Fat Rabbit — Restaurant in St. Catharines

Been meaning to make the trek here for ages, and finally had the opportunity recently when a couple of dear friends visited me in Toronto from abroad. Just a quick late lunch, ordered + enjoyed "family-style", we opted for the rib steak, caesar schnitzel, and summer squash- we were certainly tempted by several other items, but had an early supper organized just a few short hours away, so didn't want to overdo it- it was the perfect amount. On being shown our steak, I was a tad underwhelmed by how it presented, really not much marbling at all, but I didn't want to be "that guy", so green-lit it. On its arrival to our table after what seemed an unreasonably long time, I was immediately underwhelmed by its lack of any discernible crust/maillard reaction, which I'm really a great big enjoyer of. Too, it seemed like some of the fat wasn't fully rendered out as I'd hoped. BUT, on first bite, any perceived quibbles very quickly dissipated, as what would be one of the finer steaks I've had in recent times quickly presented itself on the palate. Most prominent on first bite, was an overwhelmingly (in the best possible way) smokiness, which I later found out was due to their cooking over charcoal + using tallow (smoked tallow, was it?) to finish the steak. YUM. The summer squash dish-- actually, the sauce it came smothered in, in particular-- was great; we gladly would've 'shot' that sauce, and used whatever remnants of it were left to dip both the schnitzel and steak in... BIG WIN- Fat Rabbit, please offer that sauce as a side, it elevates everything. Mwah. The caesar schnitzel was solid, but hardly remarkable if I'm honest, and nowhere even remotely near worth its just-shy-of $50 bounty. Also found the (dried?) olives in the caesar to be far too dominant, hijacking all other flavours. My biggest gripe though was that it was rather overcooked for my liking, and with a bit too much fat in the cut. Wouldn't order it again, tbh. The salad was fine. The vibe/aesthetic of the spot is awesome, reminding me of something you might run into in trendy parts of LA. Service was... okay?... nothing to write home about, but attentive enough, just not particularly warm nor inviting. Speaking with one of the chefs afterwards made up for it though, he was lovely and a wealth of knowledge, keen to share his thoughts/preferences as to what to get on future visits (i.e. the coppa steak). Also, everything took unreasonably long for how few tables were there at the time. Overall, a solid experience, and I'd definitely visit again, just not sure if I'd opt for a steak- it was great, but at around $100, and even accounting for their need to mark-up, I just didn't think it was that special. Would really like to try the burger next time, as I understand that's quite special- and perhaps, per chefs recco, the coppa steak (which is actually pork shoulder iirc), and a couple other things. Honestly, based on our visit/experience, I don't 'get' all the hype/noise this spot has generated and struggle to fathom how it gained Michelin-accreditation, but I'm open to chocking it up to us not ordering perfectly... I did like it enough to give it another go in the future though, so will look forward to that. My main gripe, even with being acutely aware of all the associated costs/expenses of running such an establishment, is that I just don't see the value in what they're churning out- were it +/- 30% less, I'd be more of a fan. Again, solely based off this one...

Hard review - the concept behind this restaurant is killer. The food not so much.

We popped in for my birthday and were immediately captivated by the delicious aromas coming from the kitchen. We quickly learned that the venue is a butcher where patrons can choose their cut of meat and have the cooks prepare it on site. Patrons can also bring their own alcohol for a corking fee. All sounds good, right? We thought so too.

We ordered olives (delicious) and a sharing platter from the large menu, called Mixed Grill, with a side of asparagus. We also ordered snow crab off the feature list. The mixed grill seemed like a great introductory item to find that special cut. On this occasion, the kitchen served up a chewy and tough flank steak. Its saving grace was the seasoning and flavor BUT, for a butcher, I'd expect better cuts. The flank was served alongside another fattier cut of meat that had not rendered over the heat. Lastly, the plate included a very, very tasty sausage. The snow crab was presented removed from the shell - this dish elevated the menu. Finally, the asparagus was drowning in a sauce of butter and cheese.

With our food we ordered a variety of drinks. These were all just terrible - clearly the bartender has little experience. The drinks also took a disturbingly long time to arrive. The waitress was nice enough but she didn't really explain the menu well and she was not quick on her feet. We only learned about the corking fee because we saw other guests arrive with their own alcohol and asked. Meanwhile, she might have steered us away from the mixed grill. Surprisingly everyone around us seemed to be somewhat in awe. I really think they're drinking the kool-aid i.e., they like the concept that much and don't know their way around a cow ;)

The space looks like a converted garage. The minimalist design actually propels the concept forward. I'd say it's a great use of the space and there's potential here but they need to hire more knowledgeable staff, up their game when it comes to the cuts of meat, and bring in a mixologist. Because of the theme, the second point is a must; otherwise, the restaurant just isn't delivering. Coincidentally, we also purchased a cut for home which was also of...

Easily my favourite restaurant among many great restaurants in St. Catharines! The menu is so creative and changes often. The meat - which you choose yourself from their butcher case - is of the very highest quality and always perfectly cooked to your specifications - but I recommend that you just tell them to cook it the way they think it will taste best - they’re the experts and they’ve never gotten it wrong for me. They also often have some wonderful fish and seafood options as well. Try their Humboldt squid if you get a chance. It’s beautifully tender, lightly and perfectly breaded and full of flavour. Their mussels mignonette are also not to be missed! And finally their vegetable options - always local, always seasonal and always incredibly creative with amazing combinations, sauces and dressings. So many items worth mentioning but in particular I have to call out their phenomenal French onion soup loaded with sherry and thyme in a phenomenally rich and beefy broth and their beef tartare s, served in many variations but always beautifully hand cut and beautifully dressed. It’s hard for me not to order it every single time I go but there’s always something new and fun to try. And then I good do a whole other review of their breakfasts and their burgers which are incredible. Dishes other than burgers and breakfast are mostly served as small plates so the very best way to experience it is to go as a group of 4 or 6 so you can try lots of different dishes on the menu - although my wife and I go often just the two of us and we do quite well that way too! I don’t even need to mention their Michelin recommendation, award as one of EnRoute Magazine’s prestigious Top 10 News Restaurants in Canada (as well as Most Innovative), and their recent inclusion on the Top 100 restaurants in Canada list - it loved them just as much before they were “discovered”. Easily one of the most innovative, creative and tasty restaurants in Canada and we have it right downtown in our own St. Catharines. One last thing - take a cooler with you and be sure to pick up something from their butcher case or freezer to take home - you get a discount to both when...