Stuff to eat. Mostly around St. Louis.
Truffles Butchery
As mentioned last week, I have become a bit of a meat fanatic with the opening of Truffles Butchery and Bolyard's Meat and Provisions in the last year or so. They're similar to each other in that they both deal in the art of meat, but they have their differences, as well. Rather than a single sandwich per week, the Butchery offers a selection of 5 standard sandwiches, plus a sandwich of the day. Their options are typically more 'classic' than what you find at Bolyard's, but no less delicious. The sandwiches you see below are the rib tip, pickles, and cheese special from a few weeks back and the house roast beef sandwich on their buttery, delicious brioche bun.
Menu at Truffles Butchery
Rib Sandwich at Truffles Butchery
Roast Beef Sandwich at Truffles Butchery
Truffles Butchery is, surprisingly, connected to Truffles Restaurant, which gives them access to a large kitchen and a wide array of ingredients. With this extra space (plus the extra personnel), they're able to carry more than just meat - you can get vegetables, both raw and prepared, quiche, house sauces and rubs, marinades, and more. Their Mongolian Marinade, an orgy of Asian flavors, is easily my favorite, but a steak marinated in their chimichurri is hard to beat.
Meat Case at Truffles Butchery
Meat at Truffles Butchery
Condiments at Truffles Butchery
Bacon at Truffles Butchery
The Butchery has a constantly changing selection of cured meats, which recently included a bangin' chorizo, a spicy calabrese, and the secret topping for the delicious burgers I make at home: lamb bacon.
Chorizo at Truffles Butchery
Pork Chops at Truffles Butchery
One of the coolest features that the Butchery has is its Himalayan salt dry-aging room, which you can see as you walk into the store. Monstrous cuts of meat hang from the ceiling, just waiting for your order. Or, if you're a big baller, you can order a quarter of a cow and have them age it for you.
Aging Room at Truffles Butchery
Strip Steaks at Truffles Butchery
Jamon Iberico at Truffles Butchery
Cured Meats at Truffles Butchery
Deli Meats at Truffles Butchery
If you're feeling like a glutton, they often have a FRIED chicken salad. The skin loses its crunch when mixed, but it still adds a delicious flavor you don't get with normal chicken salad. I would try it, if I were you.
Fried Chicken Salad at Truffles Butchery
Aside from their own products, they also carry a good amount of small batch and high end sauces, spreads, and oils.
Soy Sauce at Truffles Butchery
Sauces at Truffles Butchery
Brioche Buns at Truffles Butchery
Bread at Truffles Butchery
Gouda Seaweed Bread at Truffles Butchery
One of the biggest surprises I had when I first started going was that their bread is great. The man behind their bread baking, Caesar, is like a mad scientist, coming up with wild stuff like fermented seaweed, turmeric and peanut, and most recently, a gouda cheese and spinach bread. If you like Asiago bagels, this will blow your face off. Using some secret techniques that I cannot divulge, he has made it so that every little bit of crust has that crunchy, burnt cheese flavor. The inside has little pockets of gouda, too. If they don't have it when you go, make sure to ask them to make it again. It should be a permanent fixture!
Truffles Butchery has become a staple in my grocery shopping. The expectation is that because it's in Ladue and connected to a fine dining restaurant, the prices will be exorbitant, but they're not. I've actually found the meat to be comparable (or even cheaper) than a number of local groceries, especially Whole Foods. Similar to what I mentioned about Bolyard's, the crew at the Butchery remember their customers and their preferences. Every time I go - literally every single time - I end up leaving with FAR more than expected. Remember all of the things I listed that were in my fridge and freezer from Bolyard's? I've got just as much stuff from the Butchery. Check it out.