President and Mrs. Obama spent Valentine’s Day with the One Percent Tuesday, shelling out up to $300 for dinner for two at the high-end Vermilion restaurant outside of Washington.
Michelle just recently completed a three-day tour of the nation promoting her “Let’s Move” health and fitness initiative, during which she was depicted in a widely circulated photograph passing around a bowl of salad at an inexpensive Olive Garden restaurant.
But the press was not even permitted to take a peek at the Obamas last night as they feasted at one of the Washington area’s trendiest upscale joints.
What’s more, the Obamas warmed the earth a bit as their multi-car, fossil-fuel-burning motorcade roared out of Washington for a 25 minute trip to the Alexandria, Va. restaurant.
On tap for the Valentine’s Day at Vermillon was a special five-course tasting menu priced at $75 per person, with an extra charge of $35 if you wanted wine paired with the offerings.
It’s a fairly safe bet to assume the Obamas went for the wine, which would bring the tab to $110 per person. Add in a nine percent sales tax and 20 percent tip and we’re up to $288 for dinner.
If the Obamas did even a little better than most wealthy diners – this is an election year, afterall – a generous presidential tip, or a few bucks for the busboy, could easily have brought the dinner to $300.
Carfare was all taken care of, courtesy of the taxpayers.
On the tasting menu last night were a host of mouth watering delicacies generally unavailable to the 99 percent, including:
- curdo of Virginia fluke with celery-apple remoulade & American caviar;
- Maine lobster tortelloni with marcona almonds, sultanas & curried salsify veloute;
- line caught Chesapeake rockfish with butter poached Virginia oyster and pancetta & spicy “bouillabaises broth; and
- peidmontese beef duo with creamed trumpet mushrooms, potato pancake & black truffle jus.
Dessert was not to be missed, with a choice of passion fruit cheesecake with white chocolate sauce, basil, kiwi & coconut sorbet or chocolate truffle tart with cocoa nib ice cream, cocoa nib tuile & mocha caramel sauce. Both were served with assorted petits fours.
I don’t know what some of that stuff is, but I assume two things about the meal: it tasted very, very good, and it will not be featured on the Obama 2012 campaign website.
489 thoughts on “Obama Valentine’s Day Splurge Priced at Up To $300”
Learn to spell. The menu is rife with typographical errors.
Copy and paste from the restaurants website…complain to them
“It’s the economy, stupid”, Bill Clinton, 1995
“It’s the hypocrisy, stupid.” Sam, 2012
Vermillion is far from a fancy, super-upscale, trendy, one percent restaurant. It’s a nice place with good food, but it’s not elite. Anyone can walk in there on a Sunday morning and have a good breakfast for about $12. A non-story.
Girly1 I like what you have to say! You are so right.
Wow, I used to get roses and a nice dinner from my hubby, this year just a card. I miss all that stuff but..I am getting use to living austerely. We have to, haven’t been able to find a job for the main bread winner, my husband, since 2010. Don’t get me wrong, I love my card and my man but… the Obama’s throwing it in our face is just wrong!
Hang in there mariee. Better times are coming once we rid ourselves of these carpetbaggers.
You forgot to mention that their fancy dinner napkins sported a copy of our Constitution, matching the print on the toilet paper in The White House.
who cares where he ate… he isnt using tax payer dollars – he is using his own private money – let him eat.
you (*#)()*@’s didnt have any issues while GWB was out getting high and eating 500 dollar dinners.
really? when was GWB out getting high (that would have been big news) or eating $500 dinners?
He mostly vacationed in Crawford, Texas, nothing around for miles except one small cafe, so his eating was done at the ranch. I don’t remember him taking Laura out for caviar and lobster EVER!
GWB’s tastes ran to Mexican food, bbq and steak, and the steaks weren’t $100 a bite Kobe beef either.
Stop believing what they tell you at the huff post and do a little research.
And if Bush did do what you say we would hear about it endlessly from the libs.
The hypocrisy that the left has been showing lately is amazing.
http://www.salon.com/2012/02/08/repulsive_progressive_hypocrisy/singleton/
Do you think Obama paid all the extra expenses involved in taking him and Mrs. Obama out of the White House through public streets and traffic to a public restaurant?
