After a wave of negative reviews, the eccentric restaurateur Salt Bae introduces a discounted lunch menu at Nusr-Et Steakhouse in London.
The news
The much-talked-about restaurateur, Salt Bae, has slashed the prices of selected dishes at his Nusr-Et Steakhouse in the posh Knightsbridge area of London. While the priciest item on the menu - a giant £1450 ($1,860) tomahawk steak covered with edible gold leaf - is still available, the restaurant has introduced a fixed lunch menu at a more modest price of £39 (approximately $50) for a 3-course meal. There will also be £45 hamburgers, four pieces of sushi for £23, and a taco burger for £25, as reported by nationalnews.com.
Since the London steakhouse's opening in 2021, some diners have shelled out exorbitant amounts for their gold-infused meat-based meals. It's worth noting that Nusr-Et's website describes the menu, dishes, and their presentation as "incredible," but it doesn't list the prices. Furthermore, since Nusr-Et welcomed its affluent London clientele in September 2021, geopolitical and economic developments have driven the price of gold up by about 18%.
The rise of Salt Bae
Salt Bae (whose real name is Nusret Gokce) shot to fame in 2017 after a series of videos with footage of him expertly slicing and sprinkling salt on meat went viral, making him an internet sensation. He opened his first Nusr-Et restaurant in 2010 in Istanbul and currently owns 22 steakhouses worldwide, including locations in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Jeddah, and Doha. There are also two branches in New York and others in Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, and Miami.
The recent introduction of the reduced-price menu at Nusr-Et in London might have been a response to fewer customers willing to spend large sums on dining out, given the UK's experience with inflation spikes, high energy prices, and rising interest rates. However, the pricing adjustment could also be a reaction to significant social media backlash.
But what do customers think? In 2021, a guest posted a bill of £37,023.10, including an £850 gold tomahawk steak, on social media. Truth be told, the receipt included a wine worth over £30,000, which also encompassed a service charge of over £5,000. Another London patron last month wrote on TripAdvisor that Nusr-Et was "probably the worst restaurant he had ever visited. A complete rip-off. Overpriced food, I'd rather go to McDonald's at best."
Another individual who dined at Nusr-Et this month complained of the overly high food prices and average service, "as we were served items we didn't order and the wait was quite long, despite the place not being crowded." On the other hand, some found Nusr-Et to be a "beautiful place" with "amazing staff" and "very, very good food." Someone on TripAdvisor writes that the new three-course lunch menu "exceeded expectations" and they would "happily return."
