When water is part of the fine-dining experience

H2O is the stuff of life. But restaurants and sommeliers are trying to make it a hangover-free indulgence with a steep price tag

- Natasha Dangoor

High-end water has become a palatable alternative not only to cocktails and wine but also to sodas and juices; and (below) Gwen in Los Angeles.

Magdalena Kalley was browsing the drinks menu at a Michelin-starred restaurant, wondering what might pair well with the $175 steak she planned to share with three friends.

The server recommended something smooth and full-bodied. It was an $11 bottle of still water from the East Coast.

Unlike most people, who are drawn to high-end restaurants for the food, Kalley went to Gwen over the summer specifically to check out the Los Angeles hot spot's water menu-part of a small but growing contingent interested in the rarefied world of "fine water".

She started with Saratoga, the East Coast water, before moving on to her French favourite: Evian. "I am absolutely obsessed with the taste and texture," the 38-year-old said.

Kalley also tried a $12 Georgian sparkling water, Borjomi, described on the menu as salty and complex. The salinity, she said, helped highlight the differences between the various waters she tried. "It was fascinating to see that the water with the lighter mineral content paired nicely with our appetizers."

Gwen's water menu-a detailed book with lengthy descriptions of each water's origin and flavour profile-includes bottles from as far away as Australia and Armenia. Most cost between $11 and $13. It also offers tap water, priced at $0. Served by the glass, "the Los Angeles Tap water has more minerals and electrolytes dissolved than most purified bottled waters," the menu notes.