What was the swankiest restaurant you ever patronized?

I've had lunch at the Ritz in London twice and I had dinner NYE at Alain Ducasse' Allard in Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Ate in the kitchen table at Alain Ducasse’s restaurant in The Essex House in nyc. Long gone now. Also are at his restaurant in Monte Carlo. Ritz dining room in Paris also.

Everest in Chicago - it opened in the mid-80s and looks like it (although they have replaced the leopard print carpet.)

It looks like a set on Dynasty.

The food, by the way, is excellent.

I don’t know if it is the fanciest or best restaurant I’ve ever been to - but it definitely is the swankiest.

All of them.

Most expensive, The French Laundry.

Favorite, Perino's

Hôtel de Ville, Crissier I've been at least 20 times and spoken about it on DL. It's not "swanky" rather it's gastronomique and tries to be cozy but is Swiss luxury ever cosy? (See below). Ducasse's hotel restaurants are swanky. Many luxury hotels have swanky restaurants and I've enjoyed a few but they are not worth the money on my salary. They are of course conceived for the very rich who don't feel such expenditures. Same with luxury brands of anything, at luxury boutiques. I discovered this by having some very rich friends. Sometimes the restaurants are worth it (on my dime) for the view - such as jules Verne (gives me the creeps but friends love it) Chez Vrony in Zermatt, a couple in Courchevel, La Sponda in Positano, some in Rome, etc.

I was taken to The Dome of the Sea, in Las Vegas, 1984. A blonde lady played a harp on a seashell boat that floated around on a little lake. It was heavenly and surreal.

No one stated what they ordered.

Anyone try the Carlyle? I would like to sit in the lounge and drink until I pass out and awaken in one of their rooms greeted with a room service steak and eggs and another drink. Rinse, repeat.

Windows on the World (when the twin towers were still standing). This was in 1982. There were 4 or 5 busboys swarming around constantly, a sommelier, and the main waiter. May have been an assistant waiter as well. Dinner for 4 was about $600 as I recall. (1982 dollars - this would have been about $1000 or more now). Unfortunately, we were still sober, and head waiter tacked on a couple of bottles of wine we didn't order at $75 a bottle. Food was good, and view amazing, but tip got trimmed because of waiter greediness. (Main waiter sent out the assistant waiter with the revised bill). The sad thing was, our host was in the restaurant business, this was a tax write-off, and he would probably have tipped 25% if the waiter hadn't tried to stiff us. I ate and drank modestly, because I was a starving student at the time, and felt extremely self-conscious about ordering something really expensive off the menu. On my own, a swanky meal at that time in my life would have been $20-25. Most of the time, I feel the "value", such as it is in a swanky restaurant, is in the "show". All the attention, all the flourishes, the constant checking, the studied explanations of menu items and wines, the presentation, the table settings, the ambiance, the views, etc. That's really what you're paying top dollar for. I don't think the food is usually THAT much better than any restaurant with a very good chef, and sometimes not as good.

Perse in NYC. Went for a business dinner. I think $400 a person

Joel Robuchon in Vegas.

Epicure at Le Bristol Hotel in Paris. Though we went overboard with "extras" the total bill was $3500 for 2 people. The best part of the meal was the macaroni with black truffle. OMFG. The dining room is sumptuous - we were there right after Xmas, and the whole space was adorned with gorgeous lights and garland. We were dizzy, swooning and walking funny at the end of the meal.

And most recently had a 3-hour lunch at Martin Berasategui in San Sebastian, Spain. Just mind-blowing. Everything was spectacular. But one thing I can't get out of my head is this oyster they served with green olive juice, wasabi emulsion and crunchy sea lettuce. Total gastronomic MDMA. That was $600 a person but included wine pairings.

Next on my list: The Fat Duck outside of London.

I had the tasting menu for lunch at Le Jules Verne in the Eiffel Tower when it was still under Chef Alain Ducasse. It was eight courses and ended up costing about $650 for two.

11 Madison Avenue in NYC. It was a splurge because I don’t make 6 figures a year, but worth the experience. Ordered the tasting menu and of course it was fabulous. The check was handwritten at the end. For the two of us it came to $595. We even saw Michael Strahan from Good Morning America dining that evening.

r14 - did you have wine with dinner? $595 actually seems reasonable for dinner there (I cant believe I just typed that).

