Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Receipt Of The Day (Updated Below)

Via Ezra Klein, we discover how Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich can spend $47,000 in one afternoon at a Manhattan restaurant.



I'd make some joke about this being worthwhile compared to Malouda or Kalou, but honestly, I think this is funny enough as it stands. Needs no embellishment from me.

UPDATE: Can I note just one thing here? You have to be a pretty shameless restaurant to charge a 20% tip when the customer is already paying more than the annual salary of the waiter with just the base bill. I wonder if Roman just told them make it an even 50k.

UPDATE II: Can I note another thing? That's an awful lot of booze for six people at 2:30 in the afternoon. Even for Russians.

UPDATE III: Okay, last point, I promise. Apparently the restaurant sucks. Beautiful. Seriously, read these reader reviews from New York magazine and tell me this is not the greatest thing ever. An average rating of 2.6 (out of 10). Just beautiful.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

The higher the bill is in an upscale upper east side's restaurant in Manhattan , the more likely you have to leave a heavy tip. It is considered a gracious etiquette.

The culture of celebrity (and of money) is the culture of Manhattan, and if dropping upwards of $100 per person lets you experience for a few hours the life you desire, then a lunch at Nello can't be, well, beet.

Anonymous said...

Instead of asking for spare change for the 5 rupees tip jar, maybe you could work at Nello's

Ahsan said...

Anon1116:

Hahaha yes, sound idea until you consider the fact that I am not legally allowed to work in the U.S. And this doesn't seem like one of those corner Chinese places that you can work for illegally and be paid in cash.

Saim said...

If you look at the bill before tax, 35 k out of the 36,641 are spent on the booze.

The cost for the food isn't that outrageous.Given the amount of dishes ordered, it does seem like this was a table of quite a few.

Expensive? Yes.But this certainly isn't scandalous by celebrity restaurant standards.

Ofcourse, the booze is a different matter...

AKS said...

Ahsan, Abramovich's people have denied that he spent this much money over lunch noting that while he has good taste and likes the finer things in life, the actual bill was around 2 % of the quoted figure - that's sill over a $1000.

Ahsan said...

Saim:

Yeah good point.

AKS:

Please tell me you don't believe "Abramovich's people". First, why would the restaurant forge a receipt? Second, it's impossible for six people to spend 2% of that bill (about 700 bucks) at that restaurant. If you read the reviews from NY mag, that will become clear to you.

AKS said...

Why would they lie? This Nello chap though might, I hear he's quite the publicity hog.

Waisay, 40 Lacs is an absurd amount of money. Here I am trying to get a piece of shit Alto on lease.

zeyd said...

Sounds like the story where the Chelsea team spent $100,000 on champagne at Kalou's birthday.

Of course, two weeks later and about 3 newspapers had to issue apologies acknowledging their claims were false. Bechara Kalou doesn't even drink!

But hey, let's just believe everything we read eh?

Raza said...

That could pay for my college debt, with some cristal to spare.

zeyd said...

Oh and speaking of the relative worth of Malouda, is he the dude who ran rings around the most expensive fullback in history?

Same guy?

zeyd said...

Though I should add that I'd take the 1 LG Water worth $12 over Kalou.

Any day of the week.

JJY said...

I've actually been to Nello's, and both the truffle carpaccio and calamari fritti were fantastic. Unfortunately, I can't speak for the Cristal or Chateau Petrus, or for that matter, even the large water. I drank tap.

Also, 18-20% gratuity is quite common in New York restaurants for parties of 6 or more...I'm sure you've seen it before.

20% on a $5,000 bottle of bub though is just evil. Evil.

Aisam Ul Haq's Fan said...

Hey noones talking about the aisam ul haqs triumph over Roger. I think its the biggest achievement for Pakistan tennis in history.

Ahsan said...

Zeyd:

Haha calm down bhai. I knew as soon as I posted this that you'd take it too seriously. As for the story being false, Roman admits he was at the restaurant. Furthermore, as I said to AKS, if you read the reviews of the place, you realize very quickly that his claims of spending 2% of the actual bill simply cannot be true given it was a party of six.

JJY:

Yes, we know you're very cool. Congratulations. Also, I KNOW a 18-20% tip is added on parties of six or more. Goddamn I was making a joke.

Anonymous said...

@jjy I agree the truffle carpaccio is amazing, gets my mouth watering just looking at it. Next time, when you go, try their lemon-citrus flavored scallops and sea food pasta. They are simply divine.

JJY said...

Your joke was terrible.

Also, I think Anon 3:45 is mocking me, but I can't be sure...

Brett said...

A more than $7000 gratuity?! I imagine the wait staff had their mouth watering at that one.

I don't suppose there's anyone here who has had extremely expensive wine before. Is it significantly better than only "mildly" expensive wine?

Brett said...

UPDATE II: Can I note another thing? That's an awful lot of booze for six people at 2:30 in the afternoon. Even for Russians.

It's seven bottles of booze for six people. For lunch. Jesus - were those guys chugging it or something?

Anonymous said...

RUBIN Fukken KAZAN..

HAHHAHAHAHHA!!!!

Anon_for_good_reason said...

On entirely unrelated topic..
Check the following slides out..
really funny..hindu jehadis..
http://media2.intoday.in/microsites/jkmilitancy/2006Jan23/1.html

zeyd said...

Haha, it's just banter dude. Where would we be without it?

Shifting to the game(s) last night and I'm trying to figure out what formation Barca were playing. Iniesta was wide left, but Messi seemed to be operating centrally leaving a whole lot of space on the right. What was it? a 4-3-2-1?

Not the worst result for Barca, a loss absolutely would have been. I figure 4 points from the next two fixtures will be enough to get them through.

And damn, how I celebrated Lisandro's equalizer. God I love seeing Liverpoo in the mire.

Bulldozers for Sale said...

If you will ask me to spend this much, its out of imagination for me.

Anon_for_good_reason said...


Famed French judge Bruguiere tells of a troubled Pakistan

In a new book, former investigative magistrate Jean-Louis Bruguiere says Pakistan has lost control of rogue military and intelligence officers, who are aiding militants.

Pappu said...

Finally. There is someone to compete against.