That's an old restaurant trick, where the special is just something they don't normally make. It's not cheaper, just "special", and very often expensive.

At one restaurant where I once worked, "specials" was just a euphemism for "leftovers." If the kitchen had a surplus of something (corn, for example), suddenly you'd see corn showing up in all of the "specials."

This diner should never order a special at Il Mulino.

The Waverly Inn is, of course, Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter's new restaurant. Yes, The Man Who Invented Spy Magazine. Now pimping "special" Mac N' Cheese. I think your homes over at Gawker would be rather amused by this.

$55 for Mac and Cheese? That will buy a whole 4-course MEAL at "Ad Hoc", Thomas ("I have TWO 3-star mischelin guide resteraunts") Keller's latest resteraunt!

Apparently I'll be a hick for life, because I'd have been sitting there with the waiter saying, "How much is the salad? Okay, I'll have that. And how much is the froofy tuna? Hmm. Okay, that too. And the special? Jesus, are you crazy? Hey, don't look at me; I'm not the one who forgot to put prices on your menu. So how much is the soup?"

Who the hell buys things with no price on them? Not that the restaurant wasn't taking advantage of their blind-sale procedure in the case above, but didn't the customer kind of fall for it by agreeing to pay without knowing how much?

If some restaurant tried that on me, I'd circle the $55, write a big "fuck you" on the bill, leave $55 less than the bill in cash, and walk out (quickly).

And then I'd write Consumerist, natch.

For 55 bucks they'd better be scraping that cheese out of Paris Hilton's pants.

What was it my dad used to say? Oh yeah - 'If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it.'

Review: "The food is great but is an ape inside called Patrick which is very annoying. It smells horribly and is inpolite with the customers."

Review: "The restaurant is good, but is a monkey called Patrick inside which has an unpleasant smell."

There's no hyphen in thank you. I'll proofread in exchange for a free mac & cheese dinner!

In Russia after the fall their menus never had prices, but that was because runaway inflation made printing the price on the menu pointless; they'd only have to change it the next day. They were more than thrilled to take US currency as payment. That is, in my opinion, the only place I've ever heard a good reason for not listing the prices.

KarenUhOh says:

For 55 bucks they'd better be scraping that cheese out of Paris Hilton's pants.

This is perhaps the funniest comment I've seen here ever. As well as the most revolting.

Average dinner prices? 18 bucks for a pot pie? Damn, those are 4 for $5 at the super market for the pretty goods ones.

I've heard of restaurants rounding up on bills, but this is rediculous

Typical NYC prices! I'm surprised the bread was free.

Story #1:
Went to Joe Allen's in London for the prix fixe pre-theater(re) dinner menu. My wife wasn't super-hungry so ordered the bowl of chil(l)i. The waiter said would you like rice with the chili? No mention that the rice cost extra. CERTAINLY no mention that at GBP 4.00, the rice both cost nearly $8 and also was more expensive than the chili. If you offer something without indicating it is an extra charge, it implies that item is free...especially if it's staple item like bread, rice or pasta.

Story #2:
Cabaret at Studio 54. Sat in the orchestra seating which was set up with little cabaret tables. They even served drinks. I had just turned 21 and decided to get a drink...because I COULD! I ordered the cosmo. The waitress came back carrying a large glass. She said "$18." I laughed in her face! I LAUGHED IN HER FACE! I was expecting NYC prices, but $18 she was OBVIOUSLY kidding with the stupid Jersey boy. "I'm serious," she said, "sip it slowly."

Fortunately, it was big. And stiff...they didn't waste too much space cranberry juice.

Anyway, these are cautionary tales about ordering at places that pretend to be "classy" where prices are not clearly listed.

When I'm in this situation, I just assume an "expect the unexpected" mentality, and when the $55 bill shows up for adding truffles and foie gras to a Hot Pocket (because lately trendy restaurants LOVE to try to make ANYTHING high end by adding truffles and foie gras to it) I just shake my head and remind myself that I only do this once in awhile.

I wonder if the menu said anything about truffles, or if the waiter mentioned them. If not, then it's completely ridiculous for them to charge this mucn without listing the price -- not to mention, I mean, what if you didn't LIKE truffles?

But if there was any indication that the mac'n'cheese would be truffle-ified, then that should've raised a few eyebrows for the submitter's roommate, since those things are never cheap. I mean, I wouldn't order the lobster & filet mignon surf-and-turf special without first finding out the price, you know?