Probably Per Se. I had a seven-course (IIR) set menu with with wine accompaniment, and everything was delicious, of course.

Someone else was paying, of course.

What's a restaurant?

Some restaurant in Atlanta with a name I have mercifully forgotten. 20 years ago. Was in Buckhead. Some fancy chef. Served many, many small courses prix fixe.

Has anyone gone to 11 Madison Park?

Nuns never go anywhere swanky for lunch. That makes me sad.

French Laundry

Chez Panisse

Per Se

Missed R14 sorry. Can you talk more about it? The team recently broke up, I read.

Per Se, had several dinners there we had a table by the windows with a view of Central Park drinks at sunset watching the light change over the park then a special meal not on the menu. A wealthy friend was a regular there so we received extra special treatment. My wealthy friend paid for everything.

Restaurant Le Meurice, Paris. The room was incredible, the service was impeccable, the price was astronomical.

Hard to choose between a baker's dozen:

Les Ambassadeurs, Hotel Crillon, Paris (RIP - it's now the bar for a new restaurant, L'Ecrin)

L'Europe, Grand Hotel Europe, St. Petersburg

The Queens Grill, at sea onboard Queen Elizabeth 2 (RIP) and Queen Mary 2.

Fogon Asado, Buenos Aires

Restaurant Le Cottage Bise, Talloires

Käfer, Berlin

Bennelong at the Opera House, Sydney

The Dining Room, Oriental Club, London

The Restaurant at Auberge de Soleil, Napa

Locke-Ober, Boston (RIP)

Pujol, Mexico, DF

Disfrutar, Barcelona

La Terrazza, Hotel Eden, Rome

Golden Corral

Rock and roll McDonald's.

Charlie Trotter's in Chicago.

NYC Palm Court at the Plaza - breakfast, Eggs Benedict Top of the 666s - dinner, chateaubriand, cherries jubilee

LAS VEGAS The Barrymore - filet mignon, creme brulee

The Ground Round

Bern's Steakhouse in Tampa Florida back in late 70's early 80's when Bern was still alive & running it. I had Steak of course. Waiters were very well trained and attentive without hovering. Much of the produce they served came from their farm. Bern personally supervised every aspect from buying the meat on the hoof, aging the meat and even had a video feed to the grill to make sure steaks were cooked properly. Everything was incredible. Their wine list was a book about three inches thick. They boasted the largest wine cellar in the US. The Sommelier treated everyone with respect whether you were buying an inexpensive wine or a multi-hundred dollar bottle.

Manresa in the bay area. Around $300 per person, all of the food was exceptional but the most memorable was the duck and a salad that looked like a bird's nest

It was in the London Hotel lobby on W. 54th St. I think it was Gordon Ramsay. Can't remember the name. It's gone now. You walked through the bar and then into the restaurant. Then there's another smaller room inside. And then after that was the Chef's Table. That's where we ate. In the kitchen. Also ate in the dining room once and the service was impeccable.

Pre-Opera dinner at the Grand Tier at the Met in Lincoln Center. Figured we would be paying for atmosphere and the food would be meh...wrong! The best salmon I've ever had and the chocolate soufflé during intermission (at the same table we had for dinner) was heaven on a plate.

The Savoy in London - 1989. Very good and very expensive.

the rainbow room

[quote]- such as jules Verne (gives me the creeps

Why is it creepy?

Per Se

It was when I was working at a start up (ish) company

VC took us and paid.

Food was good, probably not $400/person good and presentation was over the top.

I might have enjoyed it more had I not felt like I was being held hostage by the VC, who was rude to the waiters and pretty much talked at us the whole time. Felt very touristy too, sort of like everyone there would have been even happier if they'd given them a t-shirt to take home that said "I ate at Per Se"

Petrossian in NYC Caviar!

I’ve had a few but learned quickly it never makes sense to spend your own money on a $1,000 meal. Even on a corporate tab, i don’t go out of my way. Per Se was definitely one of the best for relaxed with excellent food. Recently Marea on CPS - had some of the best pasta ever. Though not super-deluxe design - more subtle. Chateau Eza above the Riviera was the best combination of location and food. But the stuffiness of French restaurants is a turn off - however attentive the service.

