Before we had children, my husband and I used to eat out at least 3 times a week. Our evenings wouldn’t even start until 8pm, and it wouldn’t be uncommon for us to have reservations at 10pm. We’d easily spend $300 in an evening for just the two of us. This was downtown San Francisco during its…..
Date Night a.k.a. $120 dinner + $50 babysitter
May 27, 2007 by SteamyKitchen
We used to eat out 3 times a night before kids? Did we skip every other meal?
No too long before I started visiting this here blog of yours, I posted an entry arguing with myself over whether or not I should write negative reviews of restaurants. Or, for that matter, negative comments about anything, along with posting whom I was talking about. I ended up deciding it wouldn’t be “negative reviews”, but instead, more like “constructive criticism”. It looks to me as though you do the same thing, and any chef or cook worth their sea salt would probably appreciate knowing the truth vs. your being just another “‘yes’ gal”.
I find it interesting that you wouldn’t say the restaurant’s name … but poor Husband gets, “But he didn’t have the balls to send it back. So, his own fault.” Whassupwhidthat?? 😉
Bottom line? You come across as too sweet to say anything really mean. About a restaurant, that is. 😀
Dagnabbit, I did include a link to that post I’d made. Musta screwed it up … Lemme try that again:
http://www.blogsmonroe.com/food/?p=225
You’ll go out more when the kids grow up. They won’t want to come out (ie. be seen) with you and you will want to get
away.
Your review was great. Loved your pictures of the food and how it tasted. I’m not sure why, but I do.
And that’s precisely why we almost never go out to eat. I mentally figure out how much it would cost me to make it at home and then I can’t enjoy the meal. Too many years on a tight budget, I guess.
I love your writing, you crack me up. And your mental tally of all the things you could have done with that money is exactly why we never eat out anymore either–with or without kids. (We have them now but slowed down on the eating out about 2-3 years prior). Personally I still like the big blowout on a good meal, but husband is not so crazy about it. 😦 Your tally was also, and this is more important, hysterical!
enjoy it now while u can because when they go to college every dollar u spend on urself u will mentally say “why buy these shoes when my daughter/son can enjoy the extra spending money”… and then god forbid they live in another city- then u will need the money to travel and visit….and let me tell u they grow fast. I am celebrating 30 yrs of marriage and my kids are 21 and 25 and we are the only parents who are still together of all my kids friends. PS i am 50 and hubby 51-we met in McGill University and married while still students….i had my daughter the same age she is now and she is years away from that! (altho i could enjoy a grandchild…well maybe a puppy!!) and guess what-it’s no longer fun to cook just for hubby..and my daughter lives in Toronto, while we live in Montreal….
I feel too guilty when my bf and I go out to eat for the same reason, I could get so much more groceries for the same amount. The photos are really great though! Yum. 😀
I’m with Amy. Even if the food had been good, I’d still keep thinking of how much food or other things I could get for the same price. Don’t get me wrong, I like good food. But my tastes are pretty humble. Probably b/c my wallet is pretty humble. 😛
$190 could have been my one-month food+grocery bill! I think the more expensive meal I’ve eaten (usually for special occasions) is a SGD$60 buffet.
The rabbit dish sounds exotic, but I’ve not tasted rabbit meat before. Is it close to “chicken” ?
Jaden, you crack me up! See, you don’t HAVE to go out to eat because all of your food looks just as good as the restaurant! Did you sit at the restaurant and calculate how much it would have cost you to make the same thing? Just curious because I’m not a great cook so I’m just grateful to have someone cook up something good for me. Also, since eating out is one of my favorite hobbies, I figure it is a good investment in what I like to do as the rest of the time I end up spending the rest of my money on my kids.
Wow Jaden, even your pictures from inside of a restaurant are spectacular. I guess that’s one of the plusses of telling the server ahead of time that you will be taking pictures, rather than secretly whipping out your camera and hurriedly snapping away when no one is looking;)
You made me take my dusty calculator out, think I’m down to 1-2 a week now hehe phew !:) Wow, the veal looks great ! I’ve never tried veal before 😦 How does this taste like ? erm..its not gonna cost me an arm and leg now yea ? 🙂
Hi Husband- *kiss*
LPC- Oh i know! poor husband. I think I need to write an Ode to Husband soon.
