44 replies to this topic

[Jon Tseng]

I've been reading the discussion regarding Chinese cuisine with Ruth Reichl and it was mentioned in HK it's possible to have a feast of the rarest delicacies for up to $1000 a person .  What's the most expensive Chinese meals you've ever eaten? I know of a few Chinese restaurants in Southern California which gave banquet menus for over $1000 a table, but I've never had the pleasure of partaking in one.

Yeah once you get deep into the expensive-posh-delicacies price really can ramp. I think it would be hard to get to $1000/head, though it could be possible including the XO cognac . Just think the usual suspects... whole braised sharks fin, abalone (dried is more expensive that fresh), birds nest, seasonal specialities (once had a plate of hairy crab roe which was about $100) &tc.

ta

J

[Tae.Lee]

when i was younger, i went with my family to visit relatives in Korea, as well as being an opportunity for my father to catch up with some old friends, one of whom took up to an exclusive chinese restaurant in the '63' [yooksam] building.

having never heard of 'degustation', we were surprised by the tiny portions of strange and interesting combinations served to us by the waiters in our private room, but by the end of the 12th course we were all full and very satisfied..

unfortunately, i remember little about the actual meal [except that it was delicious!], but i would presume that a meal like that would be quite expensive..

[Julian Teoh]

Hi Guys,

This is a pretty interesting topic, so I thought I might make my first post here

I'm not sure where we've reached in terms of the "most expensive dinner," but I remember a banquet that was promoted in Malaysia in 1994 (before the Asian crisis) which cost some RM38,000 (excluding drinks) for a table of ten (on current exchange rates, it would be around USD10,000, but back then, it would have been worth about USD18,000.00).

I'm not sure how valid the pricing system was as some of the ingredients were so rare that the restaurant could set the price and laugh at people for taking it up. Case in point: one dish was an apparently now-extinct Japanese abalone which had been in the freezer since 1976, and of which there were only seven whole ones left (and no, they weren't going to give you an entire one). That dish alone cost RM17,000.00. The next most expensive dish was triple-stewed wild venison sinew in cordyceps, which weighed in at a measly RM11,000.00.

It's not everyday that Japanese Kobe beef (as opposed to wagyu beef), at RM700, is the cheapest dish in a banquet!

[Kent Wang]

I'm not sure how valid the pricing system was as some of the ingredients were so rare that the restaurant could set the price and laugh at people for taking it up. Case in point: one dish was an apparently now-extinct Japanese abalone which had been in the freezer since 1976, and of which there were only seven whole ones left (and no, they weren't going to give you an entire one).  That dish alone cost RM17,000.00.  The next most expensive dish was triple-stewed wild venison sinew in cordyceps, which weighed in at a measly RM11,000.00.

This sounds incredible! Don't you think the abalone would've gone bad in the decades it's been in the freezer? Why was the venison dish so expensive?

[Julian Teoh]

I'm not sure how valid the pricing system was as some of the ingredients were so rare that the restaurant could set the price and laugh at people for taking it up. Case in point: one dish was an apparently now-extinct Japanese abalone which had been in the freezer since 1976, and of which there were only seven whole ones left (and no, they weren't going to give you an entire one).  That dish alone cost RM17,000.00.  The next most expensive dish was triple-stewed wild venison sinew in cordyceps, which weighed in at a measly RM11,000.00.

This sounds incredible! Don't you think the abalone would've gone bad in the decades it's been in the freezer? Why was the venison dish so expensive?

I don't think the abalone would have held up, which was why I didn't try it (that, and the minor matter of not having RM17,000 to spend). There was a pretty big fuss about it at the time in Malaysia and the manager of the restaurant appeared on national radio to spruik it. When the host asked him if the abalone would have gone bad, he simply replied "No, it is as fresh as if it were caught from the ocean waters yesterday."

I can't say for sure why the venison cost that much, but the manager claimed it was stewed in an infusion of rare, and one presumes, extremely expensive herbs.

You were allowed to pick individual dishes off the banquet menu if you didn't have the heart to go all the way. The banquet was designed to be a contemplative showcase rather than just "a dinner" (insofar as you can describe a $18,000 meal as "just dinner"), and was served as a progression of courses to be shared by the guests. If you took it up, you would start off at around 6 pm and finish up a little before midnight, with a selection of teas matched to the dishes, with intervals in between courses so the guests could do some moon-watching.

Interestingly, the teas were only provided if you ordered the entire banquet.

[Tepee]

Current priciest set menu , a far cry from the RM38,000 menu. Just look at that evil claw on the king crab.

Edited by Tepee, 31 March 2006 - 02:19 AM.

[wesza]

Current  priciest set menu , a far cry from the RM38,000 menu. Just look at that evil claw on the king crab.

Tepee:

Thats a "Australian King Crab" from a limited fishery off the Tasmanian Coast of Australia.

I enjoyed one at a Chinese Restaurant in Australia that weighed over 14 pounds and cost almost US $250.00 several years ago, and it was one of the most delicious Crabs I have even eaten. I was allowed to enjoy 1/2 of the Crabs Body meat because I was one of the few willing to pick the carcass, I still dream about the Lump Crab Meat Clusters like I have never seen before. It must have weighed about 4/6 ounces the ultimate crab experience. The Roe was also decadent.

Every time I think about that crab I'm tempted to visit Australia again for the Crab and Sydney Rock Oysters from New South Wales.

Your Malaysian, "Mud Crabs" and "Coconut Crabs" are also very special.

Irwin

[hzrt8w]

Thats a "Australian King Crab" from a limited fishery off the Tasmanian Coast of Australia.