If it were just the $300, I’d think it was bad to flaunt their wealth when other citizens are suffering; if it were just the high-calorie menu, I would think that MoochMORE is a hypocrite (but I thought that already); but when it comes to using taxpayer money to get this pair out of a mansion with a wonderful kitchen staff because someone needed the titillation of a different scene, then I think what the Obamas have done is open to criticism. They live like a king and queen, as if taxpayer money for their lifestyle falls out of the sky instead of being hooked out of citizens’ pockets.
That’s not true they stayed in show me pictures of them dressed up and
dining in expensive restaurants I’ll wait it will take a while to make some
up because they didn’t dine out with motorcade and press the WH food
was fine for them.
Sorry Lizzy…you are wrong:
Caption: President Barack Obama, center, arrives at Vermilion Restaurant in Alexandria, Va. , for a Valentine’s Day dinner with first lady Michelle Obama, Tuesday, Feb. , 14, 2012.
http://news.daylife.com/photo/03Lr7w09dk8mk?__site=daylife&q=michelle+obama
I meant the Bush’s never went out like that. I loathe the Obama’s
and them rubbing the taxpayers faces in it daily. The day I defend
the Obama’s shoot me quick! Poor Laura could barely get W in a
white tie for a state dinner.
I’m sorry…I mistook your statement. You are absolutely correct about George and Laura…just boring, polite, classy people.
Got my reply in the wrong place my bad:(. They were a bit boring but they had class and respect for America and we the
people class all the way. Can you imagine if there were protestors all around the ‘Obama’s Compound’ in Hawaii it
would never be allowed but I never heard either Bush
complain. That’s class I don’t think I could keep my trap shut.
I don’t know how much of a headache it was for other dinners to be having the TOTUS and entourage there with your valentine, but my family went to FLA for Jan vaca and had their flight diverted due to “presidential” activity.
I don’t think inside-the-beltway hollywood types have a clue. This gravy train’s got to stop.
I had a turkey and cheese sandwich, need to save money. American citizens see the disaster coming, cant wait till nov 12
If they pay for it I could care les what they pay and what they eat. I am just tired of paying the millions of dollars for security for date nights.
Bingo.
These people are eating us to d eath every day. Who is ready for new change and hope out there? Can’t be soon enough. Wouldn’t everyone like a job where you don’t work and get paid royally out of the public taxes.
Must be nice, I could not even affored a card. My wife and I just held hands and said we love you to each other. That’s all we need.
Let the pres and the mooch eat cake, they should enjoy it this year as I am sure it will be there last one as POTUS.
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“…passing around a bowl of salad at an inexpensive Olive Garden restaurant.”
Inexpensive to who? We spent $50 last time we ate there, and I don’t consider that “inexpensive.” I don’t care where the Obamas eat or how much they spend of their own money, but I don’t think they ought to start preaching to me about fairness and understanding the plight of the average American.
Well, I and my friends enjoyed our cake. It was, Hey! Watch where you point that pitchfork, peasant! The cake was wonderful, if a trifle stale.
It;s good to be king.
Let’s count our blessings: I am grateful that they chose a local restaurant, as opposed to one cross country that would have required the Air Force One entourage. Remember “date night” in NYC? And the amount he chose to spend on the meal was his business, as long as he was the one paying for it.
Let’s get real; we’re picking at him because he has succeeded in making us class warriors.
who cares? i just spent $600 on my wife for valentine’s day. OMG OBAMA.
Does a “line caught rockfish” taste different from a “net caught rockfish”? Or is that to ensure a higher price because of the extra labor?
People either have the right to spend their money as they want or they don’t.You people can’t have it both ways.
However it’s not their money, it’s yours and ours. You are the reason why Obama gets away with his double talk and you are the reason why he will succeed in talking this nation into the toilet. He sells you shit and you buy it. Wake up! This man and his wife are phonies that live off of our dime. And make you feel like hes doing all he can to make your life better. When all he’s doing is hoping that you keep falling for his lies so they can keep dining and parting on our dime.
First of all I doubt they let him pay for his dinner, secondly we didn’t pay for it, thirdly he is the president there is always cost associated with keeping him safe even when he stays at the white house fourthly get a clue and grow up.
Grow up.Not every dime they spend is YOUR money.I hope I am one of the reasons he gets re-elected. It’s people like you who make me realize its my patriotic duty to work hard and volunteer to get him back for four more years.
