It’s not often – meaning never at all – that I get to dine in a two-star Michelin restaurant. When we got there, it was a slow night – there was only one other table occupied. Thankfully that meant no one would see me shaking from embarrassment should a non-opportune moment arise. We both ordered the Discovery Menu, a 7-course extravaganza that lived up to its name. I not only got introduced to new ways of presenting food but ended up rediscovering something in myself as well.

I’ve often figured myself to be a down-to-earth, folksy, some of the time worldly-wise kind of fellow. I’ve been around the block some for more than 4 decades, lived in 5 cities on 3 continents, met all kinds of people, and eaten a fair share of different kinds of cuisine.

I say this because being in new or not-all-too-common situations still do affect me and I do react to them. Spondi could be explained simplistically as being just another meal but more than that it was really a reminder of how extraordinary certain experiences can be and a measure of whether they are worth it. I must admit I was a bit anxious while there – it had to do with the over-formality and the non-familiarity with the food. Could I have fared better if the food were exactly the same but with a more unassuming approach? More than likely.
Would I have gone to Spondi on my own? In a past life, certainly. I did celebrate occasions in places like it not too many years ago. But my circumstances have changed so chances are I probably won’t now. It’s a luxury no longer in the budget, and I’ve happily learned to live with less.
My conflict with it I suppose comes from the trepidation, and my feeling ill-at-ease with the entire execution. But as with everything else I’ve experienced so far, in life all it takes is practice. Hopefully I WILL get another, or several more, ‘most opulent dinners on Earth’. Life’s just too damn short to feel negative about anything…especially at those prices.