Las Vegas has long been known for splurge-worthy experiences, like beach clubs and expensive co*cktails. Now you can also throw down $688 for a bowl of soup.
Don't expect an ordinary soup. The Cordyceps Soup, served at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, is made with Cordyceps fungus, referred to as "caterpillar fungus," since it resembles the fuzzy creatures. It's extremely rare, and must be flown in from one of the few seasonal locations where it grows at a minimum altitude of 12,500 feet, like the Himalayas in Asia. The fungus is believed to have powerful healing properties, such as acting as a natural cancer treatment and anti-aging supplement — it's even known as the "Viagra of the Himalayas."
A Tibetan nomad lays out his cleaned cordycep fungus for sale at a market on May 22, 2016 on the Tibetan Plateau in Sershul in the Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan province.
Kevin Frayer | Getty Images
Cordyceps is so rare that it sells for more than $100 a gram across Asia and the U.S., according to BBC — that's about $45,000 a pound. There is a quarter ounce of Cordyceps in every bowl of soup.
"The broth of the Cordyceps soup has tea-like characteristics with hints of earthiness from the Cordyceps themselves. The recipe includes the highly prized Silkie breed of chicken as well as Chinese dates," Bryan Fyler, executive chef at The Cosmopolitan, tells CNBC Make It. The soup also includes Longan berries.
Cordyceps Soup
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
The soup is served in the resort's Talon Club, a VIP gaming room. "The resort's high-end casino customers from the Far East are accustomed to having these types of cultural delicacies available to them," says Fyler. "On average we serve approximately five bowls of the Cordyceps soup per month."
But you don't have to be a member of The Talon Club to enjoy the soup. "The Talon Club is located in a more discrete area of the resort, but it is in fact open to the public, so guests can enjoy the soup if they desire to cover the hefty price tag associated with the dish," says Fyler.
The Cosmopolitan's Cordyceps Soup may be the most expensive soup in America, according to the resort. After an extensive search, it may even be the most expensive bowl of soup being served on a regular menu in the world. A bowl of soup once served at Kai Mayfair restaurant in London, U.K., was listed at $190 (£108) and is the Guinness World Record holder for most expensive soup, recorded in 2005 (it's no longer on the restaurant's menu.) A soup currently served at Niu Ba Ba restaurant in Taipei, Taiwan, is available for $326 a bowl, and includes premium cuts of beef.
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