Cynthia and Saul — have you met? You seem made for each other.
Obots in love!
Cynthia and Saul — have you met? You seem made for each other.
Nice to meet you Saul.
WTH is a “curdo of Virginia fluke”?
Only fluke I know of is the fluke that he got elected.
That menu is NOT what moochelle wants the rest of us to eat.
Caviar= too much sodium
The rest of the foods are either high in fat, anything creamed, sauced or with butter.
The dessert had to have pounds of sugar in it, and just who eats all that? No wonder she has a beam 4 axe handles wide!
Screw you. Know how yo spell landslide?
Yes, but for which Republican?
HAHA, this author clearly has never dined at Vermilion. I work and live near this restaurant. This restaurant is not the elitist establishment portrayed in this article. Yes it is a restaurant where you can get a price fixed meal but it is also a place where the majority of people where jeans, they have happy hour specials, live music and lunch specials.
The author here listed all the exotic items on the menu to help build his case as Obama being out of touch. Here is a link to all the menu options:
http://washingtondc.menupages.com/restaurants/vermilion/menu
Also, the press wasn’t allowed in the restaurant so the place wouldn’t be a complete cluster f%ck for the couples (most not wearing suits) dining in the restaurant.
wear jeans not where jeans! Stupid autcorrect.
Agreed. Poor research. If they had gone to Citronelle or Inn at Little Washington or Plume, etc., it might ring true. But Vermillion? It’s just not that high-end.
How do you know why the press was banned? Did they give you that talking point at the Truth Team meeting?
Screw you. Know how to spell landslide?
Barak and Miss Piggy go out for an elaborate dinner and some poor 4 year old pre-schooler can’t have the lunch her mother packed for her because of the Idiot in Charge and his wife. How much longer must we take this crap.When this fool and his mate lose in November, I expect they will have so many executive orders written it will take years to get out of the mess.
Is this another Onion website? Good job.
I can’t stand B and M, but I’d do the same thing. When you come from nothing, and when you have the chance to take it all for free, go for it. Glad the rockfish was line caught, more humane than nets.
More humane than nets. Its a damn fish, grow up.
Wait ,I”m confused. Only three hundred? What about the cost of the Secret Service? And the goumet chefs that you and I pay for that are on staff at the White House? Big spender took care of his wife and screwed us (or US) on Valetines Day. And I thought I wasn’t getting any.
so, excluding the dinner, which obama probably put on his american express, what was the tab for the limos, secret service, and various other members of the crew? bet that doesn’t go on obama’s credit card.
so, excluding the dinner, which obama probably put on his american express, what was the tab for the limos, secret service, and various other members of the crew? bet that doesn’t go on obama’s credit card. i got an idea, how about every time a politician goes out on anything that isn’t related to his job, he picks up the tab for the excursion. bet that’ll keep ’em home. and i mean all of them, not just obama…
Barry and Michelle’s big adventure continues. I guess Air Force One was in the shop.
Well if Americans are dumb enough to fall for his double talk and smoke and mirriors why not. The man runs his campaign on class warfare and Americans fall for it. Runs up all our debt and Americans say he’s doing a good job. Runs up gas from 1.87 to 4.00 and he’s doing great. Need I say anymore. Dumbed down americans willbring this nation down. Obamas main objective. And in fact doing a good job of making it happen.
Unfortunately not dumbed down, the only ones saying it’s doing a good job are those that have their hands out in a typical “gimme mine” instead of those of us working to go nowhere fast at his hand. Stealin g my money and trampling on my Constitutional rights are not what I would expect from a President, only a poser.
I give you that, however more than 56% of americansvoted for this snake oul salesman They fell for his flowery speeches, that my friend was where they were taken. And yes we have become a nation of takers. That in fact is what the Dems have always wanted. This way they will always be in power. look for our streets to Look like Greece if Obama doesn’t get elected. Riots will be had if Obama is not reelected. He will see to it. His blackberry carries an Army of contacts and he will use it.
Enjoy it while you can idiot. You’re done very, very soon.
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Geez, did you all whine this much when Dubya took all those vacations? My wife and I are in the 99%, albeit the upper-middle portion. An occasional $300 celebratory meal is not that unusual. Hope you all are just as bent about corporate welfare. The rich have been sticking it to the middle class for 30 years, and now that we’re starting to push back, it’s “class warfare?” Bring it on.
