I read a lot of books written by food reviewers who spend $400 a person on a 27-course meal. I can only fantasize about dining in France and being pampered by a popular chef with cheese courses, desserts and wines
Here at the York Daily Record I am the food writer, but in a different sense. I write about cheap foods in a column called Cheap Eats. Every now and again I crave something beyond a $10 meal.
That's when I turn to the School of Culinary Arts at the Yorktowne Business Institute in North York. For $24, I get a three-course meal. I've tried grouper, duck, rockfish and a wide array of vegetables and side dishes that you can't find at the local grocer.
On a recent visit I dined with three co-workers. My first course was a salmon appetizer. My second course was a winter orchard salad with poached pears, toasted walnuts and blue cheese. My main course was char-grilled filet of Chesapeake rockfish with sweet potato pearls, white potato hay, and wilted baby spinach. Most of the restaurants I eat at have nothing close to these delectable dishes.
A cup of coffee, a chocolate bombe and a generous tip brought my bill close to $40 and I didn't even flinch. For more than four times the price of my average dining out experience, I was sent to another world. I ate slow and savored each fresh bite. It's a different way to eat and I don't mind dropping a few hours of pay on one dinner. It's worth it.
To learn more about the student-run restaurant, visit www.yorkchef.com or call 846-5000.
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