Of course i cant assume anything you're stating in that last reply was aimed directly at me other then the small assumption as to what type of places i have or have not eaten in the past. I have not dined at either of the places you gave links to of course... but I have had the unfortunate experience of eating at resturarunts that had a star rating in the past.
The white chairs in the first link you provided looked to me to be downright uncomfortable. I assumed since it was in their gee whiz flash that those chairs are in their dining room/area/whatever
the second one said art was on the menu and I found that to be pretentious and a super turn off and just from that alone can say quite confidently I would pass up an invitation to dine there even on someone elses dime and would definitely not enjoy eating at that establishment.
Now to make a point so simple it is elegant in the sheer inability to be argued against it.
we all have different tastes
try as you might and point/counter point all become irrelevant as soon as that statement is introduced into the argument.
You see you honestly BELIEVE that a $200 bottle of wine is worth the money, that the experience involved with enjoying an $800 dinner for two is pleasureable enough that paying that price probably actually increases the pleasure of the experience. I am not by any means calling you an elitest here Rhetorical, but that seperates us in ways I am not entirely certain you appreciate.
The very concept of paying $800 for something that my loved one and myself will be shitting out in a few hours is, in fact, offensive to me. Especially since it would most likely be MY hard work that enabled us to have that meal. The finest dinner in the world would taste like shit in my mouth if i had to pay that much money for it. And this is not about being able to afford it, it is about having differing opinions and attitudes regarding a lot of things not the least of which is money and its effect on pleasure. I could have a lot more money then I currently do and I still would question the price of things versus their value.
we have different tastes... and my taste are clear to me. Find the right resturaunt and a $15 meal is every bit as tastey as the $800 one, it just comes to a table with no table cloth, served on cheap china and no attitude
spaz