I ate at a 9 course meal at a Michelin star restaurant a few days ago in Nice, France.
This was the menu:
It cost us 658€. It was good.
The first dessert course left me in stitches because I thought it was so over the top:
Overall it was worth it for the experience and each course was very flavourful.
As a kid I liked to chew random stuff, (and tbh as an adult too, but I control myself by chewing socially acceptable stuff!) and I once chewed on some fancy curtains were pretty big and covered a big bay window, and my parents had to replace them. I don’t know how much they were but it couldn’t have been cheap.
As far as dollar amount, probably some meal with my girlfriend. We don't do fancy but usually have one nice meal on a vacation.
But as a percentage of my income - something called Bonzai Chicken I ordered for $70 on my honeymoon back in the 90s. I made $7/hr at the time. I didn't know it had curry in it or that I was allergic to curry. I spent the remainder of my honeymoon sick as a dog.
Kobe Beef in Kobe, Japan.
Best beef I ever had. Not worth it though. I didn't realize how loaded my friend was when she suggested it to me, so I ended up reserving for 4 people before checking the prices.
I did spend 700$ eating sushi one time though. That time was worth it. For any sushi lovers planning a Japan trip - Stay out of the main cities and go for the coast. The best sushi is far from Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka.
On a business trip, a local colleague took me for the (reputed) best Peking duck in Hong Kong - it was somewhere in the Central district, on the island itself.
I can't remember how much it cost, but I know my colleague had to book three weeks in advance, and confirm 48 hours in advance that we were indeed having the duck.
It was fantastic. As an Aussie, I never truly appreciated properly cooked duck until then.
I've been to several Michelin places, usually around $300 - $400 per person without wine. Definitely worth it for the quality, creativity, and experience.
I've already had A5 Kobe at around $60 an ounce, and caviar around $250 an ounce. Both worth it for an occasional splurge.
I also had a glass of a 1967 Bordeaux (don't remember which one) that I didn't pay for and it was good, but nothing better than some $50 bottles I've had before. Granted I'm not a wine expert or anything so maybe it's quality was lost on me.
The most expensive thing I've had that was really notable (as I'm sure I've ordered something pricier and thought nothing of it) was half an A5 wagyu steak from Wegmans. I think it was originally around $250/lb but it was on a manager's special sale. I think it was around $80 for a ½lb, which is genuinely insane to me knowing that manager's special means it's the last chance to buy something before it goes bad.
Anyway, it was really good. A very odd experience though because afterwards I kinda stopped craving/ cooking/ ordering beef for a couple months. It was like I achieved some superlative thing and was just done with the concept of beef for a little bit. A strange reaction to such a positive experience, that said I do still eat beef occasionally.
I was taken to a very expensive steak restaurant once, and while others got more expensive cuts I got a 10 oz California sirloin aged 8 years in house.
I love steak, I loved steak, I will always love steak, but every steak from that day has to measure up to that one and never will.
I’m so glad I had the experience, but I don’t have $280 to blow on steak each time I want it lol.
Some dinner at a fancy restaurant my fiance took me to for my birthday. I did my best to be respectful but I hated everything about it. The food tasted no better than a cheaper restaurant and everyone was so insanely pretentious. Would never choose something like that on my own. All the people with money I know love the place, but I would honestly be happier going to an Applebee's than throwing my money into the garbage like that and have to have stuffy unrelatable conversations with strangers.
As others have noted proper good quality fresh truffle is really worth it (unlike all the "it's no nicer than regular food but we've served it on a statue, covered it in gold leaf and sprinkled salt onto it off the top of a bald man's head" fancy food you can spend a fortune on.) Freshly shaved truffle is like if Willy Wonka decided to turn his hand to making the perfect savoury food experience. It smells like the most satisfying food ever and then the instant your teeth slightly penetrate the surface of the shaving it somehow seems to instantly fill every space in your head with that scent at double the intensity and your whole mouth is awash with a uniquly rich and warm flavour.
I love single origin chocolate and was once gifted a bar of Amedei Porcelana (sometimes called "the most expensive chocolate in the world.") It was, unsurprisingly, a perfectly executed bar of chocolate. Texture, balance of sugar to cocoa etc were all flawless. The flavour was delicate and perfectly balanced. It was like the most refined expression of the exact central archetype of what chocolate should taste like. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who would like to experience the most perfectly chocolatey chocolate. Personally I found that while it was a flawless execution of a straight down the middle chocolate and I am very glad to have had it, I prefer a bit more character and so my favourite bar is still the Grenada Chocolate Co 71% (which slaps you in the face with big juicy tropical fruit flavour and is overall not quite as refined as Amedai Porcelana.) Though I've not had the chance to eat either in several years so I suppose it's possible they may have changed since...
A 'wagyu' New York Strip for $120.
It was okay but really not worth it. I've made better steaks on my grill at home with $10 worth of Select Grade NY Strip.
Was part of a team that was sent to Boston for a project. While we were there, the company announced they were changing the meal expense policy from reimbursement for submitted bills to a fixed stipend.
But that policy change was a couple of days away, so the whole team went to this fancy expensive restaurant for dinner, and we ordered expensive food and wines as one last hurrah.
I don’t even remember where or what I ate or drank.
I just remember it was a good time.
I can't think of a time I've deliberately eaten something expensive (as opposed to out of convenience), except for the kopi luwak, which was a gift.
