There are few things the internet loves more than watching someone drop serious cash on a “luxury experience” and walk away wondering what just happened, and that’s exactly what went down at one of Spain’s most hyped restaurants.
Influencer Chloe Jade Meltzer has gone viral after breaking down her $800+ tasting menu at Mugaritz, a two-Michelin-star spot in San Sebastián that’s apparently less about eating food and more about questioning reality.
According to her TikTok, the meal kicked off with something described as a “lip gloss” starter. Not “tastes like lip gloss,” not “inspired by lip gloss,” just straight-up lip gloss vibes on a plate. From there, things somehow got even weirder, including a dish designed to look like a “belly button” made of kefir and almond oil that you’re supposed to suck.
For $800.
All in, she says the bill came out to around $1,000 for three people after tip, and instead of leaving full and happy, she walked out calling the whole thing a scam. Not disappointing, not overrated, a full-on scam.
And the internet? Pretty much backed her immediately.
Comments flooded in from people saying this is exactly why they don’t trust fine dining, arguing that tiny portions and abstract presentations don’t exactly hit the same when you’re still hungry an hour later. The general vibe was, if you’re dropping four figures on dinner, you probably want actual food, not a science experiment.
To be fair, Andoni Luis Aduriz, the chef behind Mugaritz, has never hidden what he’s about. The restaurant is famous for its avant-garde approach, leaning into what it calls “culinary challenges” meant to provoke thought and push boundaries rather than just serve a great steak and call it a night.
Which is cool, in theory. In practice? Depends who you ask.
Because while some people see it as art, others see it as paying a mortgage payment to lick something that looks like it belongs in a makeup bag.
At the end of the day, it’s the classic debate, is this high-level creativity worth the price tag, or is it just expensive trolling for people with too much money?
Either way, if you’re dropping $1,000 on dinner and leaving hungry, you’re probably going to have some thoughts. And thanks to TikTok, now everyone else does too.
