[cercatrova]

> For example I don't no anyone who will go in a restaurant alone for dinner, it's weird.

I do this, it's not weird. I go to different restaurants for the food, not necessarily to hang out with friends (although I do that as well of course). If I go to some high end Michelin star restaurant, I probably couldn't get a friend to go with me if not for a specific occasion. But if I want to eat their presumably world-class food, I'd have to go by myself.

[fatnoah]

Same. I go to eat by myself, go to the movies, etc. fairly frequently. I crave that alone time where I can just be with my thoughts while enjoying something else.

[karmakaze]

I remember the first time I went to the movie theatre by myself. It was definitely an unfamiliar experience, but in the end I did rather enjoy it. Later in life I found myself travelling for work so you get in the habit of, and really appreciate doing things on your own.

Maybe a way to approach it is to decide that you are going to an event by yourself. Invite some friends. If they say they'll come, great. If they cancel, back to the original plan.

[medstrom]

Is it that much better than the food you could make at home? To me the exorbitant price has always been about the locale and the privilege of sitting there.

[bsder]

> Is it that much better than the food you could make at home?

Oh, my goodness, yes. My experience was Alex in Las Vegas before it closed.

The food was, of course, excellent.

However, the wine pairing was phenomenal. Most of the wines were very good to start but putting them with the particular dishes made both of them amazing.

So, for starters, unless your house readily uncorks 8 unique, really good bottles of wine to pair with 8 courses, you are certainly getting something very different, at least.

Now, I will grant you that this was before the whole "It's more important to post my food pictures on social media than actually enjoy the food." So, things may have changed.

[klyrs]

I don't drink, but wouldn't 8 glasses of wine get a person properly pissed? Or do they do tiny glasses?

[bsder]

Yes and yes.

You get approximately half-portions, but it's still probably close to 5 glasses of wine. You will get quite drunk if you drink it all yourself.

However, being Vegas, you don't have to drive. So, even if you are a bit drunk, it's not a big deal.

[KeepFlying]

Yes.

At home I am limited in my skills and in the quality and variety of ingredients. In a restaurant (one where the chef actually makes food, not a place where it's microwaved, cooked from frozen, or just repackaged restaurant supply food), I get a skilled chef using many high quality ingredients which I cant get my hands on for any reasonable price to use at home.

I'll still avoid getting certain things at restaurants that I could make at home (many pasta dishes for example), but there are so many things I'd have a lot of trouble making myself.

[cercatrova]

I'm not a world-class trained chef, so yeah it is better than I can make at home. Trust me, the difference in taste absolutely exists.

[NikolaeVarius]

Usually its because an ungodly amount of butter and salt is used that normally wouldn't be used by home chefs.