dining

Dining Out Tops List of Budget Cutbacks

Filed under: Dining

Bad news for the restaurant world, eating out has topped the list of a survey of what people are willing to give up during a recession. The survey, conducted by New York marketing firm GfK Custom Research last fall found that 82 percent of those surveyed could easily forgo restaurant time as their first cutback in a difficult economy. Forbes reports that the National Restaurant Association in Washington, D.C., predicts that Americans will spend $566 billion eating out in 2009 which is a small 2.5 percent increase over 2008. The good news for those still interested in dining is that the deals abound. All across the restaurant spectrum, from casual dining to some of the best restaurants in the U.S., discounts and special offers provide an incentive to let someone else do the cooking.

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Tags: dining, economy, recession, restaurant

Michel Rostang's $122 Sandwich (Yes, Truffles)

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

It seems whenever there's some kind of exorbitantly expensive food there's an ingredient that almost always makes an appearance: truffles. This sandwich, called LE "SANDWICH" TIEDE A LA TRUFFE FRAÎCHE, and created by French chef Michel Rostang, is no exception. It will appeal to purists mostly as it is amazingly simple: fresh truffles are sliced and placed on toasted country bread with salted butter. The sandwich sits for two nights (so the flavors can marinate together) and then the whole thing is lightly grilled on both sides. That's it. Heck, if you have some spare truffles lying around you can make this at home instead of a grilled cheese or something. Or maybe not. 98 €

Gallery: Expensive Truffle-based Eats

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Tags: chefs, dining, michel rostang, MichelRostang, most expensive, MostExpensive, restaurants, sandwich, truffles

Colorful Mismatched Tumbler Set

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Dining

Set your table with this eclectic group of glasses and you'll not only have a colorful display but there won't be any worries about whose glass is whose. Designed by Pols Potten and imported from Amsterdam, the set consists of 6 glasses, all in distinctly different colors and patterns. The only constants between them are their conical shape and a theme of bright jewel tones like violet, ink, and seagreen. Whimsical polka dots and classic stripes will fit the mood and personality of every guest. $99

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Tags: dining, dinnerware, glasses, glassware, tabletop, tumbler

Valentine's Essentials: Dining

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

The perfect meal can set the tone for an entire romantic evening. But it isn't just about how much you're willing to spend -- you have to choose a spot based on its ambiance, service and, of course, the meal. From coast to coast well-known venues are serving special menus to celebrate Valentine's Day with you. All you have to do is decide which one to reserve!

In Hollywood, Gordon Ramsay at the London West Hollywood has a myriad of tantalizing options all involving a seven-course, prix-fixe menu. Inside the restaurant this romantic meal is $200 - $300 per couple while a private 'engagement' dining room for two is $1,000 and the rooftop poolside cabanas are $1,150. Both the private dining rooms (there are two) and poolside cabana seatings include a bottle of Cristal upon arrival, a dozen red roses, and a take-home keepsake.

In NYC's Plaza Hotel, the recently renovated Oak Room is offering a sumptuous menu including seafood, steak and, of course, chocolate to suit your tastes for $140 per person.

At Denver's historic Brown Palace Hotel, the esteemed Palace Arms is showcasing a decadent six-course meal incorporating chocolate in every dish for $150 per couple.

Dallas' premiere restaurant, The French Room inside the Adolphus Hotel, is featuring a delicious three-course meal for $115 per person.

Lastly, The Herbfarm located outside of Seattle in Woodinville, Washington, has created a themed evening deemed "A Menu for Two Hearts" available Feb. 12 - 15 for $189 to $205 per person.

If you aren't close to one of these culinary wonders don't fret -- your community is bound to have something spectacular happening at their own local venues. Just be sure to avoid the chain restaurant on a night like Valentines.

Gallery: Specialty Menus for V-Day

Gordon Ramsay at the London West Hollywood

Passion at the Oak Room - Plaza Hotel in NYC

Palace Arms inside the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver

The French Room inside the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas

The Main Dining Room at The Herbfarm in Washington

Tags: adolphus hotel, AdolphusHotel, dining, london west hollywood, LondonWestHollywood, oak room, OakRoom, palace arms, PalaceArms, the brown palace, the french room, the herbfarm, TheBrownPalace, TheFrenchRoom, TheHerbfarm, valentines day, valentines dining, ValentinesDay, ValentinesDining

Omaha Steaks, Order In For $10,000

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

I mentioned Omaha Steaks last month when talking about Thanksgiving turkeys to order online but the mail order food company has a far more luxurious new option. The "Ultimate in Luxurious Home Dining," is a five-course Omaha Steaks Private Reserve gourmet dinner party, which is prepared and served in the customer's home by the company's Executive Chef and culinary staff. The five-course dinner for eight includes appetizers and cocktails, soup, salad, entrée and desserts accompanied by wines to complement every course from Omaha Steaks family owner Fred Simon's private wine cellar. The package retails for $10,000.

