serve soda." I mean, they had a bar, so they must have had some kind of soda. Mostly I have had some attitude thrown at me for not ordering alcoholic beverages, but that has happened at any kind of place, not necessarily fancy restaurants.

 

[mjkacmom]

I went to a fancy restaurant once. I'm not a party person really, so my Mom and I decided to 'do it up right,' and went to a high end place to celebrate my 30th birthday. I *think* it was called the Chart House, but I'm not sure. As soon as we were seated, we knew it was a mistake. There were courses with a teeny tiny serving of lemon sherbet in between. We both got market price lobster, and the old saying about if you have to ask the price you can't afford it really resonated with us at that time.

The sommelier (I guess that's what he was), who we wound up referring to afterwards as the 'wine guy,' was so snooty, especially after he spent a good ten minutes telling us about the different wines and I joked that I wanted Franzia (boxed wine.) I thought he was going to beat me over the head with the bottle.

The food was expensive, with really tiny portions on big plates except for the lobsters. They were a good size. I asked the waiter for some melted butter to dip my lobster, and boy was *that* a miscalculation on my part. "*Ma'am,* the lobster is sauced with..." and I got a short lecture on my market price dinner.

So, yeah. After we left, we went to a Dunkin' Donuts in our fancy outfits and had Croissandwiches. We laughed about that dinner for years afterwards.

I don’t think of the Chart House as a very upscale restaurant, more of an overpriced chain, ours has a great view of manhattan.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I don’t think of the Chart House as a very upscale restaurant, more of an overpriced chain, ours has a great view of manhattan.

Wow, really? I had no idea. Even more reason to laugh at how snooty everyone was.

 

[BrianL]

I don’t think of the Chart House as a very upscale restaurant, more of an overpriced chain, ours has a great view of manhattan.

I'd say it's upscale, but not necessarily "fine dining." It is in the area of the larger steahouse changes like Ruth's Chris or Fleming's. Now that you mention it, I am pretty sure I have eaten at one on a work trip and they were kind of snooty actually.

 

[Skippy918]

I’ve been to those Brazilian steakhouses which I think are high end cause they are pricey. But I don’t think I’ve been to a super high end fancy restaurant. I’m not willing to spend $100 pp for dinner.

 

[jo-jo]

I also fall into the burger and pizza group. I watch these cruise shows where the chef's are thrilled to get the weirdest looking fish to service. I'd be looking for the chicken nuggets.

The classiest place we ever at ate was about 40 years. We went to hear the Philadelphia Orchestrate and ate at the original Bookbinders. Used up my entire classy quota on that.

Since then it's been constant happy meals and gold fish between kids, grandkids and church kids.

 

[Micca]

Have had many meals at very nice restaurants but I wouldn't call any of them super high end. I've watched the first two seasons of The Bear, watched Ep 1 of season 3 yesterday. I'd heard the third season was not as good and judging by what I saw, that is accurate.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

I have not dined in a high end restaurant. I have been to some of the nicest (most expensive) places in Louisville but would not consider them high end.

We did eat at nice steak restaurant in Chicago a few years ago. I would consider it a step above Ruth Chris style. Still not “high end” though.

 

[wenrob]

As someone who grew up in restaurants and who still has family (including my DD) and friends in Hospitality I “get” The Bear. It’s not a show for everyone, that’s for sure.

I have dined in upscale/fine dining restaurants as in no price on the menu but never “food as art” type places. I have zero interest in that, it does not appeal to me. The last upscale place we went to was to celebrate older DD’s Bachelor's for Hospitality and Restaurant Management so it’s been a minute. Never felt uncomfortable but younger DD was full of anxiety over the cost and was never able to fully relax and enjoy herself.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I've not seen the Bear show. As for 'high end' restaurants, one for sure. When Marie and I were dating, back probably 1969 or 1970, I took Marie to the Chez Paul in the Gold Coast in Chicago. Now closed but at the time, probably the fanciest and high end as you could get in Chicago. Bot sure how I was even aware of the place, no Internet or search abilities. Maybe it was just known to be.

We found out that it was not our kind of restaurant. A few memories....the wine person, we realized afterwards, came to the table first. He asked something in a very difficult to understand French accent. I said, 'sure, okay'. He brings a leather book with about 10 pages of wine. I look at the prices and ask Marie if she'd like any (hoping she'd say no). She did say no, as did I. When the guy comes back, we hand him the books back and order a whiskey sour and a vodka gimlet, both very popular back then. We still often talk of that part of our CP experience, 55 years later.

