Woman Orders $600 Meal For 1 At One Of America’s Most Expensive Restaurants, And Posts The Meals She Gets
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Have you ever wondered what it’s like to treat yourself to a $600 meal at one of the world’s best restaurants? While clearly no substitute for the real thing (the crucial senses of taste and smell cannot be replicated over the internet… yet), Imgur user Hoptail has allowed us to eat vicariously through her graphic descriptions and photos from a restaurant in San Francisco.
“So I got sent to San Francisco for work and I always make a habit of visiting the best restaurants when I travel. I’m not well-off by any means – I’m a college student. But I love good food and I save up for this shit. So please enjoy living vicariously through these photos of my dinner for 1 at Saison,” she said.
Taking us on a mouthwatering tour of the meal, which included an astonishing array of courses, Hoptail manages to convey her fine dining experience beautifully and without a hint of the snobbish tone usually reserved for such reviews.
Despite this, the young Aussie still copped quite a bit of flak on the net (inevitably) for her apparent extravagance in choosing to spend her money in such a fashion while a student, from vegans and from those vigorously opposed to the rampant restaurant photography that seems to have become the norm these days. “Documenting your food is becoming more and more acceptable now, even in high-end restaurants,” she explained. “I’m aware that I looked like an instawhore, but.. well, firstly, I don’t have Instagram, and secondly, if I’m going to spend that much on a meal, I want to be able to appreciate it later and share it with people who would find it interesting.”
Helpfully, Hoptail added a short FAQ at the end of her post, which she used to address some of these concerns in a satisfyingly forthright way. “For those of you with the disparaging comments about this endeavour not being worth it, or that I shouldn’t be spending my money on stuff like this if I’m not financially well-to-do. Kindly shove it up your arse. It’s my money, and this is what I like. I could be strung out on cocaine or have a crippling meth addiction. Cut me some slack. Go to Wendy’s if you WANT to, ain’t nothing wrong with that – you do you.”
Fair enough, Hoptail. Scroll down to check out her pics and descriptions below, and feel free to share your own fine dining experiences in the comments. Also feel free to discuss the merits or otherwise of spending a ton of cash on a single meal. Is it worth it for the experience? Let us know what you think!
“The most heavenly tea I’ve ever had in my life. Each little bushel had douglas fir, yarrow, chamomile, lemon balm, anise and hyssop all picked fresh from the restaurant farm and steeped in hot meyer lemon water”
“Up next, baby spinach, roasted kelp cooked in clarified butter (compliments of their jersey cow Bella) and topped with caviar”
“Turbot fish – 2 ways. Sashimi was amazing. The second preparation was grilled with a light soy glaze. Came with little heirloom tomatoes and some sort of deepfried flower”
“A Geoduck. If you’ve never heard of them before, Google it. They are freaky looking AF. Honestly, it wasn’t that good. Just kind of chewy and the marinade was super overwhelming I couldn’t actually taste the meat”
“This was, hands down, my favourite course. Fresh sea urchin on grilled bread that was basted in a sauce made of the off-cuts of the bread. It was SUPER creamy.. like the butter of the sea. So amazingly fresh and the sauce in the bread was incredible”
“That’s sliced radish on top (again from their farm) with Bella’s clarified butter”
“Underneath there was a sort of radish jelly vinegar reduction, the radish tops and cubes of marinated radish. It was super fresh and tart and a really good transition from the richness of the previous course”
“This is roasted pumpkin – 3 ways. The first to the left is kind of like agedashi tofu except it’s torn roast pumpkin topped with octopus flakes”
“Second preparation was pumpkin hung over their in-house fire and slow roasted for like 8 hours with a buttermilk cream. Caramelisation was incredible”
“Not sure about this one. Pumpkin puree in cold-pressed pumpkin seed oil. It felt like it was kind of added as an afterthought and was way too salty. I’m not even sure how I was supposed to eat it”
“This is antelope. It came with stuffed radicchio, herb salad and really nice biscuits and honey butter that tasted like pancakes”
“It was well-seasoned and had the texture of a cross between venison and beef and was perfectly medium-rare”
“Antelope bone broth with sage. It was actually really nice, but I needed to move on from Bambi’s relatives”
“This is smoked ice cream. Don’t ask me the science behind how one smokes ice cream – but it’s got something to do incorporating exotic wood embers into the cream. So incredible though, and came with life-changing salted caramel”
“Accompanying assortment of candied toppings (walnuts, peanuts, cacao nibs and pine nuts)”
“Dessert, yes. The best part. Praise Jesus, my palette has been blessed. Amen”
“Orange buttermilk creamsicle”
“Super smooth, really creamy and had hidden segments of candied oranges at the bottom”
“Blueberry sorbet on top of brandy macerated blueberries. Topped with more brandy. Good if you like brandy. I don’t”
“The Saison “Snickers” bar. This is an off-menu item that comes if you befriend the right waiter. Some sort of dark chocolate and nut brownie base, salted caramel centre, chocolate ganache and topped with 24K gold”
“Honestly, this was an awesome experience and, for me, well worth the money”
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I think people criticizing various aspects of this are failing to put it all together. Hell yeah, $600 is a lot but this so much more than an exquisite meal, it's an experience that everyone should indulge at least once in their lifetime. These photos cannot capture the sights & smells, fresh linens instead of paper napkins, being treated like royalty, & the wine pairings with each course that come with such a meal. Portions are small because there are so many courses, it's not meant to be a plateful of meat 'n taters to wolf down. All of this is prepared fresh & carefully by highly trained chefs & staff, not hash slingers throwing something frozen in the deep fryer. It's the difference between Dodge & Lamborghini.
