Tag Archives: wagyu beef

Say hello to my Brother from Another Mother!!!!

Now, I don’t always eat sushi, so when I do, you KNOW it’s gotta be funkalicious to the max. We’re hanging out at Akira Back, this funky joint in the Bisha Hotel, where they’re serving up these crazy sushi rolls with names like Hot Mess, Pop Rockin and Show Me the Roll. But when I saw this renegade of funk called Brother from Another Mother, you know I was buying a one-way ticket straight to Downtown Flavourtown, son!!!!!!!!

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Dude, this bad boy is so outta bounds, where do I even begin, bro? You’ve got two kinds of eel — unagi AND anago, with some crunchy cucumber, and then they put foie gras on top????? However you say shut the back door in Japanese, that door is definitely shutting!!!!

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But you know we’re just getting this party started, bro! Up next, we’ve got wagyu short rib, marinated for 48 hours, so it’s nice ‘n tender, heart in a blender, watch it spin round to a beautiful oblivion… This dish has got a rendez-vous with my piehole in like 2 seconds!!!

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We’re pairing that with a side of king crab fried rice. Now, I gotta say, the rice-to-beef ratio is pretty high — I was expecting a lot more than four little chunks of beef here. But you could pair this rice with a side of flip-flop, and it would still taste good!

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But of course, we’re still got room for dessert. And now it’s time to make like Roger Waters and have a cigar. This AB Cigar is sorta like a Drumstick without a cone — you’ve got miso caramel ice cream in a chocolate shell with all kinds of cocoa nubs for that extra little kick. You KNOW ‘sticks are unbelievable, bro!!!!!!!!

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$400 steak dinner (in person) @ Jacobs & Co.

Back in the middle of the first lockdown, in 2020, one of the highlights of my life was when I ordered a $200 steak dinner and saved $50 on Uber Eats from Jacobs and Co, this fancy steakhouse just offa King Street West. And lemme tell ya bro, that was one of the best steak dinners I’ve ever had!!!

Well, now that things are pretty much back to normal, we’re heading over to Jacobs in person for the first time. And let’s just say I wish I was getting 25% off… cuz we’re blowin’ high dough, bro!!!!!!

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When we went to Hy’s Steakhouse last year, we got the Caesar salad served tableside. And when I heard that Jacobs was doing the same thing, you KNOW I gotta get it.

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Dude, this salad is enough to feed a family of four, bro! There’s a whole buncha crunchy croutons, nice big chunks of real bacon, and they even put a couple anchovies on top, to make this a balanced breakfast in Flavourtown!

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We’re pairing that with beef tartare, served raw and chewy with some lettuce and crostini. Gotta love a place where you can get beef as an appetizer AND the main course, bro!!!!

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Speaking of the main course, we’ve got 14 ounces of U.S. Wagyu ribeye steak, cooked to a nice medium rare. This steak is so money that even the chunks of fat taste good, bro! And when you put a bit of that blue cheese butter on top, it just kicks it up another notch…

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On the side, we’ve got a creamy, cheesy potato gratin paired with a sticky mushroom risotto. Not quite as tasty as the sautéed mushrooms from my takeout order, but we’ll still take it…

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Now, while the wine list is literally 90 pages, Jacobs has only got 4 beers to choose from — Asahi, Inniss & Gunn, Leffe Brune and a Vermont Blond session IPA from Burdock. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out which one I went for. This Blond is nice ‘n hoppy, but super-crushable at 4.4%. Let’s just say I had at least 3 of these — still a lot cheaper than a bottle of wine, though!!!

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Not gonna lie, I was getting pretty, pretty full at this point. But you KNOW I can’t not eat chocolate cake, bro! This flourless chocolate cake comes with mint chocolate chip ice cream and a chocolate chip cookie on top — it’s like a chocolatey three-way in Flavourtown!

