Why the crap is seafood so expensive?

[GT1999]

I haven't gone to a seafood place before. I know, I had a sheltered childhood in that respect. I regretfully told the gf I wanted to take her there (Joe's Crab Shack in Peoria, IL) a few days ago ... I changed my mind later that day and said I didn't feel like it (which means I realized it would be an easy ~$60-80 for just the two of us and was trying to get out of it even though I knew it wouldn't work).

She got the King Crab, which was something like $25 and I got a Sirloin / Lobster combo which was $20. Plus drinks and other stuff she wanted to get it came to about $60, not to mention the $15 tip. Ouuchh. Dinner at a good steakhouse normally costs a little over half that.

So yeah. There isn't exactly much meat in crab legs anyway. So what the hell is the big deal about seafood? I haven't been missing anything, and the lobster I had tasted like crap -- the gf says it normally tastes better, but I see it as $60 wasted.

Cliff notes: Seafood is overrated. Eating out is overrated. Girls like to do it way too much. Avoid doing it at all costs (if you're a poor college student like me), and never, never say you want to take them to some uber expensive seafood place unless it's their birthday or something.

 

[brtspears2]

Seafood in IL?

I hear crabbing is the most dangerous job you can have. Perhaps this is why it costs so much.

 

[ThePresence]

Because people will pay that much.

 

[Ikonomi]

Eating out is overrated. Girls like to do it way too much. Avoid doing it at all costs

Hahaha...

 

[minendo]

Joe's Crab Shack is not seafood.

 

[GT1999]

Originally posted by: minendo
Joe's Crab Shack is not seafood.

It's the only good seafood place in the area, and we had to drive 35 miles to get there. But I agree, it isn't seafood ... or if it is, it was terrible. I don't think Red Lobster counts as a seafood place, either. I guess that's what we get for living about as far as possible from two coasts.

 

[EvilYoda]

yeah...I'm glad you made your mind up so fast about seafood as a whole. Especially having gone to Joe's for your first experience.

Don't worry about French, Italian or Chinese cuisine either, you're not "missing anything" there either.

lol.

 

[loup garou]

I really pity all ye landlubbers...

Joe's Crap Shack, ROFL...

 

[Ogg]

Originally posted by: brtspears2
Seafood in IL?

I hear crabbing is the most dangerous job you can have. Perhaps this is why it costs so much.

I just saw some pictures of a south louisianan crabber here that got snapped by a crab and apparently vibrio was in the bay water........wow if you guys want to see some awesomely gross pics let me know. The vibrio ate most of his hand flesh off down to the bone!!!:Q

gruesome

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Geekish Thoughts
She got the King Crab, which was something like $25 and I got a Sirloin / Lobster combo which was $20. Plus drinks and other stuff she wanted to get it came to about $60, not to mention the $15 tip. Ouuchh. Dinner at a good steakhouse normally costs a little over half that.

What are you talking about? Dinner at SIZZLER usually costs half that. Dinner at a GOOD steakhouse would likely cost close to DOUBLE that!

There is also no rule that you have to get the $20-$25 menu items. Joes DOES have good stuff in the $8-$15 range, you know.

As for the high cost, a big part of it is that you can't just raise crabs and fish on an acre of flat plain anywhere in the country. Which also explains why out here on the coast, seafood is often pretty cheap.

 

[imported_Strang]

Originally posted by: EvilYoda
yeah...I'm glad you made your mind up so fast about seafood as a whole. Especially having gone to Joe's for your first experience.

Don't worry about French, Italian or Chinese cuisine either, you're not "missing anything" there either.

lol.

Ugh, Chinese food, I tried that once at Safeway's deli and it wasn't very good. I don't get what the big deal is about it.

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

You are a cheapass, and your girlfriend deserves better.

 

[yukichigai]

Your problem is the same as anybody in a landlocked state: seafood is not local. Joe's Crab Shack in the Houston, TX area is very good, but in Peoria they have to use frozen seafood. And since they aren't a huge national chain they can't get the best stuff.

If you go to someplace near the ocean it's a lot better.

 

[Ranger X]

It's hard to farm them for food. There are fisheries out there but they have problems with water contamination and other such problems ... from what I hear.

 

[GT1999]

As you can see I'm ignorant about Seafood, but don't tell me I don't know my Italian/Chinese, 'foos. :brokenheart:

I still think Seafood sucks.

As for dinner at a good steakhouse being more expensive, it isn't around here. Organic filet from an old fashioned butcher is half what that king crab cost. Please note, we live in ag country around here -- there are cows and corn everywhere.

