Over the weekend, a reader posted about the new restaurant in town, Fatty Crab.
While the owner told NewsofStJohn.com the place would be casual and not upscale, our reader, Pete, found fault after looking over Fatty's menu on the restaurant's web site.
"The prices are not in line with the (pre-opening) comments," he said. "$42 for a sirloin steak. $17 for a chicken satay appetizer. $10 for a side of pickles, of all things. Yikes."
So, the Inquiring Iguana did a little foraging around the web. His survey focused on the entrees of three eateries. Surprise, surprise! Fatty's the least expensive.
The average price of Fatty's six "Specialities" is $28.83. Asolare's sample menu featured five main courses, with an average price of $$35. While Zozo's Ristorante is clearly the high-priced place. Its Pesce e Carne offerings averaging $37.17.
I think the flak was not so much because of the prices but because of expectations based upon the owner’s comments that were posted here. He actually posted on that other site and stated that he’d been “quoted out of context” here.
It is less expensive than Asolare or Zozo’s, which clearly present themselves for what they are (and also have views) . But the prices at the Fatty Crab on STJ are higher than the prices at the Fatty Crab restaurants in Manhattan.
But I really don’t think there would have been much reaction if the impression created prior to opening had been more accurate.
Bring a cooler full of goodies with u and cook 4 yourself… you’ll save a ton of extra $ in your man purse and eat healthier. get local fruits on STT and STJ. The hassle/expense of carrying a cooler from the states is worth the $ when u get your 200 doll hair bill for 2 from the ‘cheap’ restaurant on island.
Pickles ae usually free at most restaurants. 10 bucks?! Are you joking?!?! I won’t be going here unless they lower prices.
I can not beleive you’re trying to compare The Fatty Crab to the upscale restaurants of Asolare & ZoZo’s!
Well, if a reader complains about there being a $2 steak on the menu, makes sense to compare that menu to other places asking such prices.
The comparison showed Fatty was NOT in the same league as Zozo’s/Asolare … for n]instance, there is an $11 special entree.
Why can’t there be a reasonably priced restaurant that normal people can afford?
Other than the steak and a few other items Fatty Crabs prices look ok to me and frankly the food at the other so called top shelf restaurants on SJ are uniformly mediocre and overpriced.
Best bet is to fly in with a cooler of what you like and break it up with bbq from Joes, a burger at Skinnys and maybe a curry at Sweet Plaintains. Anybody going to SJ looking for a culinary experience is wasting their time and money.
When r people goin 2 realize— we are in A RECESSION damn near DEPRESSION. Economy cropped up by 600 BILLION in OBAMA FUNNY MONEY. You’de be a damn fool to blow big money at blow hard restaurants in a time like this. Frugality is the wise move in times like these- no matter how much you got. I would liek to see someone open a native american restaurant specializing in Taino Indian dishes. now THAT would be authentic cuisine native to the island.THAT would get me to open the purse a little. If u want me to spend 300 on Thai food, I better get a foot massage by two Thai girls with it. MY 2 CENTS.
I’m off to Thailand for the same price of a meal at Phatty Crabs. One meal on St. J or a flight to Bang Cock; I’m goin to Thai world,.
If I’m going to waste my money going on a vacation I don’t need, then I’ll waste it on yummy food I don’t need. Simple as that.
Every time we go stateside now, we load up with tuna, salmon, beef, seafood and the high end groceries. It pays for the airfare, believe it or not. Tuna, for example, at $7/pound stateside vs. $22.50 here, flash frozen, sealed and going from freezer to freezer. The “it costs so much to ship things in” argument has become pretty tired. Two suitcases full of “seal a meal” frozen meats lasts us two months or more.
We ate at an “upscale” STT Italian place last week. $170.00 for two, with no wine. None of the food was worth it, and I cook better scallops and filet mignon. The filet was like a stringy pot roast and the scallops were undercooked and tasteless.
People stop quibbling over prices! Just gp check it out. There is something for everyone at all prices levels. Guaranteed you will love it!
jg- OK, I will try it if you are buying.
I agree, even the bar menus are expensive. My whole experience has been a let down, Id rather have the bag of homemade chips at Sam&Jacks than pay for the slop they serve at the “upscale” eateries here. Best meal…Chester Fried Chicken in STT…now thats sad…
I just got back from SJ Sunday. I was saddened to see the high prices at Fatty Crab, LaTaPa. We cooked at the house instead. I know SJ is expensive – but it seems excessive. Even the prices of items in the stores were over priced I went to buy a baby bib & it was $11. And made very cheaply. Nothing special to it all. Wouldn’t it be better to sell at a reasonable price and actually sell it as to have it sit on the shelf? I know the middle class has to pick & chose where/how to spend thier vacation dollars when visiting SJ. We have been visiting SJ twice a year for the past 8 years. I hope I can afford to return this June.
The negative comments I’ve read here are quite baffling. Locals (and visitors) should embrace and cheer a restaurateur willing to invest in a new dining experience for SJ. Especially a place like Fatty Crab that breaks the mold of typical meat and seafood establishments.
If you need a car but don’t like the price of a BMW or a Mercedes, go buy a Hyundai and be happy. If you hanker for a nice meal outside your home or hotel, but don’t see value in a certain restaurant, go somewhere else and enjoy. To blast the carmaker or the restaurateur because his or her prices are out of sync with your wallet is simply wrong.
And to our locals specifically—some of whom should be spending more time outside enjoying the beauty and bounty of SJ rather than venting BS on a computer—it’s time you started supporting the entrepreneurs and risk takers willing to invest their money to make your home a better, more interesting and richer life experience.
Three cheers to Fatty Crab and all others willing to give us more choices!!
Lois.What a stupid remark.WASTE Money going on vacation,and food you DON’T need.What a idiot.I bet you are a “FATTY” …….crab.
Everyone on here come across like complaining children. You wanna talk about a recession and bad economy and yet you have people flying to SJ twice a year, flying statewide, flying to Thailand…..hmmm sounds like a lot of disposable income. What do most of you even know about a “culinary experience”? Suck it up stop complaining eat some good food. You go on vacation to have a good time, eat good food and spend money. If your gonna be a stick in mud, stay home and stop complaining.