Now, as you might imagine, this mighty, mighty feast did not come cheap — the steak alone cost me $250! And after tax and tip, we’re looking at $400-plus…but I gotta say, it was money well spent. Dude, I’ll take a great steak over the tasting menu at Don Alfonso any day of the week, and twice on Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!

Duck confit dumplings & Wagyu beef chow mein @ Mother Tongue

Now, downtown Toronto has no shortage of funky fusion food — I mean, we just chowed down on some Chinese/Jamaican last week. And me, I’ll try anything at least once…especially if it includes Wagyu beef, bro! So we’re hanging out at Mother Tongue, this cozy spot in the Entertainment District, where they’re serving up Filipino, Thai and Chinese food with a twist. Dude, check out these duck dumplings!!!!

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You can definitely taste the richness of the duck confit in these bad boys, and I think there’s even a little foie gras. But you KNOW that’s just a light snack in Flavourtown, bro!!!!!

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Now it’s time for the main event: Torched Wagyu Chow Mein. They actually blowtorch the beef at your table, for the nice finishing touch. Noodles are slightly crispy, but mostly chewy, taking this dish to another level. And there’s a couple of veggies hiding underneath — you can’t see ’em, but they’re there…

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At this place, they’ve only got one thing for dessert, and that’s beignets. But these ain’t yer momma’s beignets, son! They’re topped with a “Sichuan sugar,” which is actually not sweet, but very salty and spicy. The dough is not bad though, but those spices just kill it for me, bro — this might be the first time in my life that I actually didn’t finish dessert, and it’s not cuz I was full or anything…

PATIO LIT EATS: French Onion Wagyu Beef Short Rib? Don’t mind if I do…

Welp, I think patio season in Toronto is officially over now. But just the other day, the temperature hit 19 degrees, and it was still nice enough to eat outside in the evening. So we’re ending patio season in style at a really fancy steakhouse — The Butcher Chef on Harbour Street, just a few Raptors missed 3-pointers away from Scotiabank Arena. This place is serving up Wagyu and Japanese Kobe beef that costs up to $1,020…so when I saw the French Onion Wagyu Short Rib for $75, I figured that probably wasn’t such a bad deal.

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But first, we’re starting off with an old-school steakhouse Caesar salad, I know, I know, you don’t win friends with salad, bro — but when we’re talkin’ massive crispy croutons, chunks of Parmesan and entire strips of bacon, dude, you could put that on an Air Jordan, and it would still taste good!!!!

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But now it’s time for the main event. What we’ve got here is some braised Snake River Farms short rib, topped with Cipollini onions, served underneath a piece of brioche, where they pour a buncha Gruyère fondue on top. This dish is cheesy, crunchy, big and beefy, bro! I probably couldda used a little more meat, though…

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But you KNOW we still had room for dessert, bro! And not just one dessert, but four desserts! (This mighta meant they screwed up more than one person’s order, but hey…) We’ve got white chocolate cheesecake with pistachio crumbs, pavlova with mangoes and coconut sorbet, sticky toffee pudding topped with vanilla crème brûlée and burnt orange caramel, and a plate of assorted macaroons, truffles, chocolates and berries. Everything but the kitchen sink, son!!!!!

GRAND REOPNING: I’m gonna slammy some Wagyu at Minami!!!

Now, I’ve got nothing against sushi, but when we’re at a Japanese restaurant, I usually go for beef. We’re talking real-deal, A5-grade Wagyu at places like Minami, this funky joint on King St in the Entertainment District. Where’s the beef? It’s right here, bro!!!!

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Now, you can probably expect to pay a pretty penny for such premium meat; each piece of Miyazaki A5 tenderloin nigiri will set ya back 12 bucks. Lightly seared on a bed of rice with the wasabi melted right in, it’s a tasty little flavour nugget in Flavourtown. OK, so you could buy like a 24 of Molson Dry for the price of three of these, but gimme A5 Wagyu over Molson Dry any day, bro!!!