Lutece. My bi boyfriend took me there to break up with me in 1975. He was going to marry a woman, because he just [italic]couldn't[/italic] be gay. What would people say.

I cried in my bouillabaisse and got saffron mayo on my tie. Over the next year, I met my first gay boyfriends.

I can't remember the name but it was somewhere on Central Park East. Mid-90's A rich interior designer friend took me there for lunch for a thrill (I was a hot young thing and I think he wanted to be seen with me).

It was old school fancy, like something out of a movie.

At his suggestion I ordered a caviar sandwich. Beluga spread on white bread with butter. It cost $100 and was delicious.

[quote]Central Park East

We call that Fifth Avenue.

R43 FTW

Saison in San Francisco. It was good but not my favorite meal. There were some noisy tech bros in that night and kinda ruined the experience.

Not a swanky restaurant, but famous: Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif. There is a restaurant and a "cafe" in the same building. One is upstairs, one is downstairs. Did not make reservations early enough, so could not get into resto, but did eat in cafe. IIRC, cafe did serve a prix fixe menu. I can't remember all that I ate.

I do remember the salad, which was life-changing & delicious. I'm not joking. Made me realize I could make my own damn salad dressing and toss the salad to coat all the leaves, etc. (Instead of pouring something thick from a bottle that sits on top in the middle of your salad.)

I remember the dessert was cookies and fresh cherries. The salad was the big thing.

The Shed at Dulwich

[quote]Joel Robuchon in Vegas.

Me too, several times. The menu is usually set there and I know I've had sea bass several times and lobster. The food is all French and it's astounding. The caviar truffles almost made me orgasm.

I've also eaten at Le Cinq in the George V in Paris. It's an out of this world experience.

Tad's Steakhouse in NYC.

Sasabune sushi restaurant. Food was good but nothing stands out in my mind as being above-average delicious. It's prix fixe. I'm a somewhat fast eater (and was hungry that day), but the pacing was ridiculous (machine gun). Would not go back.

The Grill at the Dorchester in London.

Le Cirque in both NYC and Vegas

L'Espalier and Locke-Ober in Boston

strangest: ancient restaurant (fish) in Mayfair. We were seated in the Queen Mothers' private dining room.

nicest: Inn of the Seventh Ray in Topanga Canyon. We were seated in our own little cottage with a working fireplace.

Old school swanky, Chasen's in Beverly Hills. It was kind of disappointing, the decor was a 1950's with an awful 1980's update - not a good look. It was outrageously expensive for just ok food, but it was a work lunch, so my boss paid.

Most memorable was we saw Nancy Regan, this was after Regan died, sitting alone in a private dining room having her lunch. I can't stand that woman, but it was a sad sight. BTW, she had a giant lollipop head/hair with an emaciated body. She predictably was wearing a red Chanel-ish two-piece suit. I got a good look at her when we were leaving and she was out in the dining room chatting with friends.

It was 1987 at Spago, power lunch with colleagues Tina and Bill, and we all had the same thing: salade chinois. Afterwards, we did coke in a parking garage.

French Laundry. I don't remember what my favorite dish was as we had all had too much wine. I didn't pay otherwise I wouldn't have gone.

Breakfast at Le Meurice.

My companions ordered oatmeal and fresh fruit and coffee. I ordered coffee. Between the four of us, the check was nearly €200.

It was incredibly elegant and wonderful service, but over $200 for some fruit, oatmeal and coffee for four people is ridiculous

Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia in the restaurant's hey day around 1980. Incredible classic French. Almost impossible to get a reservation (kind of like Per Se and French Laundry). The other interesting thing is the restaurant only took cash or check. No credit cards. As I recall, dinner for two in 1980 was about $300

The Mansion on Turtle creek, Dallas Commanders palace, NOLA

Oh, R57. I forgot about Commander's Palace - in the Paul Prudhomme days.

Probably Michael Mina, in Las Vegas.

Chez Panisse isn’t swanky but it’s nationally recognized but I remember the dessert was awful and they gave us a cheese plate when we complained.

McDonald's

Red Lobster all you can eat scrimpses

'scrimpses'?

Le Perroquet and Les Nomades.

Going to Le Perroquet educated me how to behave at Les Nomades.

Les Nomades would be the secret, private, Member's Only restaurant in Data Lounge Land.

Caftans WITH jackets.

