A Disappointing Catch at Kraby Kutaby (KrabsQutabs)

It’s always hard to write a negative review—not because I’m afraid to be critical, but because I spend my own hard-earned money to visit these places. I genuinely hope every restaurant I choose will be worth my time and expense, and I never set out looking for a disappointing experience. Yet sometimes, despite my best efforts, the letdown happens. That was exactly the case when I visited Kraby Kutaby (also known as KrabsQutabs) at the Depo food mall, Lesnaya Street, 20, building 4, Moscow.

I arrived with high hopes, drawn in by the restaurant’s catchy name and elegant atmosphere. The décor is indeed beautiful—warm lighting, neatly arranged seating, and a visually appealing interior that exudes the promise of an upscale seafood dining experience. Immediately upon entering, I was greeted by several friendly, smiling hostesses, reflecting the genuinely excellent service that this establishment provides. But as I soon found out, great service alone does not make a great restaurant—and unfortunately, my encounter with the food was extremely disappointing.

My initial order was the snow crabs (Opilio crab), which I expected to be a highlight. It’s my favorite crab, with its relatively large chunks of sweet meat. And after all, the restaurant’s name references crabs, and cooking crabs is one of the easiest things a chef can do. To my dismay, the crabs arrived looking stringy, with a texture so dry they tasted as if they had been sitting in a cold freezer for far too long. It was as though they had been defrosted and then reheated several times, sucking out all the moisture and flavor. I was actually shocked that a place specializing in crab dishes could serve something so poor. I even remarked to the server that the chef should be ashamed to send out such a dish in a crab-centric restaurant.

When I sent the snow crabs back, the manager eventually came over and asked if I wanted a replacement. I said yes, and she admitted that all of their snow crab was in similarly sad shape. She then offered the Kamchatka crab legs instead. The menu doesn’t list the quantity of food you get, which is by design. Instead, it listed the king crab legs at 2300 rubles per leg. I decided to go for two legs, hoping for a better experience. Unfortunately, per leg is a very dishonest, misleading statement that turned out to be highway robbery: you don’t even get a full leg for that price. You get a small section—definitely not half, maybe just one-third. Essentially, I was paying around 1000 rubles per bite, which stings even more when you consider the lackluster quality that preceded this. Think about this: if each section was about 100 grams, you are paying an astounding 23k rubles PER KILOGRAM! At Boston Restaurant just down the street, it’s three times less. Ouch.

While I was dealing with the crab fiasco, my date had a shrimp and eggplant salad. It was completely unremarkable—just your run-of-the-mill salad with nothing special in terms of flavor or presentation. If you’re looking for a mediocre salad, this might do, but if you want something more inventive or appealing, you’ll be sorely let down.

I also decided to try the smoked tiger shrimp, thinking maybe something else on the menu would redeem the evening. The flavor had potential—the smokiness was prominent—but they’d been smoked to the point of becoming a jerky-like texture. It was a letdown when I was expecting succulent shrimp with just a hint of smoke.

The only saving grace might have been the cocktails, which seemed decent enough on the surface. However, given my negative experience with the food, I was left wondering if they used cheaper ingredients or cut corners on the alcohol too. In a place that charges so much and yet has no problem serving subpar dishes, trust quickly goes out the window.

To sum it all up, Kraby Kutabi is a restaurant that promises a crab-focused dining experience but fails miserably. The prices are sky-high, especially considering the minuscule portions of their so-called “premium” crab, and the quality is questionable at best. If you value your money and your taste buds, I strongly recommend going elsewhere. If you still want crab but prefer a more reliable meal for the price, Boston, located not far away, is a much better alternative. Avoid Kraby Kutabi if you don’t want to risk being disappointed—or worse, feeling robbed.