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Tags: dining, food, omaha steaks, OmahaSteaks

'Bottle Keep' Means No More Wine by the Glass

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Services

How many times have you passed on a glass of wine because the kind you wanted was only sold by the bottle? The Japanese have a good thing going called "bottle keep" that takes care of that problem by allowing customers to drink what they want out of a bottle of wine and save the rest for later. The restaurant puts the customers name on the bottle and keeps it in the back until their next visit.

What an awesome way to make the most of a bottle of wine (not to mention impressing friends and family with the VIP treatment!). Obviously this idea isn't reserved only for the Japanese so now I'm be on the hunt for a restaurant that offers this service (or something like it) in my area.

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Tags: bottle, bottle keep, BottleKeep, bottles, dining, japan, japanese, restaurant, restaurants, tradition

Best Hospitality in Bermuda: The Pompano Beach Club

by Meg Massie (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

It's hard to have a bad vacation in a place like Bermuda. The island is lovely, the people are friendly, and it's unlike any other place on earth. When traveling internationally, it's always a plus to stay somewhere with a warm, accessible staff. I've never been better accommodated than when I stayed at the Pompano Beach Club in Southampton, Bermuda.

The resort itself is made up of a few dozen oceanfront cottages along the most sparkling blue water you'll ever see. The Pompano has all the standard resort amenities, including a private beach, pools, game and fitness center, spa, and water excursions, but by far the greatest amenity is its dining room. Your breakfast and dinner each day are included in the price of your stay, and the food easily competes with most of the finest restaurants in America. The dress code is "smart-casual," meaning collared shirts for men and no jeans, t-shirts, or sandals. You will have your choice of three or four different items per course each evening on the resort's rotating five-course dinner menu. There are plenty of restaurants nearby if you choose to dine out, but why would you?

The staff is the friendliest I've ever encountered on any of my travels. Merv, the bartender, makes the best rum swizzle on the island -- it's a Bermudian staple.

Even though Bermuda is due east of the Carolinas, its climate is much nicer, tempered by the gulf stream. It can get uncomfortably hot and humid in the summer months, but spring and fall are lovely. Even in winter, temperatures rarely dip below the mid-50's, and the water is usually warm enough for a swim.

It's a tiny island -- only a few miles long -- but there's so much to do. Don't let Bermuda just be a short stop on your next cruise, like so many tourists do. This island is ideal for a nice long vacation, and the Pompano is the perfect place to spend that time.

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Tags: bermuda, dining, island, pompano-beach-club, southampton, tourism, travel, vacation

Alencon Rouge Dinnerware

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

Plain white dishes may showcase food but the Alencon Rouge dinnerware from L'Objet makes a more dramatic statement. The red plates are handmade in Portugal from white Limoges porcelain and are bordered with a 24 kt hand-gilded gold in an elaborate lacy pattern . The set includes both a soup plate and a deep soup bowl with two golden scrolled handles and something you don't get with grandmother's gilded china, a real mug instead of a coffee cup. The dinner plate sells for $160.

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Tags: alencon, decor, dining, plates

Decorate with Diamonds!

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

First off let me say that decorating your home with large, artificial gems is a delicate task that is really hard to pull off. That being said, though, used sparingly and in the right ways artificial diamonds can be a great way to satisfy (somewhat) your craving for sparkly gemstones and add a touch of glamor to your decor. Chiasso offers diamond sculptures in a couple different ways, miniature ones (above) and a large paperweight version if you're really looking to make a statement.