We probably had salad or French onion soup and then entrees. The entrees were typical high end French, big white plates, little plops of something in the middle, with some kind of sauce drizzled over the food and plate.

That was our first, and last experience with a 'high end' restaurant. Fun talking memories every so often.

CP was used in two big comedy movies, Blues Brothers and Ferris Bueller.

https://interactive.wttw.com/timemachine/chez-paul

I did have a business lunch at another high end place, La Francais, same opinion. And then a few more along the way like Ruth's Chris, and similar. Better than the foo-foo French places but still a ripoff in our opinion. We mostly enjoy the many family diners, known as the Greek joints here (not serving Greek food though). Also a good beef joint, Buona, Portillo's, Mr. Beef, Al's, etc.

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

That can be the experience at some places, but a really good nice restaurant will not do that - they will get you what you want - whatever you want. They might snicker behind your back if you decide to ruin that filet mignon by having it made well-done and pouring ketchup or A1 all over it, but you're paying the bill so you can do that if you want to.

I don't tend to request things like that, but I was once at this snooty place in New York City where I ordered a Diet Coke and was told, "Uh, we don't serve but that has happened at any kind of place, not necessarily fancy restaurants.

I don't think I've ever been to a restaurant that would be classified as "fine dining", but your first paragraph reminded me of how my co-workers reduced a chef to tears at our Christmas party one year (held at the bosses country club). One person requested horseradish, which created a domino effect of everyone wanting horseradish - which led to the chef storming out of the kitchen and yelling that the entree was filet mignon, not prime rib. Nobody got horseradish.

 

[ronandannette]

I'd say it's upscale, but not necessarily "fine dining." It is in the area of the larger steahouse changes like Ruth's Chris or Fleming's. Now that you mention it, I am pretty sure I have eaten at one on a work trip and they were kind of snooty actually.

There's one on the pier in San Francisco too and although it was expensive(ish), I don't remember it being very fancy or the staff snooty, but maybe they're just more laid-back on the West coast?

 

[BrianL]

There's one on the pier in San Francisco too and although it was expensive(ish), I don't remember it being very fancy or the staff snooty, but maybe they're just more laid-back on the West coast?

In my experience, everyone is more laid back on the West Coast! Right on.

 

[CGB]

No, not if I can help it. I'm going to need to a lot more money in my life if I'm going to enjoy a place like that. My idea of fine dining involves catfish and hush puppies!

That said, I have had the privilege of experiencing some incredible food when I visited DH on his remote military assignment in Keflavik, Iceland. There's a little place called Kaffi Duus on the docks that was crazy-delicious and beautiful food... you didn't want to mess up the presentation but the smell was delicious. I was warned, but I just didn't realize. I looked at my plate and then looked around the small, older building we were in and my mouth fell open. DH just grinned, nodded and said "Wait til you taste it!" We were there before their expansion, but I'd love to go back...https://duus.is/?lang=en We ate a couple of other high-end restaurants while I was there, but Kaffi Duus was by far our favorite.

 

[1420Elexismc]

One and done for me with the high end restaurant. I just don't think I'm wired for it. I have watched the Bear on and off -just not consistently, and I have some catching up to do. All that being said, I love watching cooking shows/competition and am always in awe of the beautiful dishes they create.

 

[georgina]

Don't watch the Bear, voted no, don't dine at high-end restaurants. But then I thought of our recent Viking cruise, ate at their speciality Chef's Table a few times. Fixed 4 course menu of things I wouldn't eat elsewhere (octopus in the appetizer, I barely got it down; cactus juice in the palate cleanser)

We are more of sandwich and salad kind of people. Definitely not 'foodies'!

 

[ShelbyWagon]

My husband and I are kinda foodies so yes, we enjoy fine dining a few times a year. Whenever we visit a larger city, we try to have at least one dinner at a high end place. The last time we went to New York, we had a 17 course omakase experience with a Japanese chef who had recently moved to the city. He only sat 8 diners per night so it was very intimate and special. Seriously the best sushi I've ever had with fabulous wine and saki pairings.

Don't get me wrong, though. We love our hole in the wall places too. It's just fun to get a different experience when we travel that our small southern town doesn't offer.

 

[lovin'fl]

There's one on the pier in San Francisco too and although it was expensive(ish), I don't remember it being very fancy or the staff snooty, but maybe they're just more laid-back on the West coast?

I didn't think our MD (want to say it was in Baltimore but only see one in Annapolis now) Chart House was either. Been a long time since we went that I forgot about that one. I was young and very kind of, um, grunge (back in 90s) but it still didn't feel upscale or snooty to me.