The portions at 'posh' restaurants
Being a lazy student, I have recently found myself spending a portion* of my evening watching masterchef on the BBC. Now something I didn't realise about 'posh' food at expensive restaurants is that the portion size is pathetic! Just 1 piddly lump of meat on a bed of leaves or something. Why would you pay £40 for a course that leaves you hungry still? If I was to pay £40 for a meal I would expect to be able to rupture my stomach with the gastronomical feast presented to me, not be given half a stick of marinated celery drizzled with Gnocchi Wine Sauce and told its a quality meal. Apparently its about the quality of taste, but in my opinion a burger and chips for a fiver that actually fills you up is a better idea. Or am I just missing something?

*punnage ftw
(xerophytic has no idea, Fri 16 Oct 2009, 12:56, 10 replies)

I agree
and decided after visiting the buffets of Las Vegas to never again eat out anywhere posh.

From now on it's the cheapo buffets, where I can see plenty of food and pick out several plates of what I like best, all for £6.99 plus a pint.
(Juan Quar is clinging to her front teeth on, Fri 16 Oct 2009, 13:18, closed)

Yes
You are missing something.
(Turn that bloody gramaphone down has incorrect spelling in her username *WINS*, Fri 16 Oct 2009, 13:42, closed)

Yes you are
Can only say if you think the purpose of eating is to 'feel full' then why not eat the same fodder everyday just so you 'feel full'
If I've paid 40 quid for a meal well cooked that tasted fantastic, i'm paying for the chefs skill and the presentation used, along with the service.
One day your hopefully appreciate eating as a pleasure, rather than a necessity to pig out on cheap food.
(alzeNL, Fri 16 Oct 2009, 14:05, closed)

Yup, by a mile
You are paying for quality and flavour. Quite often taste combinations that are unusual and intense are best experienced in small portions. If you felt that you had to eat something the size of your head just to get vfm it would probably be quite unpleasant

That's not to say that stuffing your face can't be fun. I think that the pleasure of going to posh restaurants is heightened by constrasting them with cheap huge bowls of noodles and beans on toast.
(flimflam_machine, Fri 16 Oct 2009, 15:12, closed)

Because
eating a pound of black truffle would make you feel ill?

Indeed if you are looking to just fill yourself up, buy a sack of grain. If you're looking to fill yourself up on something tasty, buy 10 McDonalds. If you're looking for a gastronomic experience, try some really amazing tastes, go to the Fat Duck. Is this difficult to grasp?
( Rookie You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel, Fri 16 Oct 2009, 15:23, closed)

Sorry, can I just pick up on a point here?
Namely - how the hell can you advise him on where to eat just after describing McDonalds as 'tasty'?
( MatJ LOOK, Fri 16 Oct 2009, 21:17, closed)

Absolutely.

( snee held his breath since, Mon 19 Oct 2009, 10:08, closed)

Holy shit this.
*clicks*
( idonthaveafunnynickname Drink-Aware? Sure. I'm aware I want another drink., Sat 17 Oct 2009, 0:40, closed)

Yes, you are missing something
The rest of the portion, it would seem.

Ha ha ha.
(Truk smells nicer than you, Sat 17 Oct 2009, 0:44, closed)

A different take on food...
You are looking at food as a way to not be hungry and give your body some energy. In that case something cheap and filling seems a good idea.

The posh stuff is really aimed more at the people who want to eat food primarily to enjoy it rather than as primarily as a source of nutrients - In this case a small portion will often be the norm, as the food will be full of flavours and tastes, where a big portion would be too much of a good thing. So i that case you might have a small portion of something very tasty for a starter, then another portion of something different but still very tasty as a main course, and since you didn't just scoff all the bread on the table to start or have a huge meal from the buffet you could have another portion of something very tasty.
If you are still hungry you can always get a jam sandwich at home.

Just different approaches to why you would want to go out for a meal...
(442, Thu 22 Oct 2009, 0:14, closed)