North Korea has opened its first “authentic” Italian restaurant on the orders of its leader, Kim Jong-Il, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper said Saturday.

The Chosun Sinbo, often seen as a mouthpiece for North Korea’s communist regime, said the restaurant had proved to be a major hit after it opened in the capital Pyongyang in December.

“I’ve learned through TV and books that pizza and spaghetti are among the world’s famous dishes, but this is the first time that I’ve tasted it,” Jung Un-Suk, 42, told the newspaper, which is published in Japan.

An authentic New York pizzeria in Notting Hill, has just launched the UK’s most expensive pizza, worth over $700 usd.

Mulberry Street has introduced the 20 inch Beluga King to their menu, which is topped with mozzarella, onion, Italian chicken eggs and caviar.

“I’ve lived in the area for 16 years and I know that we have a lot of Americans and a lot of wealthy people here,” the owner, Maria O’Connor, said. “They are partial to our Louis Roederer Cristal, and I thought, what better to go with Champagne than caviar. And if they don’t buy it, then I’ll eat it!”

And it’s already a success even though there is a credit crunch in the UK : Mulberry Street have sold six Beluga’s in just two weeks!.

New York restaurateur Nino Semilaj holds expensive pizza record : he launched last year the $1,000, 12 inch Luxury Pizza, topped with six types of caviar, fresh lobster, crËme fraiche and chives !

For a $20 investment, Chris Clark a tech entrepreneur, made the best decision in his life. He bought the domain name Pizza.com in 1994 for twenty bucks and sold it recently for almost $3 million.

A week’s worth of anonymous bidding at an online auction site had pushed the price to $2.6 million, compared to the fact that most domain names go for around $2000, we’d say Clark has a good deal on his hands and a great pie going in his favor.

He was tempted to let go of the name after he learnt that vodka.com sold for $3 million.

1/ Pay $1,500,000 for a Box of Chocolates

Le Chocolat features a selection of Lake Forest Confections gourmet chocolates, selected by the confectioners master candy maker, as well as an arrangement of magnificent jewelry from Simon’s personal jewelry and gemstone vault. The price tag is $1,500,000. The jewelry that comes along with the box of chocolates includes a “priceless” collection of natural yellow and blue diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires from Simons Jewelers.

2/ Pay $1.3 Million for a Cell Phone

Designed by Peter Aloisson, the Diamond Crypto Smartphone is made out of platinum and rose gold. It has over 80 diamonds on it. There are 50 diamonds going up and down the sides (10 are blue diamonds), the navigation key has 28 diamonds surrounding it and the navigation button is actually a 1/2 carat diamond. The buttons on the sides are suppose to be diamonds too. It costs $1.3 million, so that phone better work!

3/ Pay $163,000 for Hello Kitty

Who doesn’t love Hello Kitty? Sanrio came out with a platinum Hello Kitty. Its W3.8xH5.6cm and weighs 590g. The miniature Hello Kitty comes with seven hair ribbons made of gems including diamond, ruby, pink sapphire, amethyst and blue topaz. The figurine comes with a price tag of ¥18,9-million — ($163,000 US) a record high in Hello Kitty’s extensive line-up. Only one set is available, which went on sale on December 2006 at the Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo.

4/ Pay $1,000 for a Pizza

The world’s most expensive pizza was made by Nino’s Bellissima Pizza (located in New York City). The 12-inch pizza is topped with creme fraiche, chives, eight ounces of four different kinds of Petrossian caviar, four ounces of thinly sliced Maine lobster tail, salmon roe, and a little bit of wasabi to complement all the fish. The pizza is cut into eight… that is a mere $125 for each serving.

5/ Pay $1.63 Million for a Purse

On June 14, 2007, Ginza Tanaka showcased this diamond platinum bag at a fashion show in Tokyo. The handbag is shaped out of pure platinum and studded with 2,182 diamonds totaling 208 carats. The handbag has a brilliant price tag of $1.63 million.

6/ Pay $225,000 for Tequila

Can you imagine spending $225,000 on a beverage? On July 20, 2006, Tequila Ley .925 sold a single Platinum and White Gold tequila bottle for $225,000 to a private collector in Mexico City, Mexico. The liquor was made out of 100% blue Agave liquid and was aged for six years. The company won the Guinness Book of World Records title for the most expensive bottle of liquor sold in the world. For those of us who can’t afford the Platinum bottle, the company also sells the Gold and Platinum bottle for $150,000 and the Silver & Gold bottle for $25,000.

7/ Pay $68,000 for a Cricket Ball

This diamond studded cricket ball was presented to the Best Indian and Best International players at the 2007 Cricket World Cup tournament. The diamond cricket ball was created by Gitanjali Gems Limited. Each diamond ball is studded with 5,728 pieces of diamonds with a worth of approximately $68,500.

8/ Pay $130,000 for a TV

Yes, instead of buying a new house, a few cars, or feeding a starving country… buy this TV. The Yalos Diamond LCD TV costs $130,000, but its really worth it. You see, the LCD TV is plated in white gold and encrusted with 20 carats worth of diamonds. A TV encrusted with diamonds… just what the world need it.

9/ Pay $14,000 for a Tea Bag

PG Tips is a British company that makes tea. Boodles jewelers (an exclusive jeweller based in the UK) made a diamond teabag to celebrate PG Tips 75th birthday. The tea bag was hand-crafted using 280 diamonds. The tea bag is valued at around $14,000.

10/ Pay $41,000 for a Toy

Japan’s Ginza Tanaka Jewelers and toymaker Bandai Co. unveiled a miniature version of Japan’s famous animated robot character - “Gundam.” Gundum is one of the longest running Japense animation series. The figurine weighs in at 1,400 grams (45oz) and stands 13cm (5″) tall. He is made of pure platinum which explains its name “Gundam Fixed Platinum.” At today’s prices, melted down, he would go for $41,468!

11/ Pay $225,000 for a Parking Spot

Well, this one you might actually need if you live in Manhattan, but for $225,000 you better get yourself a FERRARI and live elsewhere! ABC.com reports “…. in space-starved Manhattan, a parking space is considered prime real estate. There’s actually a waiting list for the $225,000 spot.” People who don’t even own cars are buying parking spaces as investments to flip.

Via seraph.72pines