“I’m going to treat myself tonight,” I thought, as I headed to happy hour at Wolfgan.g Puck’s The S.ource on Penn.sylvania Ave. I rarely go out to eat anymore, and how often did I find myself at such a swanky place? I would order an appetizer and a glass of wine, I decided.
Without even glancing at the wine list, I asked the server for a Chardonnay. (I may be adventurous in the food department, but not when it comes to wine.) The two girls and I browsed the lounge menu and found ourselves interested in a few, quite pricey, small plates. Our server suggested we order five or six, but we settled on the following three: shrimp & scallop spring rolls with sweet chili dipping sauce, “American style” Kobe beef sliders with onion marmalade and chapel cheddar, and handcut fries with Bearnaise sauce. All ten bites I took were understateably delicious, but I was still extremely hungry. And as perfect as the dessert was (a crêpe filled with warm ganache, next to a cold chocolate mixed with heavy cream, and sprinkled with powdered sugar), it was dainty as could be and split three ways. My plans for the rest of the evening? Go home and eat a real dinner.
I pulled out my check card and opened the bill. One hundred and thirteen dollars! FOR A SNACK. Perhaps a gourmet one, but a snack nonetheless. I would’ve fed a toddler more! I skimmed the list of charges to find my glass of wine, some fancy name I’d never heard of next to the number 16, twice the price of the other girls’ drinks. Apparently I needed to specify that I wanted the cheapest glass of Chardonnay they had. I knew that stuff had been too delicious! I signed my name under “$44.76” and rode the Metro home, daydreaming about all the other things that money could’ve bought me. Three eyebrow waxings . . a week’s worth of groceries . . a new blouse . . transportation to and from New York.
But I’d paid for an experience, a very delicious one. And if I had to do it over, I’d pay $100 and actually get an entrée.
6 comments:
Wow! I'm afraid I'd have needed another glass of wine after glancing at that (only I'd have gone to Wal-Mart and bought a $3 Arbor Mist bottle!).
Sounds like a good once-in-a-blue-mood fun happy hour, though. :) At least if you were going to treat yourself, you REALLY treated yourself!
You could have sponsored a child for almost 4 months! Haha, you're so glamorous, you and your schmantzy wine. The most I've spent on a "glass" of wine was $12. It wasn't a glass, but rather a shot. Have you ever had port?! Yeah, that's what it was.
Haha, but $113!!!! You crazy.
when ever i order wine, i typically just go for the house red. it is typically a good red table wine and pretty cheap. but really, who am i kidding. i almost always get a beer! hanging out with the boys too much i guess.
That would stress me out, too. But I love your attitude. Sometimes the great experience is worth the extra $.
Good food and good company sometimes are worth the splurge. But $16 for one glass of wine?? That is crazy talk. :) Hope it was good!
I hate that! Sometimes I just get so mad when we eat out because it is such a waste of money. I wish I did not love eating out so much.
Post a Comment