Agreed. On a very rare occasion, I have gone for a tasting meal with a few friends. By the time we add drinks and tip, it is aprox $200 per person, but it is often a 3+ hour meal where each unique item is carefully prepared and described and service is always perfect.
I can understand paying $200 per person for this experience but $600. Good grief, that is a lot of doe for something that can't be taken home in a doggie bag.
Isn't it in San Francisco? This guys need to make a living in the city. Check, how much is to rent a studio there.
It's such a personal thing, anyway ! It's what she likes, so why would anyone have anything to say ? It reminds me of a friend of mine who was ALWAYS complaining that people "throw a lot of money for things that didn't last", but she spent like 12.000$ every year for her holidays. Everyone is free to do what they want with their money !
And then you walk by someone begging on the street to go home for a snooze?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
There are many homeless shelters and soup kitchens near me. So, yes. I'd go home and snooze. I need the energy for my demanding job and long hours and stress that result in my having money
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Don't those people have family or friends that trust them enough to take them in?
More Like ... between Dodge and Rolls-Royce! At least, to me.
As a comparative between a junkyard bomb brand (Dodge) and élite luxury marque (Ferrari), it rings better like these examples: Alfa Romeo vs Aston Martin; Buick vs Bugatti; Fiat vs Ferrari; Jeep vs Jaguar; Kia vs Koenigsegg; Mitsubishi vs Maserati; Peugeot vs Porsche; Renault vs Rolls Royce; Tata Motors vs Tesla — albeit, hand-stitched leather, cashmere and teak ineriors aside, there's an argument that most new Japanese/Korean vehicles are far more reliable than any Italian sportscar.
Same people wait in line to upgrade their perfectly-working order phone to the next release too.
Yeah. Basically, it's an edible fine art experience. It's meant to be savoured. It shouldn't be rated solely on quantity of food. All of these creations are very painstakingly crafted by someone who has trained extremely hard for many years, to be able to make them for the diner.
interesting...difference, I hate Dodge even the name is odd...but I'll take it any day over the other offer...and I love cooking gourmet and not too shabby at it...my training...in France! Even $600 is a bit steep...all the wine pairings...linen and sights and smells...at $600...sorry way too pricey...next?
On the other hand, if you buy a Lamborghini, at least you get to keep it. I think people are criticizing this because it's such an ephemeral use of a very large amount of money. You keep nothing, except the memory of an ego massage.
I would rather (with that $600.00,) experience feeding several people who are hungry, a good meal of meat potatoes and vegetables The difference between eating and starvation!
People easily spend more than that on smart phones or starbucks coffee or leaving the heat up in their house.
You don't know if she doesn't give to charity or feed the starving. It may be something she does and decided to enjoy something for herself. I don't see anything wrong in pampering or spoiling yourself if one can afford it.
Maybe she got more than $600 in her pocket and could've previously done charity work with her own money as well
Have you?
Take it easy people. Carole did not say Hoptail "should have fed several people instead" only that that is what she (Carole) would rather do. Her choice. Just as it was the choice of Hoptail to do this.
Good for you, dear.
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Exquisite meal?? Exquisite meal my butt......
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
You're both nuts. It's about as absurd as Consumer Reports, the paragon of saving money, actually recommending a small box of chocolates for $50 because they were "devine". And BTW, it ALL looks dreadful.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Dickhead pandas are advertising again lol
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
I resigned my office-job and now I am getting paid £64 hourly. How? I work over internet! My old work was making me miserab, so I was forced to try something different, two years after...I can say my life is changed-completely for the better! Check it out what i do... http://random.website/1cZR
honestly that was a shit ton of food! Not individually of course but if you put all of that together that was a big portion with honestly pretty healthy ingredients save the dessert. If I get to a point in my life when I'm financially secure and can afford some luxuries, food like this would be right up there with travel. Life is short, experience everything you can and that's not something anyone should hate on.
I get that there's plenty of room for ridicule or contempt here...but I see where she's coming from, here. This was not just a meal, but an experience: exotic, flavorful, colorful, and unique. Watching these photos was like travelling to restaurants all over the world. She feels that it was worth the money, and I believe her. It wouldn't be worth it for me, of course--after all, a thing is only "worth" what you're willing to pay for it--but she makes a compelling case for the meal as an experience.
I don't see plenty of room for ridicule or contempt. Nothing wrong with holding on to working class values, for sure, but nothing wrong with valuing the pleasures of the senses.
