A cover story in this week's New York Magazine nearly made Foodie

drop his jaw.

The article details the most expensive meal the magazine's dining

critic has ever had - a whopping $860.

Now, for most people, that's way out of our budgets and it's

ultra-expensive even by New York standards. But it causes me to ponder

about the dining habits of Fayette County residents.

We're fortunate to live in an area that has the highest per capita

income of any county in Georgia, so we have more disposable income to

spend on dining and entertainment.

But what's the limit?

Obviously, $860 is way over my limit, but I'm intrigued about our

readers. What's the most you would ever pay for a fine dining experience

or what's the most you have paid? Was it worth it?

Dining trends around the country suggest a new upscale clientele that's

reminiscent of the Wall Street mentality in the '80s.

Although the market has cooled in the last few months, there are plenty

of techno-millionaires who love to entertain and be entertained.

New upscale restaurants are springing up almost daily in the Atlanta area

and I keep hearing rumors that more restaurants are on the way for Fayette

County foodies.

I would love to hear from my readers about some of their more extravagant

dining experiences. Don't worry, we'll keep it anonymous, in

case you don't want neighbors or relatives wanting to know how much

you splurged. I think all of Fayette will find the results interesting.

Send your responses to The Citizen, 310 N. Glynn St., Fayetteville 30214,

or send an e-mail to [email protected].