Where's the beef?

anonymous

Subject: Where's the beef?

I'm a dedicated carnivore who just moved to the neighborhood (St. Johns and Underhill), and while I love it here, I've been having trouble finding a good butcher (or any butcher) nearby. The meat at Met Food on Vanderbilt and the yuppie Key Food on Flatbush seem less than appealing. Is there anywhere to buy meat near here with a real butcher that you can actually talk to? I feel the anemia coming on already (although the chest pain is getting better)...

anonymous

you could try Fresh Direct

anonymous

I guess Fresh Direct would be a last resort, but you have to order the day before, and you don't have the interaction with the person handling your meat (no double entendre intended).

dailyheights

Hard to find a good butcher anymore: http://triptronix.net/ishbadiddle/archives/2003/08/25/12.31.00/

I heard there's a good one in Carroll Gardens, if you have a car.

By the way, I have a vintage Clara Peller "Where's the Beef" button and I'm quite proud of it. Should I e-Bay it?

frank

You are definitely ringing my bell with this topic: I'm the kinda guy who actually stuffs his own sausage when he gets casings.

I'm afriad, though, that you're pretty much SOL in this regard. You can get better meats at the Key Food at 5th Avenue and Park Place, but forget the butcher dialog. I've heard there's a butcher shop around Windor Terrace, but can't vouch.

Report back what you hear and learn, please.

anonymous

The Brooklyn butcher options I know are:

Paisanos on Smith st. at Wyckoff -- very good
5th Ave around 8th st - ok, not great
Prospect Park west at 16th st - good
There's a place on Court street also near wyckoff - Staubitz? or something like that. I think it smells in there but it's always packed, Paisanos is better in my book.
Garden of Eden on Montague st. -- very good but pricey
There's a Pork store on 5th near Garfield. I think it's on the same block as Blue Ribbon. They're good for sausages and some basic cuts but they don't have a huge selection. I haven't been in recently to know what their current offerings are.

anonymous

Take a walk up Nostrand, if you're feeling up to it. There are several butchers on the stretch between Atlantic and Eastern Parkway. Actually, the street is a trove of deliciousness.

candicissima

I'm surprised no one has stated the obvious: go to Western Beef! It's like meat mecca and literally 5 mins away. Catch the B41 at the circle, get off at Empire, walk towards Washington and you can't miss it. I went there yesterday and loaded up. It's the best grocery store around I think.

anonymous

I am a raving carnivore, and the butcher on 5th ave and 8th street (called Western, I think) is the best you're going to do around here, and I'd only rate him 'fair' at best. theres an insanely good butcher in rockaway that i go to when in the neighborhood...worth a trip.

stacey

I have to agree that Paisanos is the best. My family and I have been using them for the past 25 years.

Also it helps to talk to the butchers at the local supermarkets they can give you the cuts you like, etc. I do that at the Pathmark on Hamilton Ave.

Stacey

dailyheights

Candicissima is right. How could I overlook Western Beef? Walk through the supermarket part to the back--they have a supercooled room packed with every type of meat product imaginable, along with a butcher counter. I'm not a foodie, but the quality seems pretty good to me.

anonymous

i had no idea there was a western beef so close. how happy am i? i love this forum!!!!

anonymous

best meat. Atlantic and Flatbust. In the new mall near Target. PATHMARK

anonymous

My wife checked out the Pathmark near Atlantic Terminal and thought the meat selection was quite limited. Plus they had no veal at all.
(In Homer Simpson voice): Mmmmmm.... veal, cruelest of meats.

anonymous

FYI-

I just read in the Times Dining section that Union Market, which just opened on Union St and 6th Ave in Park Slope has a butcher and a fish counter. The market is from the Gourmet Garage people, so the prices may not be too outrageous and it looks like they at least intend to have good quality. I'll report back after I check it out.

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys.

anonymous

Subject: union market

yeah i just went to union market (union and 6th ave) the other evening...nice selection of stuff. prices are what you'd pay at any other gourmet store i think. they do have a small meat and fish/seafood counter and everything looked really fresh, i didn't check out prices though. the produce looks really good as well. it's a good place to pick something up if you're in the area.

i wish the place were on my block...

roux42

Subject: Roux42

I like the meat at the Met on Vanderbilt, the selection is not huge but the butcher (be nice and you will get to know him) will help you out. I still would like to try the Western Beef in Lefferts Gardens....

Please no more Fresh Direct boxes on the streets!!!! :evil:

anonymous

fresh direct boxes will be reduced when the neighborhood gets better markets!

roux42

Subject: Carnivore

The neighborhood has great markets! You have to give them a chance... And leave your aparment and actually go shopping! Fresh Direct while a great idea has really become a blight on out landfills.

captain m

I dont get it, whats with the fresh direct boxes?

susan

We tried a sirloin steak from Union Market on 6th Ave and Union, and it was delicious! Very fresh and tender. I got the impression you could call them up and request stuff (which would take as long as fresh direct, in the end, but still) - maybe they'll expand their selection with demand.

Other stuff at Union Market looks great, too, but their layout and traffic flow inside is horrible. There were only like 5 people there when I was there, but we all kept bumping into each other.

anonymous

yeah walking to park slope is the place where you find good markets or better ones - about six months ago at the key on washington i witnessed a roach nest emerging from a bag of flour. i don't even want to know what's going on with the meat department.

fresh direct is popular because in the winter you don't nessesarily want to walk back from park slope - and the boxes are recyclable...

anonymous

Two bits of info on Fresh Direct Service.
One. If you're a biker you know what I mean, the drivers are insane. I think I have almost been run down by dozens. At this point if I see them I steer clear.

Two. Last year one of the drivers was arrested for sexual assault. The victim was a client on his route. Fresh Direct's response was suspension without pay until his trial. I didn't follow up on the result, but for me a company whose employees are given customer's name and address and access to buildings should be a bit more concerned with their behavior.

The farmer's market in Grand Army has tasty, local, grass fed pork and lots of local organic veggies in late spring/summer/fall. Support the farmers.

anonymous

are you suggesting guilty until proven innocent ...hmmmm :shock:

the farmers market is great but they don't have everything...

anonymous

when it comes to rape...yup. sorry!

carnivore

Good tip, Guest. I got some smoked bacon from the pork guy at the green market this past weekend, and it was delicious.

anonymous

I finally got to bike down and check out Western Beef yesterday. The selection and prices are truly impressive, although the place has an overall feel reminiscent of Upton Sinclaire's The Jungle.
After the bike back up the hill with 20 lbs of meat on my back, I truly felt I had earned my steak.

carnivore

guest=me

rhodamine

Anonymous wrote: although the place has an overall feel reminiscent of Upton Sinclaire's The Jungle.

mmm, nothing sayz "yo lets eat some beef!" like invoking the jungle, heh.

*pukes*

:shock:

rhodamine

Anonymous wrote: If you're a biker you know what I mean, the drivers are insane. I think I have almost been run down by dozens. At this point if I see them I steer clear.

totally. they come barreling up my street like mad and have no compunction re: whizzing by 10" from me... at like 40 mph...

carnivore

Rhodamine-

any chance I could get you to Gram stain my Western Beef purchases. I'm betting there's more gram-negative rods than there should be.