USVI-On-Line

I have recently saw two forumites commenting (under separate topics) that it was cheaper to eat out than to eat in the villa and was wondering where they are eating out that this is the case or what they (or anyone else) would be eating in the villa that costs so much.

I am just curious on this one, we usually eat out both lunch and dinners the whole trip, but were talking about eating at the villa some this trip.

We are not cooler people so that's not an option for us (that would require too much advance planning for us )

Just curious as to how it can be cheaper to eat out. Thanks in advance.

I am with you. I do not know how it could be cheaper to eat out- judging from our trip in July. We ate out 7 of the 9 nights we were there- 4 people.

I was too dead tired to go out to eat in the evening!

Eating out can be cheaper depending on how high end you want to go on the do it yourself meals.

Our family of four, out of a fear of commitment and a lack of desire for leftovers will often just order a series of appetizers and a couple of salads and share tapas style. That often leaves us room for dessert and a less painful check.

I guess it could be cheaper if you were sticking to eating casual stuff like splitting a plate from Uncle Joes, or sandwiches from Deli Grotto, etc. and maybe not drinking other than at happy hour? I like to mix eating in and going out. But, I like to cook also, as you know. I think if you don't feel like cooking and you don't want to have to clean the kitchen the higher cost of always eating out would definitely be worth it!

It is cheaper if you are compating apples to apples.
When I am on vacation, I tend to eat small for breakfast and lunch, and I want to have a great meal.


Take Cafe Roma as an example. Artichoke or Asparagus appetizer with garlic gorgonzola bread. Penne Roma and Puttanesca, bottle of Chianti, 2 Baileys and coffee and cheesecake.

There is no way that I can make that for the same price, so we cut back and just make the Penne Roma. Add together pasta, sauce,cheese, fresh spinach and mushrooms. No way I can make it for cheaper than I can pay for it.

Yes, If I want to cook chicken on the grill at the villa and make a salad every night, we would spend less, but I can do that at home. I want to be able to have meals that I can't have at home and, in that case, it is cheaper to go out.

X - I get what you are saying. When I am there, I also try to eat foods I can't get around here when we go out.

Honestly, my krewe usually does eat out most of the time, I was just trying to figure out how it could be cheaper to eat out rather than eat in.

We have found that for just the two of us, it is almost cheaper to eat out for dinner (and less hassle). By the time you buy condiments and all of the other ingredients, it gets expensive. Having said that, if you are feeding a larger group, I could see where eating in would be cheaper. That and bringing stuff from home which we really don't bother with. We do like to grab a quick breakfast/snacks in though.

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wishwewerethere - thanks for the list and we have eaten at most of those, but most of them are in Coral Bay. We are always in Cruz Bay; although, we have driven to Coral Bay at night for dinners at Shipwreck, we usually do Coral Bay for lunch.

We like a mixture. Usually with the family crowd it is too much effort to eat out most meals. Frankly a bowl of corn flakes and cup of coffee for breakfast with the great villa views of sunrise and a sandwich and beer at our favorite mid day beach is more enjoyable than clean up, dress, drive, eat, change and then go again. We eat out for dinner a couple of times in upscale places for a change of pace. Dinners are divided up with the adults each taking a night to prepare and clean. Our motto is make it, freeze it and heat it up at the villa or BBQ it to keep it simple but gourmet. We go a few times a year and love this! (Also, we rent away from the towns usually above the N Shore or the Upper Carolina area so restuarants are a 10min drive...at least).

I haven't seen anyone mention Candi's BBQ. We got take out from there twice we liked it so much. For $10-11 you get a large portion of chicken or ribs and 2 sides.They also have other entrees. We could never eat all of it either time but it was a nice alternative to cooking in. The leftovers did not go to waste at all as we used them the next day for either sandwiches or sides for that next meal. I have never had Joe's BBQ so I can't compare but the location was convenient for us and parking readily available.

liamsaunt already mentioned Uncle Joe's, and I really recommend doing takeout from there at least one night...you can either split a plate or get two plates and have yummy leftovers (leftover BBQ chicken makes fabulous chicken salad for lunches!) Another BBQ spot to hit is Candi's (on the lefthand side of the road just before The Marketplace)...we LOVE her garlicky pasta salad.

Shoot! Now I'm hungry....

oh, and we're not cooler folks either, but one thing we did for the last two trips is to bring down two packages of frozen pre-marinated meat (one of steak tips, one of chicken) from a favorite local butchery. We sealed them in a small insulated bag and tucked the bag into one of our carryons...the meat was still frozen solid upon arrival at the villa. That (plus rice and salad) makes for two easy meals that you don't have to plan (four if you're into leftovers!)