I enjoy a $300 meal every now and then as well. Nothing wrong with it. But I also don’t leave the restaurant to go to a press conference and complain about how evil rich people. Nor do I take a 20 car convoy to and from the restaurant and then complain about global warming. Nor do I scarf down a 2000 calorie meal and then complain that people should eat more healthy foods.
It’s the hypocrisy that people are pointing out not the actual $300 meal
I’m no fan of hypocrisy either, but this just looks like another reason to bitch about people the commenters already hate. As POTUS, there are not many other options for travel if he wants to take his wife out to dinner. And I don’t think the Obama’s eat this way every day; this 2000-calorie splurge shouldn’t negate the first lady’s attempts to get our increasingly obese population to pay more attention to what they eat and how much they exercise. But I will draw the line at the state inspecting my kid’s lunch box . . .
Actually, I didn’t much like the fact that George W was vacationing all the time. I do see that by going to one place he minimized the cost of security — it could be routinized to an extent unlike our present President who must go someplace new all the time it seems.
And I think the idea that corporations are people and that executives can only fall upward$$$$$ is reprehensible.
George Bush, however, has been gone for three years and people are still using him as the reference point in defense of Obama. I find it odd that when The One is criticized the counter-argument is “oh, yeah, well this other person did it, too,” or “this other person did it more.” Shouldn’t a President be held to a higher standard of behavior than “oh, not so much” or “not so often?” After two terms would be allowed to comment on The One’s behavior without having the Bush card a-waving?
Let’s put this to rest shall we . . .
Pres. Bush NEVER really went on a vacation according to those who worked with him. Even on vacation, he worked every day. His Crawford home had a full office.
For Christmas, the Bush family went to Camp David so his staff could be with their families instead of spending $4M for a 2 week vacation with staff all having to leave their families or pay for them to go with them to Hawaii.
There is now way that the costs of the Bush’s trips to Crawford in total cost as much as Obama’s 2011 Christmas vacation in Hawaii. $4M for a vacation!!! And Obamabots. . . how much do you think the Obamas paid of that trip? Not even 5% of those costs.
LarryO February 15, 2012 at 9:49 am
LarryO February 15, 2012 at 9:51 am
LarryO February 15, 2012 at 9:51 am
LarryO February 15, 2012 at 9:50 am
LarryO February 15, 2012 at 9:45 am
LarryO February 15, 2012 at 9:52 am
LarryO February 15, 2012 at 9:42 am
LarryO February 15, 2012 at 9:53 am
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LarryO February 15, 2012 at 9:47 am
LarryO February 15, 2012 at 9:49 am
LarryO February 15, 2012 at 9:49 am
LarryO February 15, 2012 at 9:49 am
LarryO February 15, 2012 at 9:51 am
LarryO February 15, 2012 at 9:50 am
Dude you need to get a life.
Probably being paid by Media Matters
While I am not a big fan of President Obama, spending $300 on a Valentine’s meal is in no way inappropriate. I am by not a member of the malligned “1%”, but I have spent nearly $300 for a special meal for my wife and Imyself. The chef’s tasting and paired wine meal is a very enjoyable culinary event and, in this case, I must appaud the president. If the aim of your article was to take a shot at the president, it was a cheap one Mr. Koffler.
Ed, when you spend your time telling people to sacrifice and your wife spends her time telling people what to eat and you go out and spend a lot of taxpayer money on an unnecessary trip to a restaurant where you and your wife scarf down the calories, well, when a person does that they open themselves to charges of hypocrisy.
Congratulations on being able to spend $300 on a meal for two people. I am glad that you and your wife had that experience. I hope you prosper and have many more. But please don’t take a taxpayer-funded motorcade to get to the restaurant and please ask your wife not to spend her time jetting around the nation at taxpayers’ expense and telling others to avoid fatty foods.
He is the president. He cant just grab a cab.The Secret Service would go crazy. She is the First Lady doing her job.I think she is making a real difference in children’s lives.Something has to be done about our obesity epidemic.
LOL!
Don’t see the point to Koffler’s post, except to arouse the passion of Obama haters, which in turn provokes mindless futile debate on this site. Of course, that is the point! It’s all about getting people to this site. The more “hits,” the better.
