Etiquette and Dining Humor

“What we want in Virginia,” said he, “Is a high-toned restaurant like the Poodle-Dog in San Francisco, or Delmonico’s in New York; a place where a gentleman of taste and means could get a meal varying from five to twenty-five-dollars, with frog legs, truffles, terrapin stews, and some rare old Hock or Burgundy—a place where one could dine at his leisure and invite a friend with some degree of confidence.” 

Then and Now

About two weeks ago a bolder of much Sierra Nevada stock was finding fault with the gastronomical facilities of this mountain town. “What we want in Virginia,” said he, “Is a high-toned restaurant like the Poodle-Dog in San Francisco, or Delmonico's in New York; a place where a gentleman of taste and means could get a meal varying from five to twenty-five-dollars, with frog legs, truffles, terrapin stews, and some rare old Hock or Burgundy—a place where one could dine at his leisure and invite a friend with some degree of confidence.” This morning the same man was heard to ejaculate: “It’s about time we had some two-bit restaurants in this town, like the Miner’s Restaurant in San Francisco, or the What Cheer House, where a man could get a substantial meal without bankrupting himself.”—Virginia Chronicle, 1878

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia