StX Restaurant Ratings

I haven't been to galangal, and I will simply not enter a restaurant that doesn't post their menu outside, as do all good restaurants. Plus Thai food is not supposed to be expensive. Too many, most of the restaurants are way overpriced, when I visited Manhattan the prices were often less than here. If you have a restaurant and charge 30 for a plate and I am in any way dissatisfied I will rightfully hate you forever.
Best overall I like Salud. Rowdy Joes I'm not willing to memorize the menu before I sit. Tutto 26 for Eggplant Parm, really? and martini olives on your antipasti, for shame. Personally I try to save my money for eating out when I'm off island and can be pleasantly surprised.
My favorite restaurant closed when St.Tropez went under.

PS. The Best Pizza on island is at the Lost Dog Pub...

HeavyB, from reading your posts, it doesn't seem that you are enjoying your time on STX very much.

HeavyB - I don't understand how you can complain about "overpriced" restaurants and in the same post indicate that Salud is your favorite. I find that place overpriced and I have been disappointed in the food more than once and the rude service doesn't encourage me to return. I happen to enjoy Galangal because the food has always been fabulous and the service fantastic - I don't go often because of the cost but I don't mind paying for good food and good service. I do agree with the poster above who indicated the drinks and desserts are too expensive at Galangal so I typically don't order them.

Great affordable food:
Ziggy's - great cubano and fantastic mac & cheese
Good Spirits - (for lunch - IMO overpriced for dinner) the black bean & brisket chili - Wow!
El Sol - always a good bargin, great steaks and very good grilled chicken
Cheeseburgers - always a great burger

My favorite places when spending a bit more:
Kendricks
Cultured Pelican
Galangal
Savant

Heavy B -

I think prices are so high here in restaurants because of two factors - the wapa bills for air conditioned restaurants and the cost of insurance. It drives up the fixed costs for these places pretty quickly. Remember when Paradise posted their wapa bill on the window and turned off the AC when oil prices were sky high and the leac charge went through the roof? Galleon did the same thing for a while that season if i recall correctly. I'm not trying to justify it..I'm just commenting on why this might be the case with prices. Costs here are high.

Divine girl -

As to a good burger on island...Cheeseburgers? For real?. Cheeseburgers imho has been nothing but gristle and grease since I can remember. The main attraction seems to be that they are inexpensive, they sometimes have music, and your kids can play in the back area. Is there a good burger on island (I will try EAT again but not until I get psyched up for the drive)? Used to be Deep Dnd had a great burger but that was ages ago.. I'd love to find a good burger at a restaurant somewhere east of sunny isle.... where they actually form their own burger from freshly ground chuck instead of using the frozen patties off the cisco truck and actually know and can execute rare, medium, and well done properly? If it does exist I'd love to hear about it.

Cheers and good eating to all.

Regards -

Stxfoodie

STXfoodie--I've missed your posts; glad you're back.

STXfoodie. I am glad to here you are disappointed in the burgers on island,trust me you ain't seen nothing yet. Mine will be hand formed 1/4 - 1/2 pound. Some people laugh but it will be lean beef on the 1/2 pounder and it will be so juicy you won't believe it. You will of course pay the appropriate price for the food, and burgers are by no means the only thing on the menu.

Just answer this question,would you wait 5 / 10 minutes extra for something you have never had before ? As long as the wait staff took really good care of you.

Chockman - I have no issues paying for quality properly cooked food in restaurants (please note cost comments above) and it is always a pleasure to have timely and gracious service when dining out whether it is at a roadside shack, the kmart food counter, or at a fine dining establishment. I look forward to trying your efforts on island. BTW - Where might I find these efforts or are you a work in progess at the moment?

Cheers

Stxfoodie

PS - While we are on the topic Chocman - may I request fries done right? By this I mean fries made from real potatoes (not out of the Orida bag or box) fried in beef tallow (preferably) or peanut oil twice -the first time to get the moisture out and to cook the potatoes and then a second time to crisp them up at a higher temperature? With good sea salt please? I know I'm asking a lot...but I figure in for a penny in for a pound.

Cheers!

i agree with stxfoodie about cheeseburgers, not all everyone makes it out to be
someone said bombay had good burgers??

I am a work in progress. I bring original ideas and don't want to post them on the board,the less said the better. They say competition is fierce on island. Folks if I ever serve anything to sub par standards, kick my ass off the island. Nothing fancy,but some of the best darn bar food you have ever eaten.

chockman, what is your eta for opening and where? what can we expect?

When I personally talk about restaurants being expensive on this island I mean compared to other restaurants on THIS island, not St. Thomas, not the states. I personally have been to 80-90% of the restaurants that have been mentioned on this board and have really only been to 3 that I left (or someone I ate with left) disappointed at. I didn't personally enjoy Zeebos and found it overpriced (again, compared to other similar style restaurants on the island), Good Spirits (I can see it rocking lunch, and the food isn't bad, but you can't charge sit down dinner prices that are nearly double lunch while offering the same service), And Hotel on the Cay/Key buffet (I pretty much despise all buffets so far though with the exception of 19th hole italian.