I guess the point of the thread is -- it all depends on where you live.

 

Alaskan king crab is the pinnacle of crabs.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Geekish Thoughts
Organic filet from an old fashioned butcher is half what that king crab cost. Please note, we live in ag country around here -- there are cows and corn everywhere.

What does getting a fillet from an independent butcher have to do with the cost of a porterhouse at an upscale steakhouse?

 

[GT1999]

Originally posted by: DevilsAdvocate
You are a cheapass, and your girlfriend deserves better.

I'm getting her a first class limo to the best restaurant in 60 miles on her 21st (along with her parents), an expensive bottle of bubbly, a mini iPod, and white gold earings I have yet to decide on. I'm not a cheapass. I just spend my money wisely.

 

[MaxDepth]

Originally posted by: Geekish Thoughts
Cliff notes: Eating out is overrated. Girls like to do it way too much. Avoid doing it at all costs

Sorry. It must be too much on my brain right now. I need a cold shower.

Seafood in Peoria? I'm sorry you got such crappy food. It must be the freezer burn from shipping out from the coast to the middle of God's country. Fresh seafood is so much better, and tastes differently. Even fresh "just flown in" does not taste as good as right off the boat.

You are right though about some significant others believing that spending a lot of money on them is the proper show of affection. This past weekend, I cooked for a girl making homemade pasta and sauce from scratch. She liked it better than some of the dinner dates we've been out on. I guess I am lucky that way.

 

[GT1999]

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: Geekish Thoughts
Organic filet from an old fashioned butcher is half what that king crab cost. Please note, we live in ag country around here -- there are cows and corn everywhere.

What does getting a fillet from an independent butcher have to do with the cost of a porterhouse at an upscale steakhouse?

Where do you think they get the meat from, bub? A grocery store? LOL

 

[maziwanka]

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: Geekish Thoughts
She got the King Crab, which was something like $25 and I got a Sirloin / Lobster combo which was $20. Plus drinks and other stuff she wanted to get it came to about $60, not to mention the $15 tip. Ouuchh. Dinner at a good steakhouse normally costs a little over half that.

What are you talking about? Dinner at SIZZLER usually costs half that. Dinner at a GOOD steakhouse would likely cost close to DOUBLE that!

There is also no rule that you have to get the $20-$25 menu items. Joes DOES have good stuff in the $8-$15 range, you know.

As for the high cost, a big part of it is that you can't just raise crabs and fish on an acre of flat plain anywhere in the country. Which also explains why out here on the coast, seafood is often pretty cheap.

man. i was about to quote that same para and comment on it! dinner at a good steakhouse is usually 50-60 per person

 

[rh71]

It's because of DeBeers I bet.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Geekish Thoughts

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: Geekish Thoughts
Organic filet from an old fashioned butcher is half what that king crab cost. Please note, we live in ag country around here -- there are cows and corn everywhere.

What does getting a fillet from an independent butcher have to do with the cost of a porterhouse at an upscale steakhouse?

Where do you think they get the meat from, bub? A grocery store? LOL

*News Flash* there is a lot more factored into the cost of a meal at a restaurant than just the cost of the food. A lot of better steakhouses have in-house butchers, btw. They do not go down to the local butcher and stand in line with the rest of us peons, even the joints that don't have in-house butchers have their own suppliers and get better prices through quantity sales.

 

[Jeraden]

There's a Joe's Crab Shack that opened near me not all that long ago. I tried it out and agreed its kind of expensive. There were plenty of dinners $15 or less though. I got some shrimp platter that I think was $13. It wasn't all that great though. Better/cheaper than Red Lobster though.

 

[GT1999]

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: Geekish Thoughts

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: Geekish Thoughts
Organic filet from an old fashioned butcher is half what that king crab cost. Please note, we live in ag country around here -- there are cows and corn everywhere.

What does getting a fillet from an independent butcher have to do with the cost of a porterhouse at an upscale steakhouse?

Where do you think they get the meat from, bub? A grocery store? LOL

*News Flash* there is a lot more factored into the cost of a meal at a restaurant than just the cost of the food. A lot of better steakhouses have in-house butchers, btw. They do not go down to the local butcher and stand in line with the rest of us peons, even the joints that don't have in-house butchers.

You have a point, and I'm not doubting that a lot of steakhouses have in-house butchers. My original point was that cows are almost more common out here than houses, and that makes the meat cheaper.