Really, what is the big deal. OK, some don’t like the guy, and they find fault with the fact that he and his wife go out to dinner in Alexandria. Whenever the POTUS leaves the White House, it’s an elaborate, planned, jaunt, involving an advance team, Secret Service, local police, the media, a motorcade, and yes, shockingly, the cost of all this is borne by the U.S. taxpayers. This is the practice for all presidents, Democrats, Republicans, competent as well as the incompetent. We cannot expect anything less regarding the President’s safety, like him or not.
There have been Presidents occupying the White House that I strongly opposed, but I would never would want to deny the President spending his leisure time any way he sees fit. Let’s focus on the important matters.
There is nothing on the menu that couldn’t be made by the WH chefs. Most likely they went out just to piss in the eyes of the tax payers.
I really detest Obama, but, $300 for Valentine’s Day dinner is pretty low budget. On a “Big Night” I easily spend $450 – $500 for dinner, including wine and I am not paying Washington, DC prices.
Ken
It’s not the cost of the meal, it’s the cost of getting Him and Her to the meal and protecting them on the way, while dining, and on the way home.
A “curdo” of “fluke’? I am sure glad I am not president.
The “Let them eat cake” COUPLE is at it again! They are a disgrace to all that is good and decent.
O’Bozo now claims the economy got as bad as it did because he “just didn’t understand” how bad it was going to get. No doubt, had he realized this, he wouldn’t have been taking all those multi-million dollar vacations……
More code for “It’s Bush’s fault”……
Reality is that he knew how bad it was going to get because HE is doing what he can to destroy the economy. If he was anywhere close to being honest, his next budget wouldn’t be doubling down on more deficit spending. The only things he is willing to cut are military funds. Now he wants to reduce the nuke stockpile to less than 300. China has more than that. Russia is estimated to have over 4 thousand. This simpleton has had one and one goal only and that is to completely destroy the nation. The economy. Our self defense. Our freedoms. And he’s done a fantastic job at that…..
Yea…I make 35k a year, and I spent more than 300$ on valentines day – Not sure that qualifies as “going big”
This is the most ridiculous story I have ever read – So now its a crime to take your wife out? You guys are insane.
Was that S300.00 for a hooker.
Goes big, eh?
You people are bitter…can’t he have a night with his wife?
Obama is going to win in 2012….and you conservatives will know EXACTLY what is was like for normal, rational people when Bush stole the election and got a second term. One word: KARMA
OBAMA 2012!!!!
Stole an election??? LOL! Stupidity raises its ugly head again.
all the comments here are hypocritical as hell, just because this link was from Drudge all the comments are right wing. I’m conservative too, but I just find it amazing at all the nitpicking stuff Obama endures. No one would have said anything( except the democrats) if Bush would have taken his wife there, and I’m sure he did. Why don’t we just be better that that and let the man spend some money on an expensive meal. Hell he’s putting some of his salary back into the economy. Maybe he wanted to give the whitehouse chefs a night off so they could take their wives out? All the nit picking just makes me sick and makes all of us look like little cry babies if you keep this up. This was not news.. Shame on the writer for even writing it and I have just wasted more than 4 minutes of my day now. I’ll never get that back
“Maybe he wanted to give the whitehouse chefs a night off so they could take their wives out?”
So he took up the time of extra Secret Service agents, the chauffeurs, etc.? They don’t have wives (or husbands)?
Mark, what’s like to be a part of a Truth Team?
Hmm – I don’t see any dairy products here. Better get a carton of that fine Let’s Move school milk for the first lady. The food inspectors are very disappointed.
Nice hit piece…. You should be proud of the slime you smear…
I wonder if the public realizes that the moochers don’t give a hoot about the poor – our money gave them that luxury last night – when some could not even have afforded a plain hamburger. This dictator has to go we cannot take him or the moochie anymore this is it – they are living it up and we suffer with the high gas and every day high priced food in the supermarkets – he mean that he is going to run the USA down to the ground – he and his wife are laughing at us – I can imagine her telling him everynight lets get those ………………….people she hates us and we hate them.
I love reading all the comments from these cranks from the Drudge link who probably spent Valentine’s Day staring at porn.
The man is the President of the United States. He took his wife out for Valentine’s Day and you want to impeach him over it.
You guys reallllllly need to get a life.
Do you think when Obama buys his wife lingerie he thinks he should “go big”?
Self hating much?
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