It was from a relief worker I knew well, who had gotten it from a friend of his in SE Asia who collected the wild beans as a hobby. At market prices at the time I think the little cup I had worked out to around 40 dollars, and this was some time ago.
Anyway, was it worth it? It was a normal cup of Joe, except it had no bitterness to it at all. The cat's gut apparently takes all the bitterness out of it without touching the flavour much, At a similar price to normal coffee I'd buy it, but as an uber-luxury I'd say it's in no way worth it, unless you're just consuming conspicuously.
Most expensive thing I bought was wagyu that I seared and ate with a side of parmesan steak fries with rosemary and a glass of red wine. It was well worth it, but if you're expecting a steak, that's not what it is. It's somewhere between butter and meat, and almost like a separate type of food all by itself. The fat isn't greasy or stringy, the flavor is strong, sear it medium rare with just salt, no oil.
Most expensive food I've had was a fancy company dinner at a french style restaurant. Half the food I wasn't really sure what it was exactly but even simple things like the eggs were cooked perfectly. The final dish was tenderloin and it was cooked perfectly medium rare. 10/10 dinner and well worth it, but I'm glad I didn't have to foot the bill
I think some kind of exotic wagyu meat. Very good, but very small portion and not worth the money. I think it was 140€ or something like that. With a drink included.
Expensive caviar is much better than inexpensive caviar, and yes, I think it's worth it.
But sheer dollar amount was probably a pasta with black truffles shaved at the table. That was really good; I don't know if I'd do that one again.
On our honeymoon, we went to this 5 star place in Scotland so I could "wine and dine" my new wife. I think the meal ended up being $150 back in 2000 so about $260 now. We both had the lamb and vegetables, the lamb was under cooked and the vegetables were practically raw. The dessert, on the other hand, was delicious and we got drunk on a bottle of wine. We had more fun listening to the group of older guys one upping each other with tales of their yachts. They were also very welcoming to a couple of young kids who were clearly in a place far above their income bracket. So, in all, it was crap food but we enjoyed ourselves.
A lobster roll in Boston dripping with hot butter on an amazing roll. Not the most extravagant “most expensive” thing in this thread, was like $70, but was amazing nonetheless and absolutely worth it.
I was at a restaurant in Hawaii, on the menu was surf and turf.... Wagyu and lobster from 'the least inhabited Island on the planet'.
I wasn't paying so I got it. It was spectacular. I had Wagyu again at a Gorden Ramsey restaurant in Vegas and it wasn't as good. Wagyu steak isn't a great way to consume it imo.
Tbh I dont usually spend that much on food i.e meal or just the entre. About the most expensive thing Ive had was a 100+ dollar meal i.e crab, lobster, some sickeningly sweet mango cocktail etc. And I also found out that I am not really a fan of the way the roasted brussel sprouts were prepared. (They drizzled a sweet sauce on them that wasnt just due to carmelization and I cannot stand the resulting flavor profile) Overall the meal was good but not worth the cost at all.
Ive spent 50-60 bucks on the ingredients for a meal Ive prepared at home that I enjoyed more than that.
At some point Id like to try real wagyu beef but I am pretty sure the level of fat will not be to my liking as I normally pick fairly lean cuts but a large part of that is because most fatty beef doesnt really have great marbling throughout the cut. Its mostly separate and just gags me with the texture of it.
We did this tasting menu once at this restaurant that is only ten seats and 17 courses. It was 185 per person with 75 dollar wine pairing. It was absolutely stunning in every way though. Menu: https://www.thepinecollingwood.ca/menu
Does drink count?
One night out a guy wad trying to show off and bought a bottle of Dom Periognon for the table.
Now, I'm not a huge wine drinker, but to my taste it was one of the least impressive wines I've ever had.
To drink would probably be Sam Adam’s Utopia (2014 or earlier). Not to my liking and very disappointing honestly. It was rich but not beer like at all. Much more like a liqueur, which I’m generally not a fan of.
To eat is probably whatever I had at The Blue Door in Miami. High brow modern food. Think it was the duck. It was good but the experience itself was worth it.
To contrast, the best meat I’ve had is Ostrich. That was just amazing meat. Not cheap but not the highest priced either.
Dirt according to my bully. Had to get new teeth after that.
Salmon roes, or "fake caviar". There's a whole story about that, involving going to country A to neighbouring country B through country C just to smuggle stuff, while the driver (my then girlfriend) was drunk as a skunk.
It tastes fishy, a bit salty, but I liked it. It pops on your mouth. I'd rather eat deep-fried roes though.
Mitefosin tablets I got for Leishmaniosis, two packages for a bit over 5000 Eur for both . Thank god for health insurance.
Cutaneous Leishmaniosis at two places, one being.my face over the upper lip. I was happy.I got treatment instead of bad scars.
A meal at a fancy small restaurant near us. I would say yes worth it for the service more than the food. Each dish he put before both of us to share, got to try so many interesting foods. I liked it enough to say yes worth it but wouldn't do it even once a year.
The most expensive thing I've eaten is a sannakji dish my friend prepared. It was the opposite of worth it.
Google tried to buy me a $50 burger. I passed in favor of a $25 salad. Still felt stupid just slightly less so.
Most fine dining level meats. Don't remember which was the most expensive, but about 60% of them are memorable experences and totally worth it.
I've also has some absolutely mind blowing sushi, but not at the same price level.
Animal products. No, it was not worth it.
Filet steak I think. Yes, it is worth it.
