It's always been a wee bit embarassing for me to ask for a doggie bag at a high-end restaurant. A neighborhood joint, yes. Le Cirque, no. When I think about it, I know it's ridiculous. In fact, considering the higher pricetag, I shouldn't think twice about asking for my leftovers to be wrapped up in a foil swan after dining in a ritzy hot spot.
Well, it looks like ritzy hot spots are starting to actually encourage their patrons to take home doggie bags - not of leftovers, but of breakfast goodies. They're hoping customers will munch on baked goods the next morning while remembering the epicurean bliss of the night before. According to the Wall Street Journal:
You paid $15 for oysters with Gewuerztraminer cream or $78 for a meal of citrus-crusted wild boar. But here's what chefs want you to remember the next day: That they gave you a free muffin. High-end restaurants have started sending diners home with a doggie bag of breakfast treats like scones and muffins at no charge. Chris Russell, owner of B. Christopher's in Burlington, N.C., began handing out a bacon-and-egg quiche to diners a few weeks ago. The frequently heard refrain from patrons? "What's the catch?"
Apparently, for Russell "the catch" is simply that he's promoting the restaurant's newly opened gourmet market next door. But other fancy dining establishments like Compass in NYC and Gary Danko in San Francisco are also offering diners a special breakfast-to-go as an added treat.
Wonder why I'd never thought of the idea before. Admittedly, the best doggie bag I ever received was after my cousin Mark's Saturday night bar mitzvah: a bag of H&H bagels and the Sunday New York Times. Talk about the perfect breakfast treat! Could a Jewess ask for more? (Well, creamed cheese and smoked salmon would've been nice, but still...)
Leftovers? I'm a boy, I don't have leftovers.
Posted by: Dr. Biggles | May 14, 2004 at 02:46 PM