3 /5 Steve DeBellis: I have just experienced what can only be described as a masterpiece of economic storytelling on a plate. I ordered the $23 Omelette, a dish I now understand is less of a menu item and more of a conceptual art piece on the theme of supply and demand.
The omelette itself was a shy, fleeting creature. It occupied a space on the plate roughly the size of a credit card (which is fitting, as youll need one). It whispered of cheese and perhaps a chive, but its voice was quickly lost in the roaring crowd of its companion.
That companion, of course, was the potatoes. A veritable mountain range of them. A sprawling, golden-brown empire that colonized the vast majority of the porcelain landscape. Im fairly certain the chefs objective was to ensure I met my daily potassium quota for the entire week. They were fine, in the way a fire hydrant is a fine source of water—abundant and fundamentally adequate.
After a thorough investigation, Ive concluded the menu description was simply missing a word. It should have read: A Generous Portion of Potatoes, with Omelette. For $23, its an unforgettable lesson in how to value the cheapest ingredient.
