One of the highlights of my two years as an investment reporter in London was an expense account so lavish it would make your eyes pop. Usually, of course, it wasn’t needed, because investment fund managers (and their Public Relations people) were only too willing to take you to Marco Pierre White’s place for red snapper and a bottle or two of Sancerre in exchange for an hour of your time. Many was the Wednesday or Thursday afternoon when I would find myself in a pub at 5pm, having failed to return to the office after such a lunch, in the company, perhaps, of my news editor, who had decided to join us all for the scoop.
HEADY, FAT DAYS: THAT’S ME, CENTER LEFT, TOYING SUGGESTIVELY WITH THE GLASSWARE…

The Mercury lets me expense the odd coffee with a source every now and then, and I do actually to get to write about things that don’t entirely crush my will to live. It’s “real” journalism, whatever that means. But I’m most excited, in a Proustian reminiscent type way, to see the Pearl’s Ten 01 has started targeting the expenses crowd. From Pearl Insider:

Ten 01 is ramping up its lunch appeal with a new three-course “Power Lunch” menu that will get you in and out of the restaurant in a timely manner during your work day.

At just $15, this week’s lunch menu sounds like a steal: Choose from a starter of Wild Arugula Salad with peppadew peppers, citrus segments, shaved fennel; Winter Parsnip Soup with chestnuts, pickled shallots, balsamic brown butter; or Sweet Onion-Cauliflower Soup with spicy lamb sausage, golden raisins, almonds, curry oil. Then select a main course of either Sauteed Sea Scallops with fennel puree, shaved brussel sprouts, marcona almonds, Spanish chorizo; Roasted Sweetbriar Farms Pork Loin with housemade pancetta, creamed lentils, chorizo vinaigrette; or Wild Mushroom Risotto, rosemary oil, grana padano, aged balsamic. And to finish, housemade truffles, caramels or gelees.

Or, if you’re in the mood for a bit of a liquid lunch, Ten 01 is also offering $4 martinis, manhattans and bloody mary’s, and $5 wines by the glass.

Have it. Now all I need is a sufficiently important lunch date, so I can half-way justify the expense to my ruthless superiors. I’m thinking city commissioner with a story, or chief executive of something pretty important. Or perhaps, a whistle-blower of some kind: Do you happen to have a manila envelope from the Multnomah County Jail, for example? The story’s got to be worth it. Any takers? Email me here.

“Real” journalism, like I said. Tax-deductable calories. Mmm-mmm.