One evening at the favorite restaurant of a billionaire
No one visit of Warren Buffett to New York is do complete without Smith & Wollensky. Every year, people lay out millions of dollars at auction for having lunch with Buffett at the famous steakhouse. In July of this year, the winner agreed to transfer $ 2.68 million to a charity in San Francisco for a dinner with the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway.
Business Insider reporters do not have a million, so they just headed to Smith & Wollensky and ordered a lunch in the style of Warren Buffett. And that's what happened
Smith & Wollensky is located in the heart of Manhattan, in the historic and business district of New York. The name came from the pages of the phone book: founder Alan Stillman first scored to the Smiths, and then to the sonorous name of Valenski.
When we arrived, the restaurant was under reconstruction. We were surprised: how could such a facade attract one of the richest people in the world?
At the entrance we were met by a doorman, and we felt as if we had not arrived by taxi, but by a time machine. The restaurant was founded in 1977, but the elegant interior gave it solidity.
We sat in the favorite zone of Buffett overlooking the dining room and next to the window overlooking the kitchen.
The nameplate above the table confirmed that we were seated correctly.
We felt like it was not the same in the aquarium, or on the set of "Big Brother". Us with the cooks shared only the glass - interestingly, is it that we watched them or vice versa?
We brought a menu in the frame, and looking at the price tag, we were speechless.We ordered the cheapest wine we could find here - Pinot Noir from New Zealand. It cost $ 52, and the waiter was clearly disappointed with our choice. The bottle was closed not with a stopper, but with a lid, and the taste of the wine did not please.
We assured the waiter that we are planning to spend money on food, and he cheered up a little. Evening promised to hit on a pocket, but we cheered up when they brought a basket of bread. Is she probably free? Bread went in different kinds and was served with butter.
The logo of the restaurant was printed on all cutlery and even on napkins - in an ordinary cafe this you will not see.
The waiter convinced us that Buffett would certainly order a cocktail of seafood. We recklessly agreed, and only then we learned the price - $ 140. We did not regret the order. Everything was fresh and tasty - perhaps the best seafood that we have ever tasted.
The waiter turned the preparation of the sauce into a whole show right behind our table. Cooking on an open fire is always impressive.
Steaks served with mushrooms and onions. Fillet mignon for two for $ 120 was also good.
Together with the dishes, the sauce for steak was served according to a special recipe from Smith & Wollensky. It was never discovered, the meat was excellent in itself.
The most hungry in our company ordered a seabass fish for $ 36, which was served with a fried tomato.
We ordered several types of garnish approved by Buffett: pancakes, spinach in creamy sauce and mushrooms. Draniki turned out to be fat, but edible, there was more sauce in spinach than spinach, in mushrooms too there was nothing outstanding
But we gave the word of journalists what we will eat, like Warren Buffett is a person who does not care about calories and who can spend an extra couple of hundred dollars in his favorite steak house. I had to order a dessert.
Served a little less magical chocolate cake. He was drier than the two previous desserts, although he was swimming in a synthetic berry sauce.
The check came out a little more than $ 800 - with all taxes and gratuities.
When we left, one question remained: was this a positive experience? Seafood, of course, were good, and the atmosphere nicely emphasized the comfort of the restaurant. But the view of the cooking zone not so much emphasized the atmosphere, how much kept in suspense, and several dishes left much to be desired. With each order, we felt like we were being condemned for trying to cut a full dinner.
Prepared sweet.Carolina