Via Wists

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Tags: decor, decoration, diamond, diamond sculpture, diamond sculptures, diamonds, DiamondSculpture, DiamondSculptures, dining, gems, table

Nuance Tablecloth Clips

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Dining

Few things say 'summer' more than a picnic outside with goodies like fresh watermelon and grilled sweet corn, but few things can ruin that fun faster than a gust of wind blowing the tablecloth up, over, and off -- taking with it any unfortunately placed beverages and paper plates. But you can avoid that whole nasty scenario with these very simple but really pretty looking tablecloth clips from Nuance. Made of stainless steel they'll fit right in with all kinds of decor and tablecloth patterns, and keep your fun summer meal from turning into a disaster story. Set of 4 clips for $98.

Via Wists

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Tags: accessories, clips, dining, nuance, picnic, silver, table, tablecloth, tablecloth clips, TableclothClips

Burger King's $200 Burger

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Charity

Of all the restaurants that might offer a $200 truffle-laden burger on their menu Burger King is probably one of the last ones, if not the last one, that comes to mind. But believe it or not Burger King has launched a $200 hamburger called simply "The Burger" that features Wagyu beef, white truffles, Pata Negra ham slices, Cristal onion straws, Modena balsamic vinegar, lambs lettuce, pink Himalayan rock salt, organic white wine, and shallot-infused mayonnaise all served up on an Iranian saffron and white truffle dusted bun.

That's quite a list of ingredients.

"The Burger" will be on sale once per week in London and proceeds go to benefit the Help a London Child charity.

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Tags: burger, burger king, BurgerKing, charity, dining, food, hamburger, most expensive, MostExpensive

The Noooodle

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

This is a kitchen gadget made just for me because I love pasta of all kinds but always make too much (and it's not exactly the most waist-friendly food as far as eating too much of it goes or having left-overs around the house). Called The Noooodle (no typo there, unless I missed an "o") it doubles as both a stylish trivet/casserole stand and the loops in the design function as noodle-measuring devices all the way from 1 person up to 4 people. No more guessing! I think it's totally awesome!

Via Denzeen

Gallery: The Noooodle Spagetti Measure and Casserole Stand

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Tags: cooking, dining, kitchen, noodle, nooodle, noooodle, spagetti, trivet, utensil, utensils

Chocolate Pencils

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Years ago I used to have a nasty habit of chewing on my pens and pencils, and although I've since broken that habit I know I can expect a serious relapse if I ever own a set of these chocolate pencils by Nendo. The pencils come in a set that includes a variety of different cocoa blends so you'll have the perfect flavor (and color) to top whatever it is you're garnishing, plus a pencil sharpener for easy and perfectly shaped shavings every time. Sounds like a perfect gift for the chef or hostess that already seems to have everything!

Gallery: Chocolate Pencils

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Tags: chocolate, chocolate pencil, chocolate pencils, ChocolatePencil, ChocolatePencils, dessert, desserts, dining, pencil, pencils

There's a $5,000 Burger in Las Vegas

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

The Fleur de Lys restaurant in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay may serve French cuisine but that hasn't stopped them from adapting their own version of an American classic: the hamburger. Called the "Fleurburger 5000" it's no Plain Jane either, featuring a juicy Kobe beef patty topped with a rich truffle sauce and served on a brioche truffle bun. And this burger comes with its own beverage, a bottle of 1990 Chateau Petrus, that is served in Ichendorf Brunello stemware that you get to keep.

It sounds (and looks) delicious -- as well it should for the whopping price tag of $5000. And if you do decide to indulge no worries about bragging rights: you can bring a friend (they get a free burger when you order yours) and you'll also get a certificate in the mail (along with your keepsake glass) so you'll have both a witness and paper proof.

Gallery: Fleur de Lys at Mandalay Bay

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Tags: burger, dining, fleur de lys, fleurburger, FleurDeLys, hamburger, most expensive, MostExpensive, restaurant, restaurants

The $1,000 Sushi Roll

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Going out for sushi always runs slightly on the expensive side, but Koi restaurant in New York is taking it to the extreme with their latest menu addition, the High Roller sushi roll that sells for $1000.

So what does a thousand dollars look like in the form of sushi? Well, it starts with marinated and poached fois gras that is covered with succulent Langoustine (lobster). Then the roll is brushed with saffron/vanilla bean butter and encrusted with caviar. Finally, when the roll is served the Chef comes tableside to shave white Alba truffles and drizzle them with 100 year balsamic.

Enjoy! (I wonder how many people have so far?)

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Tags: dining, high roller, HighRoller, koi, koi restaurant, KoiRestaurant, most expensive, MostExpensive, sushi

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