ELEGANTE

Has anyone here tried this place as yet? I haven't, since we like to go out on Sundays, and they are closed that day.
They posted their Valentine's Day menu on TOB. Full courses offered, from soup to dessert. One glass of sparkling wine included. Entrees chicken, salmon and filet Mignon. When I saw the price of $650 per person, I was a bit gobsmacked. That was without drinks or tips. The also have another price level which I think is about $275 per person. I asked if they were planning to serve that on V's day. No answer yet.

So, I thought I'd ask on here if anyone had had their "special occasion" dinners (or the ordinary menu), and do you think you got your money's worth?

This is just a comment from a skeptic, but I can't imagine anything they could do to chicken that would be worth 650 pesos. Just sayin'.

Flamingo wrote:This is just a comment from a skeptic, but I can't imagine anything they could do to chicken that would be worth 650 pesos. Just sayin'.

I would say all you are getting is "ambiance", unless the chicken is imported from Rhode Island (the US state)......

There was also salmon and filet Mignon, but they didn't say the salmon was imported fresh from Alaska or that it was Kobe beef.

I'd say they may be going for "snob appeal" like #4, but all I've heard about "ambiance" was that the decor is "stark" and the chairs uncomfortable.

[quote="gringal"]There was also salmon and filet Mignon, but they didn't say the salmon was imported fresh from Alaska or that it was Kobe beef.

The person who reviewed it just sent me an email:

Correction ...the chairs were ugly, not uncomfortable, the decor was "stark" and the food was "excellent".  What kind of "ugly"?  I will quote:
"the back of the chairs, the part the other diners see, had vinyl covering that was stapled down and you could see all the staples.  A quick fix would have been to glue some fabric on.  They are metal frame/vinyl covered seats and backs - the kind you'd buy in a market or off the back of a truck!  But we weren't uncomfortable on them" 

They had the lower priced menu.

Go figure.   

gringal, for chicken, I think you are better off sticking with your preferred source.....
Pollo Don David on the Libramiento......
Hunger and food are easier to judge, place a value on, and have more lasting results, than "ambiance".

I think this is a place that "if you have to ask the price it's probably not for you"............or me.

I haven't eaten there, but have heard from others that have and said they went there for a "special" occasion and it was very good, but very expensive.

CanuckBob wrote:I think this is a place that "if you have to ask the price it's probably not for you"............or me.

If I ate there, I would want all my "friends" to see that I was there........jajaja
......but I doubt I could count on that.

slainte39 wrote:

CanuckBob wrote:I think this is a place that "if you have to ask the price it's probably not for you"............or me.

If I ate there, I would want all my "friends" to see that I was there........jajaja
......but I doubt I could count on that.

Yep.  But yes, I'm one of those who have to ask the price.  Admitted freely. My friends aren't A listers, so forget the  bragging rights.

And....I think I keep on getting my chicken at the "dusty chicken"

I may try the place some day, on the "regular" menu.  Not on V day.

I leave if the drinks are too expensive. One time I went to #4, ordered a rum & coke, took a look at the menu and saw it was going to be $110 pesos. We finished our one drink and left......the waiter chuckled and nodded his understanding.

CanuckBob wrote:I leave if the drinks are too expensive. One time I went to #4, ordered a rum & coke, took a look at the menu and saw it was going to be $110 pesos. We finished our one drink and left......the waiter chuckled and nodded his understanding.

A group went there to see the wall art show one of was in and we ordered drinks.  I was the lucky one who settled on a beer.
Bizarrely made "drinks" went to the others and the prices were gob smacking.  We had intended to have dinner there, but left and went elsewhere.  #4 closed in some ignominy according to rumor.  I think Elegante needs to sort things out and decide if it's going to go for snob appeal or for regular folks who are all about the food, period. I think the latter would be the better direction and more likely to be a keeper.

I don't know. I think there is room for a few high end establishments. I may not patronize them but I know a lot that would. I just prefer to waste my money on other luxuries in life. Expensive restaurants aren't a priority for me. I blew a lot of money on classic car restoration in the past......

