Monday, May 07, 2007

O is for Ostentation

Have you ever served certain food, or eaten at a certain restaurant, to impress someone?
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5 comments:

cl said...

If anyone would like to impress me by taking me to an ostenatious restaurant, that would be great.

My sister and I took my mom to an upscale place called Ophelia's, in Independence, for Mother's Day back in 2000 or 2001. It was quite grand and unlike the usual eating-out our family does, but we decided to live it up.

With a modestly priced bottle of wine, the dinner tab was over $100. Ouch. But it was memorable to splurge like that.

10:43 AM, May 09, 2007
Ben said...

Erin and I spent $140 on dinner in New York City once. But we weren't trying to impress anyone (we certainly weren't dressed for that restaurant!), we just wanted a great meal from a great chef once on our trip.

12:24 PM, May 09, 2007
cl said...

See, that's a good thing. Ostentation in moderation. That's a slogan to live by.

1:23 PM, May 09, 2007
Erin said...

That restaurant in NYC wasn't ostentatious at all. It was sort of fancy and very expensive and the food was fantastic, but it was also earthy and unpretentious. It was perfect.

I've only been to Pachamama's once, and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. But for some reason, every time I walk past the windows, I always perceive the people in there as ostentatious.

6:38 PM, May 09, 2007
kc said...

Have you ever served certain food, or eaten at a certain restaurant, to impress someone?

I tend to think that any hostess worth her salt has had the aim of impressing (on some level) — not showing off, but pleasing. And anytime you have taken someone to dinner with their happiness in mind ... who hasn't done that?

I'm with Erin, though, it would never really occur to me to associate fine dining and quality ingredients and presentation and cost with ostentation.

One thing I have really valued in my dad is that he really enjoys taking you to a nice restaurant and lingering over good food and drink. He never says he doesn't have room for dessert, even if he doesn't! He regularly spent three-figures on dinner for me as I was growing up (and still does). Wouldn't bat an eyelash. What else is disposable income for? Contrast my stepdad, who always claims such things are a waste of money. And maybe they are if you don't appreciate them.

12:55 PM, May 10, 2007

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