HeavyB, are you seriously upset Galangal doesn't post a menu outside its door? Does your coveted Salud do it?

You know I can't say that I have had bad food on island either. We did not make it down last year, and the year before I did see things that I would not serve.
I offer a little different spin on the bar food,nothing super original just things I have grown accustomed to over the years with a few little tricks that are not being offered currently on island. Don't forget we will be a Bar / Restaurant,focused on damn good food with a good time. It will not be a place for dope deals in the back room or anywhere on the property for that matter. It will be open to people of 18 to whatever age wishes to come in.

I guess first and foremost I am an American biker,when we enter someone Else's house we check our attitudes at the door. Some of the entertainment will be the same as what is already being offered on island and some of it will be new. I hope to be up and running within this year. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible. I think it's time to take a permanent,working vacation.

Most of us have to work,so we might as well work at what we want to work at. I look forward to serving a good time for all. We will be on a working vacation from Feb 8TH / 22ND . Maybe some of us can spend some time together. I am always looking for things,that customers may want in the way of food and service. Until the lawyers tell me differently,keep your eye's open for " Paradise in Blue " See you all soon.

For a really good burger try out The Case Place in Gallows Bay (STX). Only thing is, it's a bit smoky for some...air conditioned, not open-air.

Any update on Blue Water (Cafe) from Lori?
Also, anyone been to TopHat across from Purple Papaya? someone needs to be the guinea pig and try it first.

For a really good burger try out The Case Place in Gallows Bay (STX). Only thing is, it's a bit smoky for some...air conditioned, not open-air.

Thats the problem. This board/topic usually all say the same thing about Case Place, good food, horrible smoke.

I was in Case Place for lunch today. As usual it smelled like an ashtray. We even sat in the "Non-Smoking" section by the door. I tried the burger, nothing special at all. It was very dry and over cooked, I ordered it med rare.

I had the buffalo burger last week that was a special at Case Place and it was great. It was seasoned with wing sauce and bleu cheese...really excellent idea/flavor! The smoke thing though is still a huge problem. We were able to deal with it but they REALLY need to clean the smoke smell out.

Oh and our service was great but we knew the waitress, Deanna is now cooking there and its her daughter who is a sweetheart.

I think Bombay is about as good as it gets for burgers that I've had on island.

Sean

I see the latest posts here concern burgers. We don't go to the east end much but this past Monday afternoon my wife and I had a cheeseburger craze. So we went to Cheesburgers where we have never had a bad burger. 2 big, juicy, & tasty c/b's, cooked exactly to medium per our request. The fries were fresh and not greasy & just the right texture. With beverages (Diet Coke/Heineken) the bill was $21 plus we tipped $5 for excellent food/service.

As for Top Hat, it has a chalk board type menu that changes almost daily. Mostly geared toward Danish style cusine since the cook is Danish. However they do have non-Danish type food as well. The waiter/bartender Mike is a very personable, competent and professional with his job. They have a complete bar with several wine choices. Since the restaurant is the former cocktail lounge, it has an intimate and quiet dining atmosphere.

By the way Top Hat is on Company street going west out of town -- across the street from the U.S. Post Office

Uuaww - last I heard about Blue Terrace (Lori's new venture) is aiming for a March opening and she wants it to compete with Schooner Bay.. . mostly a market with Ice Cream service and Deli, seating outside. Don't know if there will be table service though.

Where is Case Place?

Lori has been encountering plenty of resistance from the health/fire department which has delayed progress. I took a tour through the place last week and it's a great spot. Open, bright, and a great view to boot. I wouldn't pinpoint any date as things keep getting bumped back.

chockman, unfortunately the health and fire department LOVE delaying places from opening, costing potential revenue and time. Not to mention a drained wallet. Just a heads-up if you really plan on opening a place here.

Noah

Thanks Chefnoah. I see all the horror stories on this board, I'M ready to play with all the local BS. It is ironic,they claim to want all of the growth and do everything they can can to mess it up. I'M leaving the Fed Gov,we are not much better if any at all.

I won't go to the Case Place any more, unless someone we are with just has to go there, because of the smoke.

Had an out of body poultry experience at Chicken Shack recently. Damn their chicken is good, I almost ate the bones.8-)

Had an out of body poultry experience at Chicken Shack recently. Damn their chicken is good, I almost ate the bones.8-)

That stuff, without a doubt, is the best tasting meal on the island and the best value. One of those chickens with a cold Presidente--heavenly! I also love their conch salad.

Bernie

Ate dinner at Pickled Greek last night - I thought it was really good and I didn't think it was over-priced at all.
great atmosphere, great food, and air conditioning - totally worth it.