rant: fine dining

[stlouie_lipp]

I've never had a bad experience at Tucker's so I'll be perfectly happy if that is where we end up. I'm drooling over the pictures on their website as we speak actually.

I've always avoided the really expensive places because I have a hard time believing the meal is really worth it but one of these days I'm going to check one out for myself. I want to see what these food snobs know that I don't. Who knows, maybe after spending $100 on a meal for myself I'll be converted to food snobbery and agree with the people who claim Applebee's isn't fit to be consumed and shouldn't even be called food. I just want to punch those people in the face.

I'm not a food snob, but there is a huge difference between a $25 Applebee's meal and a $100 meal at "fine dining" restaurant. And I put "fine dining" in quotes because I don't think you necessarily need to go to a place were a suit and tie is required or follow that lady's advice in the videos to enjoy a "fine dining" experience.

Maybe haltz or 33 can weigh in on this, but I think going to those places for lunch gives you some of the same great food and "fine dining" experience at a reduced cost (and more casual environment) than going there for dinner.

[jim]

the people who claim Applebee's isn't fit to be consumed and shouldn't even be called food. I just want to punch those people in the face.

The Apple is horrible, I haven't liked it since I was in high school. Occasionally well be with a group that decides to eat there and each time I'm more disappointed then the last. I'm amazed people want to go there.

It's way better than McDonalds. Get a hamburger and fries and a beer. It's fine.

[33anda3rd]

I can't speak for where y'all are from and what your experience is but here in Chicago, $100 for 2 to eat isn't "fine dining" to me. For TheMrs54 and I to go out and have a couple three drinks and eat, $100 is an upscale but casual neighborhood place--the food and bev is upscale, the setting is not--Mott Street, Longman, Avec, etc. The fine dining places like Alinea, Next, Sixteen, and so on are closer to $200/person out the door. Alinea is something like $1K now for two with pairings. It's ridiculous. There's a big gap between that and what my peers and I do.

There's a bit of a revolution that's been happening the last 17 years, and here it started when Paul, Donnie, Ricky and Eddie opened Blackbird. Sleek, sexy room, very upscale food, but come on in in jeans and a ballcap if you want. You might not be comfortable, but you were welcome. They were serving a bouche in the West Loop, outside the temples of Trotters, Le Francais and a few others. It was fine dining food in a non-haughty, welcoming room. It turned stuff upside down. Dave Chang told his architect to "go look at Avec (the Blackbird guys second place) and steal that" for his Momofuku. It spread to NYC and other places like State Bird in SF where you get fine dining off a dim sum cart! Those places are everywhere in Chicago. Our chef has been through Blackbird, Vie, a few other heavy hitter places with Michelin stars. The guy who runs the hot line came from Alinea. The guy who runs the cold from Moto/iNG. It's serious food--it's fine-dining food. But we're a very casual place, and you can get out of here with three courses and two drinks each for well under $100 for two. And we're not unique in that regard.

Fine dining is going the way of small ball: you'll see it around but sparingly. Master Somms who were supposed to fall into a six-figure income popping bottles at whale restaurants can't get jobs unless they can also manage the floor/bar. Grace is the only important big-time fine dining place to open here since the Trump Hotel opened Sixteen. People like us are eating at neighborhood joints with great chefs and servers in Chuck Taylors and beards. Those are the places I want to eat at right now, not some stuffy fine dining place.

[33anda3rd]

What I'm trying to enunciate above and rambling and not doing a good job of enunciating is: there's a really big spread of restaurants. There's a big spread even between upscale-$100/couple dinners and stripmall-$40/couple places. I think that's amplified the bigger the city you live in and the more diverse your options.

Yeah, as Lipp said, you can, I believe, get great lunch deals on places like Blackbird.

[lukethedrifter]

the people who claim Applebee's isn't fit to be consumed and shouldn't even be called food. I just want to punch those people in the face.

The Apple is horrible, I haven't liked it since I was in high school. Occasionally well be with a group that decides to eat there and each time I'm more disappointed then the last. I'm amazed people want to go there.

It's way better than McDonalds. Get a hamburger and fries and a beer. It's fine.

No. Applebee's is not fine. You might as well go get a frozen sandwich at Mobil and save yourself 20 bucks.

Bring it on, tlombard.

[heyzeus]

I can't speak for where y'all are from and what your experience is but here in Chicago, $100 for 2 to eat isn't "fine dining" to me. For TheMrs54 and I to go out and have a couple three drinks and eat, $100 is an upscale but casual neighborhood place--

#themiddle1%

[Secret Weapon]

Went to the Chophouse in Clayton last night. They have a good $33 pre-fixe menu on Sundays. Was a pretty tasty steak.

[lukethedrifter]

Went to the Chophouse in Clayton last night. They have a good $33 pre-fixe menu on Sundays. Was a pretty tasty steak.

what did you get?

edit: nitpicking but can't help it. prix fixe not pre fixe

[Secret Weapon]

Went to the Chophouse in Clayton last night. They have a good $33 pre-fixe menu on Sundays. Was a pretty tasty steak.

what did you get?

edit: nitpicking but can't help it. prix fixe not pre fixe

yeah im surprised i typed that, im an idiot

got a wedge salad, which was literally just a wedge of lettuce and a couple cherry tomatoes, 6oz filet with boursin mashed potatoes and asparagus, creme brulee for dessert.

Basic but very tasty, and a good price for a place that usually charges 40-50 bucks just for the steak.

[jim]

The only "fine dining" we do is in Wisconsin, where $75 for two really is fine dining. I don't eat in Chicago restaurants as they are over priced and I do not understand what I am eating.

This place is one of my favorites:

http://www.vikinginnviroqua.com/

The Prime Rib is as good as you will get anywhere, and the salad buffet and soup buffet is outstanding. They serve New Glarus too.