THE PRICE HIKE

David Bouley’s Brushstroke, which I reviewed for Bloomberg Muse today, serves an $85 eight-course menu and a $135 ten-course tasting. Want wagyu beef? There’s no extra charge. Lobster? Included. Black truffles? Yup, you get them with your meal. Endangered bluefin tuna? You’ll pay not a single dime extra. There are no supplements on the set menus. Except for the giant rice pots. That’s an extra $15. Here’s what it contained on my last visit: RICE, SHRIMP. CORN. Welcome to the new era of global food inflation. Expect to see more restaurants across the country charge more for rice as it’s one of the year’s biggest gainers in the commodities markets, which is another way of saying lots of poor people around the world can’t afford it anymore. Check out some Bloomberg News stories on the topic:

• Thai Rice Prices Gain on Trader Hoarding
• Food inflation: Asia vs Europe vs U.S.
• Impact of Mississippi Flooding on U.S. Rice Crop