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But the beef don’t stop there, son! While it’s not Wagyu, this Alberta beef tenderloin is still rootin’-tootin’ tasty, with some killer wild mushrooms and a nice peppercorn au jus. I also ordered some potatoes with my steak…although they actually came as an appetizer, which was kinda weird.

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Dude, these brown butter gratin potatoes were 2 legit 2 quit! Served super-hot out of the oven in a Gruyere/Parmesan sauce… it even has a cheese crust!!!!

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Of course, even after all that meat ‘n potatoes, you KNOW we’ve still got room for dessert, bro!!! This Japanese cheese tart was more Uncle Tetsu than Pablo, with more of a creamy, cake-like texture. That’s not to say I wouldn’t crush, like, six of these, though…

 

 

 

 

TORONTO’S TOP TAKEOUT: Wagyu, the meaning of beef, the way that I want you to dine!!!

Slayer Burger opened its original location in the east end right around the start of Lockdown Number 3, so I never got the chance to check it out. But when I heard they had a second spot on Queen Street East, just South of Heav… erm, East of Broadview, I was all over that like a Dissident Aggressor, bro!!!!

Now, this place has six different burgers to choose from, but you KNOW I had to go with the First Degree Burger. We’re talking Wagyu beef, bacon, foie gras, fried onions, arugula and provolone on a black metal (or more like blackened thrash) charcoal sesame-seed bun, son!!!!!

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Dude, this Angel of Death in Flavourtown is so decadent, you’d hafta be Criminally Insane not to enjoy it! Nice, beefy patty, oozing with cheese, and the signature Slayer sauce gives it a nice little kick. But what really makes it is the bacon. Dude, this is the best bacon I’ve had on a burger in a long time — perfectly thick and crispy, just the way I like it. You KNOW I’m gonna Show No Mercy to this one, bro!!!!!!!!!!!

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But after that Reign in Beef, I gotta Cleanse the Soul with a salad. (Hey, it’s not salad if you yell SLAYER, bro!!!) This Slayed Caesar comes with croutons, real bacon bits and parmesan crisps — dude, this is body by parmesan crisps! And since my Uber delivery bike rider took several Seasons in the Abyss to get here, any fries would haven been as soggy as a Dead Skin Mask by the time they arrived…

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Now, my Slayer Milkshake wasn’t exactly solid after spending 40 minutes in some dude’s delivery bag, but it was still cold ‘n creamy, with a hint of almonds and cherries. Hardening of the Arteries never tasted so good!!!!

 

 

TORONTO’S TOP TAKEOUT: Wagyu katsu to go-su!

Now, you probably already know I like steak, and I’ll eat pretty much anything that’s battered and deep-fried… So when I heard that Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu, this funky Japanese joint on Dundas, specializes in deep-fried katsu steak, then you KNOW I had to check it out, bro! But we’re not going for a sirloin, a strip steak or even a tenderloin, but rather this grand poobah of deep-fried steak dishes, the Premium Wagyu Gyukatsu Zen:

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So, what you’ve got here is 4.5 ounces of Wagyu beef, chopped up and breaded, then served over rice. They also had all sorts of sauces and an egg on the side, which I’m assuming that you were supposed to pour over top?

Anyways, the steak was nice ‘n tender, lightly breaded, but well past medium by the time it got to my doorstep. The egg added a nice breakfast element to it, which worked for me, cuz I’m eating this around noon. And hey, because it’s 12 o’clock somewhere…

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We’re washing this down with an Ochame, this hazy, green tea IPA from Godspeed Brewery, which fits the Japanese theme quite nicely. Now, I’m not sure if this beer contains antioxidants, but it’ll definitely cure what ails ya, bro!!!

 

 

TORONTO’S TOP TAKEOUT: $200 steak dinner, delivered!!!

