I don’t remember the exact amount I paid. That’s probably for the best. What I do remember is that it was a lot—and it was for a dinner at Bilson’s, one of Sydney’s most respected fine-dining restaurants at the time.
It was my wife’s birthday—a big one—and I wanted to mark the occasion with something special. I’m not much of a foodie, but she is. So I booked us in for the full experience: a multi-course degustation with matching wines.
Bilson’s, located in the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel on O’Connell Street, was owned by Tony and Gayle Bilson. Tony Bilson was widely known as the “Godfather of Australian cuisine,” and this was his last high-profile restaurant. It earned three hats in the Good Food Guide for several years before it closed in 2011 due to an unexpected tax bill.
The service was excellent, the atmosphere calm and refined, and the presentation of each course thoughtful and precise. I was the designated driver, so I only had a couple of glasses of wine. My wife, though, enjoyed it all—and that was the point.
She still remembers that meal. Not just the food, but the experience of it. And for me, that’s what made it worth it.
Sometimes spending a lot on a meal isn’t really about the food. It’s about the person you’re with.
And she’s worth it.
The Afterword 
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