Vic & Anthony's

My poor wife worked her ass off for one of her clients recently, and the client's husband felt so bad that he made his wife give my wife a $150 gift card for all of her work.  One of the small perks of her job.

It was a gift card for the chain of Landry's restaurants, owned by local boy Tillman Fertitta.  He's got about 15 or 20 big-time restaurants in his portfolio, and $150 doesn't go all that far. 

So last night we had dinner out at Vic & Anthony's Steakhouse in downtown Houston.  Tillman was having dinner just a couple of tables away from us.  The prices at this restaurant are astronomical, really absurd. We wouldn't eat dinner here if it wasn't "free." We had dinner a little early, and by the time we were leaving, the place was packed.  Packed, at these prices?

$39 for an 8 oz filet?

(That's mine.)  

$48 for a 12 oz?  Another $4 or $6 for a topping to the steak?  $10 for a side of broccoli?  Sorry, no green beans on the menu, but we do have haricot vert for $11.  

They have a HUGE wine list, and fortunately for us, they had a few full bottles in the $30 range, which is what we got:  a bottle of (California) Paso Robles 2010 Merlot for $32.  Probably cost $5 at Spec's.

Somehow, we were able to get two main entrees, two salads, and a bottle of wine for $114, and I gave the remaining amount on the gift card to the waiter as a tip.  He deserved it.