Tag: steak

Meat is good. Delivery is good. But meat delivery from Sanagan’s in Toronto is great. Here’s eight good reasons why you should order from them

If you love good meat, then I highly recommend you get it from Sanagan’s Meat Locker in Toronto. If you can get to one of their locations — my fav is in Kensington — you should. But if you can’t, I highly recommend their delivery.

First off, their delivery rate, which was good before, is going lower, starting at $5. That less than the cost of commuting there. Spend over $150, and delivery is free.

Second, the quality of their meats and other goods is great. When I get a steak from Sanagan’s, it tastes like something and that something is delicious. So often meats from other places taste like nothing.

Third, the prices are reasonable. For example, here is what I paid recently:

  • Sliced Roast Beef × 1 – $4.89
    Duck and Green Peppercorn Terrine × 1 – $6.99
  • Metzger: Westphalian Ham × 1 – $5.20
  • Jambon de Paris × 1 – $5.69
  • Lamb Merguez Sausage × 1 – $9.99
  • Lamb Leg Steaks × 1 – $15.79
  • Paleron × 1 – $7.99
  • Flank Steak × 1 – $11.49
  • Pork Rib Chops × 2 – $11.98
  • Flat-Iron Steak × 1 – $9.79
  • Refundable Credit Card Hold For Overweight Products – $30.00

Those are as good if not better than the prices for comparable products at places like Loblaws or Metro.

Fourth, the selection is great. I can get cuts I can’t always get at the big grocery stores. Flank, paleron, tritip, and more. I didn’t get it last time, but I love getting their hanger steak and making myself a classic steak frites with it.

Fifth, you get points for every order which you can cash in and use on your next order.

Sixth, if you are a fan of charcuterie, they have everything you need for a great platter.

Seventh, they have lots of other great products too, from superb butters to great sauces, to mustards.

Eighth, they carry Blackbird bread, arguably the finest bread in Toronto and very hard to get (it sells out fast). I love that.

Ok, you get the idea. Sanagan’s is great, and their delivery is great. Check them out. You’ll be glad you did.

 

On the cost of steak frites in Toronto

I love steak frites.  While it’s always good wherever I get it, my favorite place to order it from is Cote de Boeuf in Toronto, where it was delicious and affordable.

I was somewhat shocked recently by the price of steak frites there. The Cote de Boeuf menu above was from Nov 27, 2021. A bit pricey but not bad. Two and a half years later, their steak frites will now set you back 47 bucks (up 34%), while the next highest price cut is a 12oz ribeye at 69 (32% increase). The cote de boeuf has gone up to 168 (only 12%). 

At first I wanted to blame influencers for the price increases, since a) I don’t like influencers and b) I have seen many of them posting about how good this place is.  (That it is the best place for steak frites in Toronto is not just my opinion.) My prejudice was confirmed recently when I walked by and there was a lineup even with their patio open. One thing I loved about the place in the past was the relative ease of getting a spot inside even without the patio. I figured this demand was driving up the price.

However I went through the list of places in that blogTO post and I noticed that some of them charge the same if not more than Cote de Boeuf. Now, much depends on the size and cut of meat. Le Select Bistro offers an 8 oz striploin version for $49 and a 12 oz version for $70! Compare that to the current 10 oz striploin at Cote de Boeuf  for $47 and you are getting a better deal. Then again, Jules Bistro offers a 6 oz striploin for only $26.95., and the Ace offers a 10 oz hanger steak for $40. Le Paradis offers a flatiron steak of unknown size for $30.

I know the price of beef is going up and that is no doubt driving some of the cost increases. But I also suspect steak frites has become a more popular dish, and the demand for it is allowing restaurants to make it a more central and more expensive option.

I found another menu of Cote de Boeuf from February 2019 and steak frites was $28 then. No size mentioned, and it was listed as butchers cut (no doubt so the butcher could decide what was best to serve based on availability, etc.). Also there were seven mains then and duck confit was $29 ($1 more then vs $5 less now). Once the pandemic hit, restaurants trimmed back their menu options and no doubt have gone with their most popular items.

The whole trend makes me somewhat sad. I was never a fan of steakhouses with their exorbitant prices. I preferred a simple dish of steak frites preferably made with an unusual cut of beef like hanger or bavette. Good quality and not too expensive. It was like a burger and fries but for older people like me. I suspect those days are over.

Ah well. 

As something of a consolation, I see more and more places slipping good quality pork chops and fries on their menus recently. Mostly priced well below the steak frites. Perhaps that will be my go to the next time I hit up a bistro style restaurant. 

P.S. Here I am enjoying the last steak frites I had at Cote de Boeuf. Pure perfection.

P.S.S. If you want to make your own steak frites at home, here’s a recipe to get you started. If you want a peppercorn sauce to go with it, click here.