My retirement package and expensive desserts
I don't know if you noticed, but the Web editors have put together a nice little retirement package for me. (No, not the kind that involves money.)
One of the items in it is my very first review, which was published on March 30, 1973, of Danny's, the most expensive restaurant in town. ...
Now you're probably expecting me to be laughing at myself for having been shocked by the cost of two crab cakes, cole slaw and home fries -- $8 -- at the most expensive restaurant in town.
Or that dinner for two with drinks at the most expensive restaurant in town came to $50, less than what two of us would spend for a prix fixe bargain Restaurant Week dinner these days.
But, no. What struck me rereading the review was that a dessert cost $8 -- 37 years ago. Now that's shocking.
We've talked about expensive desserts here before, and I've even done a Top 10 Tuesday on them.
But my theory has been that recently restaurant desserts have gotten out-of-proportion expensive to compensate for the fact that people have stopped spending so much on alcohol. Remember when people always used to have a cocktail or two before ordering? (Or if you don't remember, you've seen it on Mad Men.)
Hey, my dessert theory was just a feeling based on looking at a lot of restaurant menus. No hard facts to back it up.
I guess I was wrong. It's not a new phenomenon.
Comments
Great choice of photo--I can just see Sal and Dan eating at Danny's.
We only ate at Danny's once, and I just didn't get it. I no longer remember our entrees, but I do remember puzzling over that cottage cheese plunked down on every table. Odd. The hot popovers made up for that, however.
Posted by: Dahlink | February 12, 2010 8:18 AM
Is it possible that the $8 dessert at Danny, a Grand Marnier souffle, was meant to be shared by two diners? (I suspect that it was also one of those desserts that had to be ordered at the start of the meal, in order to give the kitchen sufficient prep time.)
Posted by: hmpstd | February 12, 2010 9:10 AM
Adjusting for simple inflation (BLS CPI) for 37 years:
$8 = $41.06
Adjusted for CPI for food away from home for PA-NJ-DE-MD:
$8 = $39
Posted by: Anonymous | February 12, 2010 9:36 AM
Maybe Danny's was running a promotion at that time when they were printing all their prices in Lire or Francs.
Posted by: Robert of Cross Keys | February 12, 2010 10:02 AM
I believe Danny's had closed when I arrived in Maryland and Charm City in August of 1989. However, there was a sign outside that proclaimed "We serve whales." Needless to say I believed I had arrived at the most "backward" area south of Greenland.
Posted by: mdlrvrmuncher | February 12, 2010 10:51 AM
I should never post before I've had coffee. Obviously, that should be "Sal and DON" in the first comment.
Posted by: Dahlink | February 12, 2010 12:03 PM
Danny's had an entree of "saddle of lamb" which I either remember incorrectly or was on some 60's-70's drugs cuz I have not seen it on any menu since!!
Posted by: Hue | February 12, 2010 6:48 PM
Hue, I've never had saddle of lamb, but there is really such a thing. It's both sides of the loin with the backbone joining them.
Posted by: Hal Laurent | February 12, 2010 7:34 PM
Thanks Hal...I knew it wasn't the drugs
Posted by: Hue | February 12, 2010 8:30 PM