$55 - Le Meridien: Majestic Dinner for 2, Reg. $108

[shannn]

Looks like a good deal:

http://www.travelzoo.com/ca/local-deals/Toronto/Restaurant/10970?utm_source=localdeal_ca&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1171407_html_toronto


Highlights
2 can dine on a specially-crafted menu created exclusively for Travelzoo subscribers for $55
Each guest receives a glass of red or white wine to enjoy with the meal
The Consort Bar at Le Meridien King Edward has been praised by blogTO and Toronto Life


The Fine Print
Vouchers can be redeemed starting Friday, Jan. 20, through April 19, 2012. Reservations are required. Must be used in 1 visit. Tax and gratuity are not included. This deal cannot be combined with any other offer. The
promotional value of this voucher is calculated based on the food discount. Any
alcoholic beverages, if consumed, are not specifically discounted as part of
this offering. No cash value or cash back. Not valid on Valentines Day (Feb. 14), or March 3-5. Must be 19 or older to consume alcohol.

Includes wine for 2

First Course:
• Chardonnay-steamed Prince Edward Island Mussels in garlic butter with fresh herbs
• The soup of the evening, inspired by market-fresh ingredients
• Roasted Ontario red beets with winter greens, goat cheese flakes and a white balsamic vinaigrette

Second Course:
• Red wine-braised beef short ribs with roasted root vegetable and mashed potatoes
• Wild mushroom thin crust pizza with caramelized onions, pear, blue cheese and arugula
• Grilled calamari and shrimps with roasted garlic, tomato confit, chorizo, black olives and polenta

[ronin1701]

Dunno, I find it hard to believe that this two course prix fixe would be worth $55 much less $108.

Think about it: Soup + pizza + a glass of generic wine for $27.50 / person (not incl. tax and tip) could be had pretty much anywhere, and probably for a lot less.

If you optimize your selection (say the Mussels to start, and followed by the Braised Short Ribs) you might get to $35 / person at a stretch.

There are plenty of restaurants running $25 / person prix fixe for Winterlicious that look better than what's being offered here.

[shannn]

Dunno, I find it hard to believe that this two course prix fixe would be worth $55 much less $108.

Think about it: Soup + pizza + a glass of generic wine for $27.50 / person (not incl. tax and tip) could be had pretty much anywhere, and probably for a lot less.

If you optimize your selection (say the Mussels to start, and followed by the Braised Short Ribs) you might get to $35 / person at a stretch.

There are plenty of restaurants running $25 / person prix fixe for Winterlicious that look better than what's being offered here.

I dunno, its supposed to be a good place to eat according to blogto apparently.

And you can't just look at the price, you have to look at quality. With your argument, it is like saying why get a burger at a high class restaurant when you could get one at McD's for so much cheaper.

And I'm kind of jaded towards Winter/Summerlicious, the past few times I've gone, the food at the majority of good restaurants has been crap during that period. And you Winterlicious/Summerlicious menus are made specifically for those events, so the majority of time at the $35/$45 dollar restaurants, those items would not even be on the menu normally (and is usually reflected by the quantity and lately unfortunately, often the quality as well)

But I have never been here, maybe you are right and the price is outrageous, but if the food is good then it would be well worth it. It seems like a decent place for a date.

[ronin1701]

I dunno, its supposed to be a good place to eat according to blogto apparently.

And you can't just look at the price, you have to look at quality. With your argument, it is like saying why get a burger at a high class restaurant when you could get one at McD's for so much cheaper.

And I'm kind of jaded towards Winter/Summerlicious, the past few times I've gone, the food at the majority of good restaurants has been crap during that period. And you Winterlicious/Summerlicious menus are made specifically for those events, so the majority of time at the $35/$45 dollar restaurants, those items would not even be on the menu normally (and is usually reflected by the quantity and lately unfortunately, often the quality as well)

But I have never been here, maybe you are right and the price is outrageous, but if the food is good then it would be well worth it. It seems like a decent place for a date.

I'm not arguing about the quality of the venue itself - agreed that the King Eddie is a really nice place, and as far has hotel bars go, the Consort ranks right up there.

But whether $55 is a good deal for this prix fixe menu is another matter. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. It's definitely not a good deal for $108, and I'm always suspicious about price inflation to make deals look better than they really are.

As you say, Winter/Summerlicious menus are specific to the promotion. How do we know that the "Majestic Dinner" menu isn't specific to this promotion as well, and hasn't been "adjusted" accordingly?

If it does turn out to be a good value, that's great, good for you. I'm just saying that you should always exercise some healthy skepticism around these deals.

[shannn]

I'm not arguing about the quality of the venue itself - agreed that the King Eddie is a really nice place, and as far has hotel bars go, the Consort ranks right up there.

But whether $55 is a good deal for this prix fixe menu is another matter. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. It's definitely not a good deal for $108, and I'm always suspicious about price inflation to make deals look better than they really are.

As you say, Winter/Summerlicious menus are specific to the promotion. How do we know that the "Majestic Dinner" menu isn't specific to this promotion as well, and hasn't been "adjusted" accordingly?

If it does turn out to be a good value, that's great, good for you. I'm just saying that you should always exercise some healthy skepticism around these deals.

Touche, touche, anyway, like you said, with all group deals you gotta hold some skepticism.

[dinger1216]

For $55 (regularly $108), two people receive dinner with wine from a specially crafted menu...

In group deal speak: "specially crafted menu" = "made up with inflated prices to allow us to cover our margins and get free advertising while everyone thinks they are getting a deal"