CanuckBob wrote:I don't know. I think there is room for a few high end establishments. I may not patronize them but I know a lot that would. I just prefer to waste my money on other luxuries in life. Expensive restaurants aren't a priority for me. I blew a lot of money on classic car restoration in the past......

I think You're right, if they had a real class act on every level. But, like you, I'm more interested in spending money in other ways.

They have a three-course prix fixe menu for 225 pesos. I think that is extremely reasonable, especially when you see the choices!

suegarn wrote:They have a three-course prix fixe menu for 225 pesos.  I think that is extremely reasonable, especially when you see the choices!  

Nobody's arguing about that. It is reasonable and my friends who went there thought highly of the dinners they had. It's more about how on Earth can a restaurant ask $1300 pesos plus drinks and tip for a couple and have it be worth it. Maybe with dancing girls and violins?

gringal wrote:

suegarn wrote:They have a three-course prix fixe menu for 225 pesos.  I think that is extremely reasonable, especially when you see the choices!  

Nobody's arguing about that.  It is reasonable and my friends who went there thought highly of the dinners they had.  It's more about how on Earth can a restaurant ask $1300 pesos plus drinks and tip for a couple and have it be worth it.  Maybe with dancing girls and violins?

But the same thing could be said about Avocado Club's special lobster dinners at 1100 pesos per person. It's a special occasion menu.

Holy crap....you can go to Red Lobster in Guadalajara and get the Ultimate Feast (lobster, snow crab and prawns) or a huge Maine lobster for $499.

suegarn wrote:

gringal wrote:

suegarn wrote:They have a three-course prix fixe menu for 225 pesos.  I think that is extremely reasonable, especially when you see the choices!  

Nobody's arguing about that.  It is reasonable and my friends who went there thought highly of the dinners they had.  It's more about how on Earth can a restaurant ask $1300 pesos plus drinks and tip for a couple and have it be worth it.  Maybe with dancing girls and violins?

But the same thing could be said about Avocado Club's special lobster dinners at 1100 pesos per person.  It's a special occasion menu.

Lobsters are an expensive item on any menu.  The restaurant has to pay dearly for them. Even the modestly priced Gosha's showed me a large lobster that would be $700 pesos on the menu.  He has lower priced smaller ones, too.

I'll be very blunt in asking why a "special occasion" is a decent reason for the restaurant to screw the diners?
Simple greed. However, the diners are willing victims by coming to the restaurant, so I have no sympathy for them.  

CanuckBob wrote:Holy crap....you can go to Red Lobster in Guadalajara and get the Ultimate Feast (lobster, snow crab and prawns) or a huge Maine lobster for $499.

But lakeside restaurants are "special" and after all, you're saving a trip.

Most fine dining restaurants anywhere, including U.S. and Canada, create special menus for special occasion dinners. They also raise their prices for these occasions. So, Elegante or any of the other restaurants down here that do that, aren't doing anything different than any other restaurant.

suegarn wrote:Most fine dining restaurants anywhere, including U.S. and Canada, create special menus for special occasion dinners.  They also raise their prices for these occasions.  So, Elegante or any of the other restaurants down here that do that, aren't doing anything different than any other restaurant.

Are you related to the owner?  (kidding).

I know that's the custom. However, I don't know of any restaurants here, fine dining or otherwise, who more than double their prices for occasions.  How they run their business doesn't really matter to me: I was just pointing out something I see as odd.
I also know that there are people who actually want to pay more for things than they're worth; designer handbags, watches, shoes, etc.  Why?  I can't begin to understand it. But that's just me.

Actually no, I'm not related to the owner of Elegante or any other restaurant here....(I wish I was, then maybe I'd get some free meals!)

If you feel a restaurant or certain things on the menu are overpriced....just don't go there or order that particular item.
Seems like a rather easy problem to solve unless you just like problems.

slainte39 wrote:If you feel a restaurant or certain things on the menu are overpriced....just don't go there or order that particular item.
Seems like a rather easy problem to solve unless you just like problems.

No, I don't like problems and no, I have little intention of going there.  Isn't it pretty obvious that sensible people don't deliberately go where they think it's overpriced?  How did this turn into a silly argument, anyway? Have an Irish beer.