Grapevine: Living Vicariously for the Seemingly Right Reasons
The offerings on restaurant food menus and wine lists in the 21st century have seen a wave of unprecedented changes. Ingredients, individually and in combination, are enticing and pleasing diners with novel and sophisticated tasting experiences. Similarly, wine lists are broader and deeper, to accompany the new flavor combinations on food menus.
There is a high price to be paid for those diners seeking out meals at the cutting edge of gustatory pleasure. At high-end restaurants, it is not uncommon for food offerings to be restricted to prix fixe tasting menus, oftentimes offered with accompanying sommelier hand-selected wines to match the courses. At esteemed restaurants, a dinner tab for two commonly reaches astronomical heights (four digits) and, if accompanied by cult wines, can cross over into five-digit extravagances.
Last week I explored the dining experience one might enjoy at one of these restaurants, Eleven Madison Park. The combination of food, wine and service has garnered the restaurant the highest accolades from many sources. A seat is as coveted – and expensive – as a premium box seat at NFL or Major League Baseball games.
My closing comment read “Whether dining for hedonistic pleasure or cultured refinement, a meal at Eleven Madison Park will leave a lasting impression on a patron’s life – and wallet.”
Several readers commented on last week’s column. The initial reaction was a degree of shock that a typical dinner tab for two at Eleven Madison Park could easily exceed $1,000. The next comments were more probing: who dines at this restaurant? What clientele does Eleven Madison Park attract? Who would pay several thousand dollars for a single bottle of wine? (The top price is $13,500.)
I should be clear that Eleven Madison Park is not alone in the gastronomic stratosphere of New York culinary extravagances. Each of the (only) six restaurants receiving The New York Times coveted four stars has a similar scope and cost as at Eleven Madison Park. In fact, the prix fixe food menu at one of them, Per Se, at $310 (for nine courses), is higher than the $270 (for 12 courses) at Eleven Madison Park.
Patrons dine at Eleven Madison Park for many reasons. Primary among these is that the overall meal experience will be unequalled and remembered as a defining life experience. After that, it is my opinion it is the following thought processes that rationalize booking a reservation and applying for an equity loan:
- It is a very special occasion. Who could forget a decade birthday celebration, wedding anniversary, college graduation or other life passage/life altering event at an exclusive restaurant? Especially if you’re sharing it with (very grateful) family members.
- It is less expensive than a comparable European dining experience. European visitors to the United States are able to enjoy fine dining experiences at a discount of between 10 and 30 percent to the dollar over the past year. And they are flocking to high-end American restaurants (and retail shops) in droves.
- It is a business expense. What better way to thank a customer or client than a no holds barred meal at an American culinary temple? It seems that investment bankers and hedge fund managers have mastered the art of influencing clients, while receiving a tax subsidy from their Uncle Sam. In my financial career, I have personally been the recipient of the largesse of investment bankers and securities dealers at the finest restaurants.
- It is an opportunity to enjoy wines not available in wine shops or auction houses. Many high-end restaurants have significant budgets to purchase and cellar fine wines; wines that are extremely rare and generally unavailable to even high rollers. Eleven Madison Park offers wines, at high markups, that are difficult to find in the open market. If you’ve always desired a 40-year-old Burgundy or a 50-year-old Bordeaux, Eleven Madison Park can satiate your desire to indulge in a hedonistic experience.
What is your opinion? Would the prospect of an extraordinary dining experience tantalize you to forego a mortgage payment or maybe that new deck you’ve been yearning for?
Nick Antonaccio is a 35-year Pleasantville resident. For over 15 years he has conducted wine tastings and lectures. He also offers personalized wine tastings and wine travel services. Nick’s credo: continuous experimenting results in instinctive behavior. You can reach him at nantonaccio@theexaminernews.com or on Twitter @sharingwine.