*either
I think people criticizing various aspects of this are failing to put it all together. Hell yeah, $600 is a lot but this so much more than an exquisite meal, it's an experience that everyone should indulge at least once in their lifetime. These photos cannot capture the sights & smells, fresh linens instead of paper napkins, being treated like royalty, & the wine pairings with each course that come with such a meal. Portions are small because there are so many courses, it's not meant to be a plateful of meat 'n taters to wolf down. All of this is prepared fresh & carefully by highly trained chefs & staff, not hash slingers throwing something frozen in the deep fryer. It's the difference between Dodge & Lamborghini.
Agreed. On a very rare occasion, I have gone for a tasting meal with a few friends. By the time we add drinks and tip, it is aprox $200 per person, but it is often a 3+ hour meal where each unique item is carefully prepared and described and service is always perfect.
I can understand paying $200 per person for this experience but $600. Good grief, that is a lot of doe for something that can't be taken home in a doggie bag.
Isn't it in San Francisco? This guys need to make a living in the city. Check, how much is to rent a studio there.
It's such a personal thing, anyway ! It's what she likes, so why would anyone have anything to say ? It reminds me of a friend of mine who was ALWAYS complaining that people "throw a lot of money for things that didn't last", but she spent like 12.000$ every year for her holidays. Everyone is free to do what they want with their money !
And then you walk by someone begging on the street to go home for a snooze?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
There are many homeless shelters and soup kitchens near me. So, yes. I'd go home and snooze. I need the energy for my demanding job and long hours and stress that result in my having money
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Don't those people have family or friends that trust them enough to take them in?
More Like ... between Dodge and Rolls-Royce! At least, to me.
As a comparative between a junkyard bomb brand (Dodge) and élite luxury marque (Ferrari), it rings better like these examples: Alfa Romeo vs Aston Martin; Buick vs Bugatti; Fiat vs Ferrari; Jeep vs Jaguar; Kia vs Koenigsegg; Mitsubishi vs Maserati; Peugeot vs Porsche; Renault vs Rolls Royce; Tata Motors vs Tesla — albeit, hand-stitched leather, cashmere and teak ineriors aside, there's an argument that most new Japanese/Korean vehicles are far more reliable than any Italian sportscar.
Same people wait in line to upgrade their perfectly-working order phone to the next release too.
Yeah. Basically, it's an edible fine art experience. It's meant to be savoured. It shouldn't be rated solely on quantity of food. All of these creations are very painstakingly crafted by someone who has trained extremely hard for many years, to be able to make them for the diner.
interesting...difference, I hate Dodge even the name is odd...but I'll take it any day over the other offer...and I love cooking gourmet and not too shabby at it...my training...in France! Even $600 is a bit steep...all the wine pairings...linen and sights and smells...at $600...sorry way too pricey...next?
On the other hand, if you buy a Lamborghini, at least you get to keep it. I think people are criticizing this because it's such an ephemeral use of a very large amount of money. You keep nothing, except the memory of an ego massage.
I would rather (with that $600.00,) experience feeding several people who are hungry, a good meal of meat potatoes and vegetables The difference between eating and starvation!
People easily spend more than that on smart phones or starbucks coffee or leaving the heat up in their house.
You don't know if she doesn't give to charity or feed the starving. It may be something she does and decided to enjoy something for herself. I don't see anything wrong in pampering or spoiling yourself if one can afford it.
Maybe she got more than $600 in her pocket and could've previously done charity work with her own money as well
Have you?
Take it easy people. Carole did not say Hoptail "should have fed several people instead" only that that is what she (Carole) would rather do. Her choice. Just as it was the choice of Hoptail to do this.
Good for you, dear.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Exquisite meal?? Exquisite meal my butt......
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
You're both nuts. It's about as absurd as Consumer Reports, the paragon of saving money, actually recommending a small box of chocolates for $50 because they were "devine". And BTW, it ALL looks dreadful.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Dickhead pandas are advertising again lol
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
I resigned my office-job and now I am getting paid £64 hourly. How? I work over internet! My old work was making me miserab, so I was forced to try something different, two years after...I can say my life is changed-completely for the better! Check it out what i do... http://random.website/1cZR
honestly that was a shit ton of food! Not individually of course but if you put all of that together that was a big portion with honestly pretty healthy ingredients save the dessert. If I get to a point in my life when I'm financially secure and can afford some luxuries, food like this would be right up there with travel. Life is short, experience everything you can and that's not something anyone should hate on.
I get that there's plenty of room for ridicule or contempt here...but I see where she's coming from, here. This was not just a meal, but an experience: exotic, flavorful, colorful, and unique. Watching these photos was like travelling to restaurants all over the world. She feels that it was worth the money, and I believe her. It wouldn't be worth it for me, of course--after all, a thing is only "worth" what you're willing to pay for it--but she makes a compelling case for the meal as an experience.
I don't see plenty of room for ridicule or contempt. Nothing wrong with holding on to working class values, for sure, but nothing wrong with valuing the pleasures of the senses.
*either