Fine dining with good beer too?

Discussion in 'Pacific' started by sergeantstogie, Apr 28, 2013.

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  1. bifrost17

    bifrost17 Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2011 Washington

    Ray's cafe for happy hour outside on the deck with that gorgeous view is pretty damn hard to beat.
     
  2. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I used to rent a little house with a couple friends on the bluff just east of Ray's, same gorgeous view. I think our rent was around $800, split three ways. Those were the days.
     
  3. leedorham

    leedorham Initiate (0) Apr 27, 2006 Washington

    Holy Shit! Is it called The French Laundry because they're taking you to the cleaners?
     
  4. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,275) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    If you think their beer prices are high, then you haven't seen their wine prices. A 3 or 4 times mark-up over suggested retail seems to be norm at the French Laundry. There are very few deals to be had there.

    That being said... it's not the sort of place where anyone ever complains about the high prices. As near as I can tell, they can pretty much charge whatever they want and no one would bat an eye.
     
  5. bifrost17

    bifrost17 Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2011 Washington

    Damn!!!!!!! $800???? That's insanity! What year was this?
     
  6. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    The prix fixe dinner is $270 (service included). But yeah, looks like about a 200% markup on the beers I'm familiar with. Except for Supplication, which is marked up by only about $5.
     
  7. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Around 1992. The house was pretty run-down (it's still there), and for some reason the landlord liked to send his day-laborers/muscle out to collect rent if we were more than a couple days overdue. But I used to spend most afternoons sitting on the little flat rooftop outside my bedroom window overlooking that view, just reading and drinking terrible, terrible homebrew.
     
  8. slinkie

    slinkie Initiate (0) Mar 4, 2011 Washington

    Would really love to see what that costs now.
     
  9. sergeantstogie

    sergeantstogie Initiate (0) Nov 16, 2010 Washington

    Someday I will get to eat Thomas Keller's food and hopefully it will be at the French Laundry and I would not bat an eye paying even double that. Though, I admit I would allow them to tell me what accompanies the meal best.
     
  10. leedorham

    leedorham Initiate (0) Apr 27, 2006 Washington

    More like 300-400% for some of them. Kili Wit is $9.99 at TW.

    Honestly, I wouldn't mind paying $300 for the meal because it's something unique I can't get anywhere else, but the beer I can get elsewhere and Mr. Keller had no hand in crafting it.
     
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  11. sergeantstogie

    sergeantstogie Initiate (0) Nov 16, 2010 Washington

    Yeah, thats what I meant.
     
  12. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Zillow estimates current rent at $1,673. The house last sold in 1989 (just a couple years before we rented it) for $89k. It's currently valued around $335k, and that has to be almost entirely for the land.

    [Stay on topic, draheim! Stay on topic! Must... fight... urge... to digress...]
     
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  13. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    You're absolutely right, but as johnmichaelsen points out, most people dining there aren't going to bat an eyelash at those prices. Then again, most people dining there aren't going there for the beer; nor are they likely to order it.
     
  14. leedorham

    leedorham Initiate (0) Apr 27, 2006 Washington

    Well, to be honest, if I were at a fine dining establishment in the Napa Valley, I probably wouldn't order beer either.
     
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  15. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,275) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Yep. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they even offered some craft beer selections when I was there in February. Then I quickly shrugged and flipped the page over to the zin section and ordered a bottle of Martinelli Jackass Hill. I tried not to look at the price. :-)
     
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  16. NWer

    NWer Pooh-Bah (2,145) Mar 10, 2009 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Hmmm. Dinner at the French Laundry or 36 bottles of Abyss? Or 120 glasses of Pliny the Younger?
    Nothing wrong with splurging if you can afford it. I do it myself. On this though I think I'll pass. Have fun guys :slight_smile:

    * figures based on 2X$270 (unless you dine alone) and $15 per Abyss and $4.50 per glass of PtY
     
  17. John_M

    John_M Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,275) Oct 25, 2003 Washington
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    My GF hates beer. That tends to trump any arguement I want to make regarding younger or Abyss being the better value. :-)
     
  18. NWer

    NWer Pooh-Bah (2,145) Mar 10, 2009 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Yea and my wife hates beer (except PtY - she likes that one) and I didn't even factor in the cost of the $140(?) bottle of wine. $75 corkage fee if you bring your own? Seriously?
     
  19. Orca

    Orca Grand Pooh-Bah (4,441) Sep 18, 2010 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I'm torn. A once-in-a-lifetime experience or 36 experiences that are more or less identical?

    I'll say this. I haven't eaten at the French Laundry (yet), but I can still taste the oysters and wagyu steak we had at Canlis and the wild game dishes and wine pairings we enjoyed at the Herbfarm.

    My wife doesn't drink beer (or anything containing alcohol really), but she likes a good meal. I enjoy the best of both worlds.
     
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  20. distantmantra

    distantmantra Pooh-Bah (2,954) May 23, 2011 Washington
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    My favorite restaurant in Vancouver (Bin 941) has a terrible beer list, but it doesn't stop me from eating there every single time we go up to Canada.
     
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