5 ms·

I hate how all these so called "unpretentious" places always seem to charge $40+ for an entree. I don't know what world they live in, but in the one I inhabit,

I hate how all these so called "unpretentious" places always seem to charge $40+ for an entree. I don't know what world they live in, but in the one I inhabit, $40 for a piece of fish is plenty pretentious no matter how quirky your decor may be.

ncphillips 7y ago
That would be $40 CAD == $30 USD if it makes a difference for you. Most entrees are in the 22-35 range. Anything I've had in the $40 range has been incredible.
esoterica 7y ago
What do you think the word pretentious means?
parasubvert 7y ago
I inhabit the same world as you, and fish tends to be pretty expensive depending on where it was caught, how fresh it is, and how it is prepared. More expensive than beef! Good fish places in Canada that are small restaurants / non-chains like Joso’s or Chiado in Toronto have fish entrees that range from CAD $40-$55 or even more when looking at market price fish flown in from Europe. A steakhouse like Joe’s (Chicago) or Morton’s charges USD $50 for Dover sole. Price doesn’t imply pretention, it’s expensive to run a small restaurant, and they seem to be doing fine charging what they are. There’s also Red Lobster or Joey’s Only which seem to do okay selling edible fish and seafood for a more affordable price with near zero pretention.
- logicallee 7y ago
  Yeah you're not really paying for the fish you are paying for the chorus who have to sing to it in the back of restaurant. As a patron you probably barely hear them over the well-known band in the front but those Sopranos, Mezzos, Altos, Tenors, Baritones and Basses actually cost a lot more than the bass does. Honestly, $40 is a steal considering what goes into it. - EDIT: I'm not deleting this, it's great, and on topic for what we're talking about.
ska 7y ago
I think it is a category error to equate entree price and pretension. There are plenty of preparations and sources that make it at best breaking even on a $40 fish course (restaurants, especially higher end ones, often don't make anything much on entrees). So you may not feel it is good value for money, but others may well disagree - without being pretentious. After all, fish isn't in any sense fungible. Even with the same fish, "Joe brought this in fresh today" and "I got it from Sysco" can be very different experiences. There is after all long distance between places that employ careful sourcing and skilled labor intensive techniques, to those with 5 figure wine lists that rely on wall st. and biglaw types to survive. You can't discern them on $/plate alone. Now $400 entrees ... you probably have something there.
- deadmetheny 7y ago
  This is bang-on. Fish that's worth a shit tends to be on the expensive side, and profit margins on entrees are not nearly as good as most people who aren't in industry think they are.
- hackermailman 7y ago
  I don't mind paying $40 for fresh fish, cooked in fresh herbs, it's overall flavor meticulously arranged by a professional chef which is something I would unlikely be able to replicate myself. I also don't mind paying up to $150 for a tasting menu from a leading chef like Clare Smythe, just to get ideas myself on flavor pairings. I only eat out once a month or so unless it's appetizers at some bar. I've never seen a $400 scam entree of inflated caviar and truffle pricing but I'm sure they exist like Nello's famous 'daily special' they push on unsuspecting marks without telling you the price.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]

ncphillips 7y ago

That would be $40 CAD == $30 USD if it makes a difference for you. Most entrees are in the 22-35 range. Anything I've had in the $40 range has been incredible.

esoterica 7y ago

What do you think the word pretentious means?

parasubvert 7y ago

I inhabit the same world as you, and fish tends to be pretty expensive depending on where it was caught, how fresh it is, and how it is prepared. More expensive than beef! Good fish places in Canada that are small restaurants / non-chains like Joso’s or Chiado in Toronto have fish entrees that range from CAD $40-$55 or even more when looking at market price fish flown in from Europe. A steakhouse like Joe’s (Chicago) or Morton’s charges USD $50 for Dover sole. Price doesn’t imply pretention, it’s expensive to run a small restaurant, and they seem to be doing fine charging what they are. There’s also Red Lobster or Joey’s Only which seem to do okay selling edible fish and seafood for a more affordable price with near zero pretention.

logicallee 7y ago
Yeah you're not really paying for the fish you are paying for the chorus who have to sing to it in the back of restaurant. As a patron you probably barely hear them over the well-known band in the front but those Sopranos, Mezzos, Altos, Tenors, Baritones and Basses actually cost a lot more than the bass does. Honestly, $40 is a steal considering what goes into it. - EDIT: I'm not deleting this, it's great, and on topic for what we're talking about.

ska 7y ago

I think it is a category error to equate entree price and pretension. There are plenty of preparations and sources that make it at best breaking even on a $40 fish course (restaurants, especially higher end ones, often don't make anything much on entrees). So you may not feel it is good value for money, but others may well disagree - without being pretentious. After all, fish isn't in any sense fungible. Even with the same fish, "Joe brought this in fresh today" and "I got it from Sysco" can be very different experiences. There is after all long distance between places that employ careful sourcing and skilled labor intensive techniques, to those with 5 figure wine lists that rely on wall st. and biglaw types to survive. You can't discern them on $/plate alone. Now $400 entrees ... you probably have something there.

deadmetheny 7y ago
This is bang-on. Fish that's worth a shit tends to be on the expensive side, and profit margins on entrees are not nearly as good as most people who aren't in industry think they are.
hackermailman 7y ago
I don't mind paying $40 for fresh fish, cooked in fresh herbs, it's overall flavor meticulously arranged by a professional chef which is something I would unlikely be able to replicate myself. I also don't mind paying up to $150 for a tasting menu from a leading chef like Clare Smythe, just to get ideas myself on flavor pairings. I only eat out once a month or so unless it's appetizers at some bar. I've never seen a $400 scam entree of inflated caviar and truffle pricing but I'm sure they exist like Nello's famous 'daily special' they push on unsuspecting marks without telling you the price.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]