1. This is a NYC restaurant. So, those of you saying the rest of the prices are exorbitant should understand that this isn't the local Cracker Barrel.

2. He should've asked the price of the Mac and Cheese, but didn't want to look cheap in front of the chicks they wanted to bang.

3. The Waverly Inn is one of those douchey hipster fashion-crowd places. Who the fuck puts truffles on Mac and Cheese? They're going to put crazy prices on "special" stuff so that US Weekly will mention them and their super-awesome celebrity menu. They should've expected something like this.

4. The chick that suggested the Waverly Inn is probably a wannabe-publicist gold digger. Good luck with that.

(Full disclosure, i've had lobster mac and cheese. It was fantastic. And cheaper. And it was at a hoity-toity midtown joint. And the portion was huge.)

You think $18 for a pot pie is bad? Try the lobster pot pie from Michael Mina Bellagio.

(It's worth every penny, by the way.)

If you didn't realize it was truffle, then you're a moron. If you weren't expecting $55 mac-and-cheese at the Waverly, then you obviously had no clue where you were eating.

$50+ mac-and-cheese with truffle is sort of a high end NYC staple. Lots of places do it.

And chances are if you still have a roommate and are a 'fan of comfort food', you shouldn't really set foot in any restaraunt that has no prices on the menu. In fact, you should probably just go back to the frat house or something.

It's not the money, it's the fucking principal. Yes, prices are high in NY but that doesn't mean we should all bend over for shabby tricks like this. Don't be afraid to ask the price when the waiter lists the "specials"--which are usually only special for the owner's profit margins.

Similar to what The Unicorn said, "truffle" is restaurant code for "expensive shit."

A guy I went to law school with had this experience:

After his first year of law school, he was hired as a summer intern for a fairly snazzy local firm. He was invited along when the firm wanted to take an out-of-town client to the local fancy steak house. They all get to the steak house, several of the firm's lawyers, a couple of their interns, and a few representatives of the client's company.

It was one of those places where they put the prices on the menu, but the specials change every day, and the waiter doesn't mention the prices when they describe the special. The special that day was Kobe steak. The firm, of course, picks up the check.

Waiter goes around the table taking orders, and when he gets to this new intern, the intern orders the Kobe steak. Nothing is said, he gets his steak, everyone has a nice meal, everyone goes home.

The next day, the senior partner calls this new intern into his office.

"Do you know what Kobe steak is?"

"Sure, it's fancy steak from Japan."

"Do you know how much it costs?"

"I don't know, maybe $20 or $30."

The partner looks at him: "That steak cost $120. In the future, order the t-bone."

He didn't get fired, but it was quite humiliating.

K

I view this as a wannabe screwing up. Like other people said, if you have to ask you can't afford. That doesn't mean you get to complain about not affording it if you don't ask, it just means you didn't have the sense to say 'whoa whoa, this is a hipster den and these women look like golddiggers, I'd better check I can roll this high... 55 dollars? Let's go to Chuck E Cheese".

He didn't even notice it was truffle.

My favorite NYC restaurant trick is "Would you care for still or sparkling water?" Code for: "Would you prefer to be price-gouged for Evian or Pelligrino?"

You gotta have the guts to say, "I prefer tap water."

Caveat Emptor. Seriously, no sympathy.

Hopefully the guy made some tasteless double entendre about the Tuna Tartar.

Between this and the Restaurant Rounds Up to the Nearest Nickle all I've learned is to not eat in NewYork.

Funny thing about Tuna Tartar. That means it is just a slab of uncooked Tuna. They just cut it off the freaking fish and put it on the plan. Heck, any waitress could do that...

...which is spelled "tartare". That's two dings for spelling/grammar, you Waverly hot shots.

http://eater.com/2006_10_menu_full.jpg

As has been posted elsewhere, the menu does specify truffles as an ingredient. If he doesn't know that truffles are expensive, well, I'm sorry. Don't go to expensive restaurants, or else ask the price first.

Graydon, there's no hyphen in "thank you."

truffles are expensive, and we should all know that. but the truffle fries are 7 bucks.

it's more expensive to shave 'em then drop 'em in the frier?

If you didn't realize it was truffle, then you're a moron.
[...]
$50+ mac-and-cheese with truffle is sort of a high end NYC staple. Lots of places do it.

Or... And this is just a thought... New York City is not the center of the universe, and there are actually quite a few people on Planet Earth who aren't from there, and aren't familiar with local price-gouging customs! I think you've just illustrated why the rest of the country equates "New Yorkers" with "a bunch of elitist pricks with funny accents."

