regimen

Fine Food vs. Fast

Gourmet fare is, of course, often packed with fat and calories—just like not-so-gourmet food. Here, then, a quick look at how the two types stack up, and what it takes to burn them off.

In the tastiest meats, there could be butter in every bite. (Photo: Eric Maillet)

A restaurant critic for, say, The New York Times regularly indulges in course after course at some of the finest eateries on the planet.

But it's not all fun, games, and mouth-watering chow: Even the fittest can't gorge without consequences. And who among us never sneaks some fast food here and there? What does it take to work off the high-end and decidedly lower-end calories packed on over the course of a day and night of noshing? With the help of Kristine Cuthrell, a nutritionist at Johns Hopkins's Bloomberg School of Public Health, we crunched the numbers.*

BAR AMERICAIN'S SKATE WITH SMOKED CHILI BUTTER, CAPERS, TARRAGON, AND CRISPY HOMINY: 1,550 calories; 109 grams of fat

ROUGHLY EQUIVALENT TO: A hamburger. With cheddar cheese. And bacon. On a Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut bun, à la the "Doughnut Burger" served by the Gateway Grizzlies, a minor-league baseball team in Illinois. (Plus a beer, of course.)

EXERCISE REQUIRED TO BURN OFF THE CALORIES: Running—at a good clip— for 90 minutes

COUNTRY'S BERKSHIRE PORK WITH POMMES FONDANTES, GREEN APPLES, AND TARRAGON MUSTARD: 720 calories; 46 grams of fat

ROUGHLY EQUIVALENT TO: Taco Bell's Grilled Stuft Beef Burrito.

EXERCISE REQUIRED TO BURN OFF THE CALORIES: Rowing hard for one hour.

BAR AMERICAIN'S CRISPY SQUASH BLOSSOMS WITH PULLED PORK: 720 calories; 38 grams of fat

ROUGHLY EQUIVALENT TO: Burger King's Big Fish Sandwich.

EXERCISE REQUIRED TO BURN OFF THE CALORIES: Playing squash for 50 minutes.

BOUCHON BAKERY'S "NUTTER BUTTER" COOKIE: 670 calories; 41 grams of fat

ROUGHLY EQUIVALENT TO: A medium Dairy Queen Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard.

EXERCISE REQUIRED TO BURN OFF THE CALORIES: Stairmaster for one hour.

DEL POSTO'S HAND-ROLLED PICI WITH CIBREO AND BLACK TRUFFLES: 660 calories; 34 grams of fat

ROUGHLY EQUIVALENT TO: Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pizza Supreme (the whole pie).

EXERCISE REQUIRED TO BURN OFF THE CALORIES: Cycling at 10 mph. for 75 minutes.

COUNTRY'S BLACK TRUFFLE RISOTTO: 490 calories; 15 grams of fat

ROUGHLY EQUIVALENT TO: McDonald's Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddle.

EXERCISE REQUIRED TO BURN OFF THE CALORIES: Weightlifting for one hour.

COUNTRY'S PARKER HOUSE ROLL WITH 1 TEASPOON OF BUTTER: 98 calories; 7 grams of fat

ROUGHLY EQUIVALENT TO: One half of Kentucky Fried Chicken biscuit—without butter.

EXERCISE REQUIRED TO BURN OFF THE CALORIES: Chopping wood for 15 minutes.