While Per Se (see R38 above) was the "swankiest" by price and rep, the New York Cafe in Budapest was the swankiest *looking* place I've ever eaten at.

All that gilt

Business Dinner at "The Pool" in New York. At the end of the meal, in the hallway back to the bar, this creature floated by me seemingly without moving its legs. Realized several seconds later, it was an Olsen Twin with heavy black eyeliner and dark sunken eyes. It joined up with the other one a few moments later when I turned around. I no longer have a soul.

The now shuttered Maisonette in downtown Cincinnati (which was a very lush, 5 star restaurant). I wouldn't be able to tell you what I ordered: I went to lunch as a guest, and I was so horrified by the prices that I think I just ordered a green salad. I was a very innocent 20-something at the time.

R25, another DLCAS victim

[quote]I've had lunch at the Ritz in London twice

I was eating lunch at the Ritz in London with my mother, when the maitre'd came over to our table and said in the most snooty voice, "Madame, you mustn't drape your coat on the back of the chair."

Her coat was a full-length sable fur coat, which probably costs more than he makes in 6 months.

R37 Look at it. It's reptilian. And all tower restaurants, even classy ones, retain at least an undercurrent of touristy ick factor. It just reopened this July with a new chef and renovation so maybe things have changed.

Almost all the restaurants mentioned in this thread retain an undercurrent of touristy ick factor, R70

They're almost all "Oh my Elmer! Can you believe we're actually here!!!!" type places.

Which most of them play up.

Had dinner at Jules Verne several years ago and did not like it. I don't remember liking anything we ordered. I guess you're paying for the experience of dining in the Eiffel Tower, but the food is not that good.

Better go to Le Ciel de Paris in the Tour Montparnasse and look at the Eiffel tower instead of looking at the Tour from inside the godzilla nest.

[quote]Her coat was a full-length sable fur coat, which probably costs more than he makes in 6 months.

I feel trolled. Would you consider his behavior acceptable if her coat were a denim jacket? How tall was the back of that chair? Who drapes a full-length coat over the back of a chair? Does the Ritz not have a coat check service? Was your mother too common to trust the coat check with her full-length sable fur coat? Worried that some greedy employee would steal her coat, run away, and retire on the proceeds? Is "sable leather" a thing such that one would need to specify sable *fur"? I have questions and demand answers!

Um, anyway. Chez Panisse. I ordered the chicken. Felt foolish doing so -- who goes to a fancy ass restaurant and orders chicken? I rarely order chicken in normal restaurants. But the description of the dish sounded delightful so I went for it. Best fucking chicken ever. Served with heavenly broccolini.

Mezzaluna

[quote] Almost all the restaurants mentioned in this thread retain an undercurrent of touristy ick factor, R70

[quote] They're almost all "Oh my Elmer! Can you believe we're actually here!!!!" type places.

[quote] Which most of them play up.

Oh get a whiff of [italic]you.[/italic]

R76, posting from 1970.

Sadly, probably Red Lobster or Olive Garden.

Had a 14 course menu at a 5 star Thai restaurant with another DataLounger years ago. It was the 3rd time I went, but the quality had come down some over the years.

Still, truly a great and memorable meal. And I went with AYB (AngryYoungBrit) - some people will remember him.

Whistle Stop Cafe.

And what rating institution gives "5 stars"?

R81 - it was an American rating, not Michelin. At the time, it was the best Thai restaurant in the country.

But it lost its way over the years.

Denny's in California. I tried their Moons Over My Hammy. Delicious!

I had a clam roll at a Howard Johnson’s once.

Heaven!

Olive Garden— amazing food

I’m not a foodie, especially an expensive one. For me. It was Nobu in Hong Kong.

My parents were not exactly foodies but restauranties. Over the years I have been to tons of "fine dining" restaurants. For sheer delight and fun, I'll go with The Fat Duck.

R55 - I had breakfast like that when the Regent Wall St. was still open. I can't remember what their restaurant was called now, but that was in 2001 and they closed around 2003. It was actually very good though. I ate there a few times. It's been so long but I still remember they had an egg white frittata with a potato bird's nest thing on top I got once. That hotel was incredible. It opened at the worst possible time though.

R79: is Ayb still around?

Canlis in Seattle is the best I can up with.