Uber Eats gave me a code for 25% off this week, so I was looking for the most expensive, decadent meal I could order for delivery…and I think I found it. Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse is one of the classiest steak joints in Toronto, with premium cuts of Japanese beef that can set you back four bills, bro! Now, they weren’t delivering the (really) good stuff — their priciest cut was an 8oz Wagyu tenderloin from Australia for $168. Throw in a couple of sides, and let’s just say I saved 48 dollars today. 😉

My order arrived in about 35 minutes, and the aluminum containers kept everything nice and warm, so I definitely can’t complain! And who needs fine china when you’ve got heavy metal, bro???

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Now, the first thing I thought when I took everything out of the delivery bags was “Man, these mushrooms smell amazing!” You’ve got a nice mix of roasted ‘shrooms, with some butter and chives, making this the perfect steak sidekick in Flavourtown!

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But make no mistake, this steak was the star of the show. The baseball-sized sirloin melts like butter and cuts with a butter knife, Bro-an Adams! Now, I wouldn’t normally put any sauce on such a great steak, but a bit of that chimichurri and a couple dabs of horseradish really kicked it up a notch!

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When it comes to the other sides, well, the duck fat fries were tasty — sorta like an elevated Swiss Chalet — but what really makes this dinner was something I didn’t even hafta pay for…the real-deal bread rolls!

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With a meal like this, you really don’t wanna fill up on bread, but I just had to eat both of these — they’re like muffins meets Yorkshire pudding in Flavourtown! And that chive butter was super legit… I’d put that on a flip-flop!!!

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Now, some people might drink wine with a nice meal like this, but you KNOW I’m all about the beer, bro! So I’m washing it down with a Unify or Die, this funky spiced stout from Blood Brothers, one of my favourite local breweries. (Dude, they’ve even got an Iron Maiden beer!!!) This brew’s got the silky smooth body of a Guinness, but with a lot more vanilla, and a bit of cinnamon, for that extra kick. And man, is there a better-named beer for this whole pandemic thing???

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Now, even though I saved over 48 bucks on this order, after taxes, fees and a reasonable tip, I still ended up dropping just over 200. But man, it was money well spent, son! If I ever sign a big NHL contract or something, I KNOW where I’m going for dinner!!!!

 

Man, this was the best 38 dollar cheeseburger I’ve ever had!!!

What’s the most you’ve ever paid for a burger, bro? Now, I’m no stranger to great big burgers — you could say I’ve had a few in my day. But they don’t usually cost more than 25 bucks…and that’s if they’ve got six patties stacked between three grilled cheeses.

But now we’re hanging out at BlueBlood Steakhouse, this funky, old-school steak joint inside of Casa Loma. This place has got beef from all over the place — Japan, Australia, Alberta…including some real-deal Wagyu. Dude, I’m not gonna pay 200 bucks for a six-ounce Wagyu filet, though — that’s more like a snack, not a steak! But when I saw they had a Wagyu steakburger for $38, I figured I could go for that… But I gotta get some more beef in me first:

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Now, the great thing about this beef short rib ravioli is that they don’t stuff it with short rib — they put the beef on top. More beef for your buck, bro! And this meat is braised until it pretty much falls apart… it even tastes good with peas, and I don’t even like peas!!!

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But now it’s time for the main event. In this corner, you’ve got Wagyu beef, topped with perfectly melted cheese, some crispy onion rings, lettuce and tomato, all inside a brioche bun. It’s a little lighter, and more flavourful, than your typical burger, but still has a nice thickness to it. Oh, and it comes with some of the biggest fries I’ve ever seen in my life. Normally, I can eat four or five fries in a handful…but these fries are so huge, I could only eat one in five bites!!!

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Now, after eating a couple pounds of potatoes, I didn’t know if I had room for dessert. But man, their baked Alaska is on fire — literally!!!

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This Blowtorch Betty in Flavourtown is set ablaze with flaming overproof rum, singeing its meringue shell. On the inside, you’ve got dark chocolate ice cream and strawberry sorbet, with some raspberries and chocolate truffles. Probably the best 28-dollar dessert I’ve ever had!!!

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