Food

The 7 Most Overpriced Dishes in Washington

There are some foods you expect to pay top dollar for—but corn flakes and baked potatoes are not among them.

The Golden Opulence Sundae. Photograph by Scott Suchman.

$1,000 Ice-Cream Sundae

Serendipity 3 in Georgetown

The Golden Opulence sundae includes everything your average 15-year-old boy—the first DC recipient of the dessert—adores: edible gold leaf, fruit “caviar,”and a Baccarat crystal goblet.

$58 Burger

BLT Steak in downtown DC

Just like some of the upper-upper class, the One-Percent burger is over-the-top rich with foie gras, braised short rib, and gold leaf.

$56 Lobster Tail

The Palm in downtown DC and Tysons Corner

When it comes to the advertised “jumbo” portion, 15 ounces sounds a lot better than its equivalent, “less than a pound.”

$30 Half Roast Chicken with Potato Confit

Occidental Grill in downtown DC

Because a $60 whole chicken with potatoes would be outrageous.

$22 Vegetable Tempura

Buddha Bar in DC’s Penn Quarter

Think your extravagant array of bok choy, broccoli, and mushrooms needs more steamed white rice? That’ll be an extra $6.

$14 Baked Potato

Charlie Palmer Steak on Capitol Hill

Yes, truffle oil and bacon are involved, but trendiness is the costliest ingredient.

$12 Corn Flakes

Blue Duck Tavern in DC’s West End

This deal includes milk and a banana!

This article appears in the March 2012 issue of The Washingtonian.

Food Editor

Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.