Much as I like Raymond and his French peasant roots and the fact that Le Manoir is a few miles from me and I'm sure I'd enjoy the food, the prices are obscene when there are people relying on food banks.
I once worked my way through a meal of about 10 courses, each with its own wine, at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant. It cost (someone else) a fortune, but it was a fabulous meal.
But how fabulous can gazpacho be? Can one chef's gazpacho really be, say, four times as good as that of someone who only charges £9? Are you actually enjoying exceptional food, or is it very good food with an exceptional price?
I agree with your 23:17 post, Eccles.
It's coming up to the time of year that I meet good friends and we enjoy splurging on a few good meals. I wouldn't spend that much money on every meal, or possibly the whole weeks' meals, but if you can, why not enjoy it? I've been skint, I've been comfortable, I'll enjoy what I can while I can.
Eccles, sorry, when I said "you", I meant anyone, not you personally. I'm just not sure there's any such thing as a gazpacho worth £40, even if it was sprinkled with gold dust.