$4.00 for cottage cheese? John E's

We had dinner on the patio at John E's. Very casual. It wasn't my choice as I find the menu really uninspired and I had a heck of a time finding something to eat. I thought I'd order 4 sides. That would have cost me $17 for cottage cheese, onion rings, cole slaw and baked potato. Ramsi's has sides from $1- 3.99 for the spinach alfredo. For $5 I could get John E's onion rings or Jack's Mushroom Fume. I could have John E's $4 cottage cheese or Uptown's Braised Grape Leaves with beef tenderloin, rice, pine nuts and lemon. Cafe 360 has no side order over $2.99 and most in the $1.50 range.

I know that there are other factors you pay for, but this is the patio menu. There was no music that night. Do they really take themselves this seriously? I don't plan a return trip anytime soon. I like the concept of the patio, but I think $4 for cole slaw is ridiculous.

$4 does seem a little high for those sides. Sometimes side prices are set high in order to pad the menu and sometimes it is a prohibitive measure to try and reduce the amount of ala carte ordering that goes on. I cannot speak for John E's motivation, but I would not pay $4 for the majority of side items.

I think John E's is primarily a steakhouse and sides at most of those establishments are pretty steep most of the time.

Hi Dan,

do you know why? Are the proteins at steakhouses so high in food costs that the sides make the rest of the margin? Or are there other loss leads or drains? Thanks

Rea

The sides and the liquor is where the steakhouses balance their food costs.

John E's has always been one of my favorite places in Louisville....I've never had a bad meal or bad service there......Before you lash out.....Call John at John E's ........Tell him your concerns....He is there every night.........He is a good guy with a great restaurant that has stood the test of time.....

Give him a call.....He should and would appreciate the call

$4 for a side is not unreasonable these days. I would say it's fairly typical. And if you've ever had the cole slaw at John E's ( I just had it two nights ago), it's a huge portion...... large enough for two people. And it was delicious.

I'm still confused; is it the limitation to that type of protein that makes steakhouses different from other joints, in being (paraphrasing here) "typically high on sides?"

Generally speaking a steakhouse can run as high as 50% food cost on a high dollar steak. This is a generalization not a "without exception law". A restaurant that runs 50% food cost will not be a open restaurant very long. They do this because it would drive business down to run a 28%-35% on a steak; it would be more expensive to the patron. So they take a bit of a bath on the steak and recoup it on high dollar sides and more expensive drinks. It's kind of a 6 of one half a dozen of the other type of situation but the perception is that they are more reasonable. I've only worked at one steakhouse but I know a lot of peeps who do and have, this seems to be the way things are done.

Thanks for your responses. John E's is advertised as a restaurant and lounge with American fare. I am a sometimes fish eating vegetarian. Their vegetarian plate, very reasonably priced at $10 was dinner salad, baked potato, fried apples and buttered mushroom caps. (sigh) I am not going to call and complain, as I should have read the menu and begged my host to go elsewhere. It's my fault . I also applaud the owner for hiring live music in his place. He has done much to support that in the city.

I have been to Jeff Ruby's where I ate very well on the excellent sides. Ditto for similar places such as the steakhouse at French Lick. I do think John E's might like to step up one century and offer vegetarians a plate of limas, spinach, carrots, etc. It wouldn't be that tough. Again, thank you for your expertise and responses.