What do you think is the best way to cook this beast? Anybody?

Salt and pepper? White steamed? Typhoon shelter style? Ginger and scallion?

I always wonder about these high-end delicacies... what is the best way to pay respect to their ultimate sacrifice?

[wesza]

Thats a "Australian King Crab" from a limited fishery off the Tasmanian Coast of Australia.

What do you think is the best way to cook this beast? Anybody?

Salt and pepper? White steamed? Typhoon shelter style? Ginger and scallion?

I always wonder about these high-end delicacies... what is the best way to pay respect to their ultimate sacrifice?

Ah Leung:

I personally feel that in order how to learn about or appreciate most Shellfish or Seafood that the best way to first taste it and evaluate how to best lean to season or prepare it to enhance its, character, taste and flavors is to simply steam it according to the type of seafood it based upon.

With most Seafood it's variation of size may require skills in timing your steaming process but if done correctly a larger Lobster or Crab will taste very similar to the smaller sizes.

My only experience with, "Tasmanian King Crab" was at a Restaurant experienced in it's preparation. They simply steamed and served the whole Crab to our party with the Chef breaking it apart after displaying it into sections after presentation.

After the carapace was removed from the top it was drained, scooped and served in a bowl with a serving spoon being offered to dinners served on top of rice.

The "Crab Fat" (roe) was also scooped out and served around the table in a similar manner.

All the legs were then broken and split, Claws cracked with the meat neatly removed with the host serving it to his guests.

Myself and another lucky guest were served 1/2 of the body each, with a pick and nut cracker to help separate apart. We used neither preferring to enjoy and separate our 1/2's manually.

This was only one course among many served to our party, but it was in excess of about 1 1/2 pounds of raw Crab per person.

The Crab was accompanied by dipping sauces of different types of Vinegars, fine julianne's of ginger, and chili oil as well as a Fresh Ginger, Garlic , Sha Ginger with Leaf Parsley in Oil Dip.

The only places where it expected to share a Crab are some places the serve 1/2 Dungeness Crab on the west coast or in a Chinese Restaurant where often Crabs are cooked together and served on a platter with Black Beans, Ginger or Scallions.

On the east coast platters of even a dozen "Blue Claw" Crabs are served Boiled or Steamed family style for everyone to share.

At home we serve adults a Whole Steamed Dungeness Crab weighing 3 to 3 1/2 pounds and children about 1 pound less with rarely any left overs.

Irwin

[hzrt8w]

[...]The only places where it expected to share a Crab are some places the serve 1/2 Dungeness Crab on the west coast or in a Chinese Restaurant where often Crabs are cooked together and served on a platter with Black Beans, Ginger or Scallions.[...]

Share 1/2 Dungeness Crab? Really?

These crabs sold in our markets are typically a bit less than 2 pound each. Most of the weight goes to shells, the uneditable gills and guts, and the high water content of the crab meat. 2 pound may sound like a lot but it really isn't. I can easily eat one Dungeness crab myself.

It's hard to imagine the restaurant shares a crab into 2 dishes.

[wesza]

[...]The only places where it expected to share a Crab are some places the serve 1/2 Dungeness Crab on the west coast or in a Chinese Restaurant where often Crabs are cooked together and served on a platter with Black Beans, Ginger or Scallions.[...]

Share 1/2 Dungeness Crab? Really?

These crabs sold in our markets are typically a bit less than 2 pound each. Most of the weight goes to shells, the uneditable gills and guts, and the high water content of the crab meat. 2 pound may sound like a lot but it really isn't. I can easily eat one Dungeness crab myself.

It's hard to imagine the restaurant shares a crab into 2 dishes.

Ah Leung:

It's sold by the 1/2 crab as a appetizer in quite a few western Restaurants in the Seattle area.

I have never seem anything else but whole crabs being served in Chinese Restaurants. We are fortunate in Seattle of being able to buy live Crabs that sometimes weigh over 4 pounds. I always order in advance when I want bigger Crabs so that they can be reserved for me since at Asian Markets everyone tries to pick out the largest crabs in the tank.

Irwin

[Fengyi]

My family and I just went out for alsakan King crab - the one we picked fed 10 of us It was a fairly big one and surprisingly lively for the end of season. We had it the usual three ways (steamed with egg white and erguotou, fried with chiles and in portugese rice) - and ate every morsel!!
OK, so it cost my auntie $250CAD but *I* thought it was money well spent
The only thing was that because they don't do 1/2 king crabs, you really need a bigish family to finish it off....

[jo-mel]

~~~~~~~easily eat one Dungeness crab myself. 

It is like lobster. A 1 1/2 pounder is like an appetizer. A 2 pounder is better for a meal for one, but a 3 pounder makes you feel as tho you had a lobster meal!

[sheetz]

My family and I just went out for alsakan King crab - the one we picked fed 10 of us  It was a fairly big one and surprisingly lively for the end of season. We had it the usual three ways (steamed with egg white and erguotou, fried with chiles and in portugese rice) - and ate every morsel!!
OK, so it cost my auntie $250CAD but *I* thought it was money well spent 
The only thing was that because they don't do 1/2 king crabs, you really need a bigish family to finish it off....

How big was your crab? I had Alaskan king crab over the holidays. It wasn't terribly large, only 6 pounds at US$24/lb cooked 2 ways.

[Fengyi]

How big was your crab? I had Alaskan king crab over the holidays. It wasn't terribly large, only 6 pounds at US$24/lb cooked 2 ways.

sorry for the late reply (been continent crossing) - it was about 10 pounds of goodness.....
We also had hotpot with it, so it was a bit of a megafeast really....