It has been my experience that any waiter will usually make some kind of presentation when he/she is grating truffles on ANYTHING. There is an Italian restaurant (Bacco's) here in New Orleans that has a "truffle fest" once a year. One of my favorite dishes is their truffle fettucini. Every time I've had it the waiter made a point of announcing to the table "your freshly shaved truffle sir" as he shaved them right over my plate. If and when your waiter did that, it should have been a clue

I was walking next to Bryant Park and saw a delivery guy drop 6 huge cases of fresh truffles off his hand truck and all over the icy, salty sidewalk. That was amazing.

I agree with the comments about the fact the guy had no idea what he was doing.

Something similar happened to me once in Paris (though I had more idea than this guy), it was a cold evening and we had been drinking, so we decided to call the night, buy a bottle of wine, some cheese and bread and camp in the hotel room instead of going out for dinner. I walk into this liquor store and pick a nice bottle of Margaux. Look at the price (still French Francs) and make a quick but drunk mental conversion = $55.00, which made total sense for a good Margaux. I even thought that bottle would probably cost at least $75 back in the states. I pay and this guy is telling me "we ship all over the world if you are interested". Back to the hotel had a wonderful evening and the wine is so delicious I keep the cork. End of the month Amex statement shows a $550 charge in Paris, which I did not know what was about. Called Amex and they tell me is a liquor store charge. I pull the cork and look for the wine over the internet, and there it was, Chateau Margaux same vintage, $500 to 600. Not a problem. We really enjoyed the wine and the evening was fabulous, I just wish I had known b/c that is the most expensive bottle of wine I've ever had and would have been a bit more solemn about it.

$10 for a steamed artichoke!? You NY'ers are gettin' screwed!

Awesomist -

You're sort of a high end NYC douchebag, ain't cha?

Kisses!

Allow me to play the devils advocate...
Let's say the gentleman was unaware of the price of a truffle, suppose he then noticed that the Waverly Burger with truffle fries is $13 and the Truffle fries as a side are $7.
It wouldn't be ridiculous to assume that the Macaroni and cheese with fresh shaved truffles would be similarly priced.

I'm confused by this whole thing. Creamed spinach as an entree? No drinks?

"...I had just turned 21 and decided to get a drink...because I COULD! I ordered the cosmo..." Ummm Troy, I think you need to hand in you guy card becuase of this, seriously, a cosmopolitan!?

Am I the only person who doesn't even find truffles to be THAT tasty in the first place? I like porcini and large cremini's so much more.

There's a place here in Denver that sells a $50 Kobe beef hamburger. Haven't tried it yet though.

Boys, you haven't faced the gauntlet until you've dined in Hong Kong. From bevies of English-speaking waiters surrounding you during order transforming to no-speak-English, finger-jabbing guys insisting you pay (price-changed) bill after, to English/Cantonese, priced menus disappearing post-order so you can't argue you're being ripped off, to "extras" like water or napkins being charged items, it's the mecca of anti-consumerism.

That said, if you're calm, stubborn and threaten to call the Tourist Police enough times, they'll eventually relent. Good food, too, once you get the hang of things. Or eat w/ locals.

For the Paris Hilton commentor, you forgot to add $10 for the crabs.

What gwai lo said.

Even if the guy who oredered is a rube, there's nothing else on the menu even close to $55, with or without truffles.

I don't find them that compelling either, kinki. They're just conspicuous consumption, since they're so expensive people feel like toffs when they eat them. I've even eaten them in France 10 minutes after being rooted (the mushrooms... steady on) and been underwhelmed. But then, I subscribe to the 'taste' school of eating good food rather than the 'fashionable' one.

Or... And this is just a thought... New York City is not the center of the universe, and there are actually quite a few people on Planet Earth who aren't from there, and aren't familiar with local price-gouging customs!

Ditto to what pestie said!

Furthermore, waiters shouldn't just walk up to your table and dump stuff in your food without telling you what it is.

For the "if you have to ask you can't afford it" crowd, is there NO limit to this? What if it cost $100? $500, $1000? There's a difference between having money and being taken for a ride.

@Frank Grimes - in my defense, there was only 2 or 3 drinks available and the others were even worse!

Also:
Top-price seats at B'way musical.
B'way musical was CABARET
Trip was sponsored by university's Opera Theater club.

I turned in my man card when I bought the ticket :-)