Take a look at some outrageously pricey restaurants...
1. Masa in New York - Located at the Time Warner Center in New York, Masa is the most expensive restaurant in the fashionable mall in one of the world’s biggest city. The chef himself will welcome you, as he does to every guest who enters the restaurant’s wooden door. The restaurant can accommodate up to 26 guests at a time, and this exclusive clientele will be treated to Masa’s specialties, like its foie gras hotpot and wild watercress tempura. Reservation is a must, as there is usually a waiting period of up to three weeks.
2. Aragawa in Tokyo - This is a renowned steak house that offers only six tables, which underlines its exclusivity. There is no written menu in this restaurant. The waiter would simply recite the chef’s selections for the day, and you would be asked to choose two seafood appetizers from five available items. The steak would then be served, and no, you need not choose which part you prefer and how you would like it cooked. Aragawa has already chosen the best part, and though it would depend on the condition of the cow, it is usually a sirloin and cooked medium rare.
3. Solo Per Due in Umbria - Solo Per Due restaurant redefines the meaning of the word exclusivity. Lets just say that you will have the whole restaurant all to yourself and your date. After all, the restaurant’s name does mean just for two. The quaint restaurant in a 19th century building features an entrance spruced up with candlelight.
4. Ithaa in Maldives - Ithaa is the world’s first underwater restaurant, as it is located 5 meters below sea level. The entrance is grand in itself, as you will go down a spiral staircase. The restaurant only has 14 seats, so be sure to get a reservation. It specializes in seafood and Western cuisine with a local touch.
5. French Laundry in Napa Valley - The chef is the famous Thomas Keller and the signature dish is the oysters and pearls. You need to reserve two months in advance to get a table, and the food and exquisite ingredients will make the wait worthwhile.
6. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee in Paris - If there is a rock star of a chef, then Alain Ducasse is it. Ducasse is a Monaco national, though he was originally from France. He specializes in the detailed and scrupulous presentation of food, which is then downed usually by rare wines. Dinner is served nightly, as well as lunch every Thursday and Friday. This is haute cuisine at its best and at its priciest.
7. The Lecture Room and Library in London - Located at the Sketch restaurant complex, the restaurant boasts of Pierre Gagnaire as its Monsieur Chef. And his presence is apparent up to the smallest of details. Even the seasonings used in the dishes are utilized exactly and meticulously.
8. El Amparo in Madrid - An excellent restaurant in the capital of Spain, El Amparo has an extremely good and long Iberian Peninsula wine collection. The cold salmon with tomato sorbet and chocolate soufflé are must-tries.The staff is friendly and accommodating as well, and they will take the time to translate things for you if you are not that conversant in the Spanish language.
9. Alberto Ciarla in Rome - Located in Trastevere, Alberto Ciarla is a seafood restaurant with tasteful food and excellent presentation. The restaurant itself is decorated in 1970’s glamour style. You can choose from three items. The first is the crudo, which is a combination of marinated raw fish and marine mollusks. The second is the cucina tirrenica, a Mediterranean-style prawn salad and pasta with seafood. Lastly, there is the grande cucina, with its lobsters, oysters and other refined delicacies.
10. Sushi Kaji in Toronto - The main chef of this restaurant hails from Japan and has been making sushi since he was 13 years old. He always makes sure not to over handle the ingredients, otherwise, it would ruin the texture and taste of the food item. Sushi Kaji also does not compromise the quality of its sushi to the extent that the restaurant’s supplier has to fly out the fish taken from Tokyo Bay within 24 hours after getting caught. No fish is kept overnight to ensure that everything is fresh everyday.
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