Dining out in 2011

I really like the new bar in the Hotel Meridien - I'd be happy to go there for a single drink and sit in the gorgeous lobby (a sort of decadent Middle Eastern Feel) all night, then eat yogurt and ramen at home for dinner! But restaurants are getting so expensive in NY - even my favorite "hole in the wall" is now $50 a person!

@ajadedidealist That's so true! I think I am going to have some serious sticker shock when I come back later this year.

It amazes me though how much people are willing to shell out for food though.. Recently uber chef Thomas Keller of French Laundry and Per Se fame was in HK. The Mandarin Oriental had organized a dinner to show case his talents and they got away by charging US $900 per head as even at that rate there were about 1000 people clamoring for reservations.
I am sure that those folk who could afford to fork out this amount could very well fly to NYC and dine at Per Se for merely $275 a pop.

@Uptowngirl: I agree with you. If the food is good, people will be more than willing to spend for it, especially if they have the money for it.