The Vistero on top of the Vista Palace Hotel in Roquebrune-Cap Martin. ( It sits above Monte Carlo on the Grande Corniche). My BFF's birthday. The most amazing views and the servers were enjoyable, lacking the usual French attitude!

AYB is still around, he doesn't sign his posts but I saw him posting here earlier this year.

Sounds cliched, but The Savoy, London. Bonus: the ladies room is so huge I got lost on my way out!! Also, the Hawaiian restaurant (whose name I can't remember to save my life). I'm talking about the one in S.F.; the original is by Diamond Head in Honolulu. DLers out there, help me remember the name????

[R92] here - I remembered: Roy's!!!! So lovely....

Da Umberto in NYC, I guess. It was for work, a vendor was trying to wine and dine us. They pointed out that Billy Joel had just left as we were walking in. I ordered a rack of lamb. It came out with panko bread crumbs on it. The food and service were OK, but there are cuts of meat that you really shouldn't try to guild the lily with - like lamb.

I've enjoyed this thread immensely.

The Quilted Giraffe. NYC (I have no idea what I ate any of the times I was there.) La Grenouille, NYC (not the best food but definitely the swankiest) Aureole, NYC (not for the food so much but the buttery leather chairs) Windows on the World, NYC (who knows what we ate but Johann and I took vodka shots between each course) Le Meurice, Paris Bistrot Saint Sauveur, Cannes

And my favorite restaurant in the world: Le Bernardin., NYC

Le Bernardin

Lutece

The 4 Seasons

Lidyas

Lafayette

Chez Jean Georges

Per Se

Cafe Des Artistes

Not really swanky in any way, but great meals. On a trip to California with the love of my life at the time, the standouts were dinner at Compton Place in San Francisco, and in Napa, lunch at Mustard's Grill. I can't remember the whole meals we had, but dessert at Compton Place was a scoop of pistachio ice cream with ripe figs and caramel sauce. The starter at Mustard's was crispy fried calamari.

^ That should be Campton Place in San Francisco.

Mustards is a great restaurant, but you're right- not swanky in the least.

Commander's Palace in New Orleans. Touristy but good.

[quote]Favorite, Perino's

Cafe du Commerce in Paris. Not sure if it was the most expensive, and I don't quite know how "swanky" is defined. But it is historic, the food was very very good, and it was a beautiful early fall evening in Paris. One of my best dining experiences ever.

The food at Tad's is the pride of New York

21

The Russian Tea Room

Commanders Palace

Antoines

Jean-Georges' Nougatine

R43 might be the most cunt’y comment I’ve ever read on DATALOUNGE. I can see the persed lips and little silk neck scarf now.

The Harmonia Gardens

It’s interesting to compare Les Nomades and Everest, R64 - Chicago’s remaining two haute cuisine French restaurants.

Both are swanky (which I take to mean old-school fancy) - but Les Nomades is FAR quieter and sedate

Everest, on the other hand, is all about the 40-story view, marble and mirrors

A friend and I went to Trader Vic's.

I ordered the tuna medium-rare, and we both ordered fun looking drinks that were supposed to come with fruit speared on plastic tiki head picks. Neither of us are people who hang onto junk, but we both wanted to keep the tiki heads as mementos of our special night out. The drinks were served with no picks. The waiter said they "must be out of them."

Tavern on the Green in NYC. A beautiful restaurant, but filled with tourists.

This one. We ordered lobster and drank pouilly fume and thought we were ever so grand. Till the $300 bill came ! I was wearing a red silk shirt and black silk pants,very Doctor Zhivago . We sat right at the window overlooking the beach and it was magical.

Veal marsala and tableside Caesar salad. This from the 70's!

Le Bernardin

[quote]Commander's Palace in New Orleans.

I stood on the porch. We almost had a chance to eat there but Hurricane Issac had knocked the power out for most of New Orleans. I'm sure it is good. What New Orleans restaurant isn't?

The Rainbow Room

Tavern on the Green

L'Auberge Chez Francois

The Inn At Little Washington

Commander's Palace

Antoine's

Galatoire's

The Carnelian Room

Lawry's The Prime Rib

Does anyone else fondly remember The Caribbean Room at the Pontchartrain Hotel in New Orleans?

Home of the famous Mile High Ice Cream Pie? Pompano en Papillote? Salty oysters?