Melinda- Yes, one day the kids will be too embarrassed to be seen in public with their Ma, esp if I keep writing these “stealth reviews!”
Lynn- I still clip supermarket coupons, so I’m pretty frugal too.
Laura- Thank you! I bet I could’ve added a couple more items to it too! Now…if only I could do this same tally for calories in and calories out…
Blondee- 30 years! Congrats! I don’t think I even own a single thing for 30 years….maybe some photographs? I’m going to have to work on that. I so so so commend you!
Amy- I usually don’t do the tally because we really don’t eat out like this that often! Usually its the $4 McDonalds happy meal!
WC- humble wallet is a good thing.
Tiger- yeah, I would say it tastes like chicken. I like eating rabbit, but sometimes all I can think about is the poor little bunny.
Restaurant Mom- it would be too depressing to calculate grocery costs…I love eating out because that means someone else does the dishes.
Marvin- Thank you! We were actually really lucky and there were only 3 tables filled in the entire place, and our hostess put us next to the window. Actually, they didn’t know I had a camera until we sat down. I guess rather than stealth photography with a HUGE camera (because I would have been really clumsy and prob knocked my water glass down) I just told them that I was taking pics.
MW- Veal is amazing. Tastes like chicken. No…just kidding! It really depends on the cooking method. Because I think this dish was slow-braised, the meat was so tender, velvety.
Ouch! A few years back, I used to reason like you each time when my husband propose to take me out to eat in a fancy restaurant. Things are different now. It is less costly since we don’t need to pay for a babysitter anymore :). I agree with Melinda, you’ll go out more when the kids grow up.
The photos are well taken, the dishes look inviting.
Jaden I’ve enjoied myself very much to read your story, the ribs seems to be carbonized.
Come in Italy Jaden I’ll take you in many wonderfull restaurant for less money…..
Do you like Italian food?
Gnocchi?
I know yopu love them…
bye
I could cook for you,why not?
It would be a pleasure….
If you come ….
Now that we have a 13 year old who is capable of staying by himself without destroying our house, we don’t need to pay a sitter (well, we never did before, what with so many loving family members!)
Our ‘date’ meals out tend towards the exotic unique ethnic places where the food is killer good but the decor makes you go “Huh?” and if you look at the floor too long you may feel the urge to start hunting for a mop. Or better yet, just don’t look at the floor. We just can’t justify an expensive meal when I can do that myself at home. For a date night, it’s about trying really good food that I can’t make at home and just sitting, sharing and talking and hanging out.
I can remember years when, depending on the craziness of work that week and the behavior of our offspring, I’d have gladly paid $190 to escape the homestead.
Excellent post as usual, but what really struck me was, $50 baby sitter? Jeez. I guess you must have been gone a couple of days, either that or you’re paying way over the minimum wage. Good for you!
Hi Ady- I’ll come over anytime if you are cooking!
Kate- yes, I think we’ll start doing that too….less money, better authentic food.
Houck- lol! i love your words, “offspring” and “homestead”!
Alan- $10 an hour is the going rate for 2 kids. Apparently there is a shortage of good babysitters in this area and there must be a babysitter “dealer” out there taking bids. You’ve got to pay good to keep the A+ sitters. Hmmm…but if I was a full time SAHM, $10/hr x 18hrs a day x 365 = a shit load of money.
Dinner = $120, Babysitter = $150, Gas + Gelato = $20
Spending quality time with your beloved = Priceless
🙂
The food pix are awesome as usual, Jayden.
I know EXACTLY what you mean Jaden! Eating out is a San Francisco-based luxury. When I lived in Southern California and in Arizona, I rarely went out to eat because of other commitments and the cost. I think the San Francisco fog makes you want to eat out more!
Thanks for sharing the pictures and this “non-restaurant review.” And I’m glad that you and the hubby had alone-time!
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