Looking to buy US Prime beef in Toronto

[SteveW]

I think we've had this discussion about Canadian Prime and USDA Prime Steve. As I recall, the bulk of our Canadian Prime beef is exported to Japan and Australia.

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Yes, we had this discussion about Canadian Prime & USDA Prime before. Beef is one of my favorite subjects . From my memory, you previously said US beef(US Prime) was better than Canadian beef. That was before, you ate Canada Prime beef at the 21 restaurant in Casino Niagara. Do you still dine several times a month at Ruth Chris(you know the GM of Ruth Chris Toronto(2 locations))? What's your favorite steak in Toronto, at a non-steakhouse? How does the Queue de Cheval steak(Montreal steakhouse), compare with the top Toronto steakhouses? Sorry for so many questions(as I stated beef is a favorite subject of mine).

-Steve

[Marlene]

Hmmm. where to start. I still prefer USDA prime to Canadian Prime for the simple reason, Canadian Prime is too rich to eat too much of, unlike USDA prime. The two are not comparable for those purposes.

I couldn't tell you what my favourite steak is in a non steakhouse in Toronto, because if I go to a non steakhouse, I'm not going there to eat steak.

We continue to visit both Ruth's locations. We were at Ruth's in Toronto a couple of weeks ago, and we will be dining at the Mississagua location this evening. For your information, Hanne is now the Vice President of Operations for Ruth's Chris Canada. Just as we visit her husband's restaurant whenever we are on our way to Niagara Falls.

It's been some time since I visited Montreal and thus Que de Cheval, but i's probably comparable to Ruth's steaks in taste and in size if nothing else.

[SteveW]

Thanks Marlene. Do you know if Ruth's Chris Canada is considering anytime soon opening locations beyond the Toronto-area?

-Steve

[Marlene]

To the best of my knowlege, no, not at this time. However I will ask Hanne the next time I see her.

[Jake]

Wanted to weigh in with a different opinion. I have found Queue de Cheval to be far superior to Ruth's Chris. That being said, I've eaten there (Ruth's) a few times and never had a really good meal. It was okay, but nothing to go back for based on the other choices in Toronto (Barberian's Harbour Sixty etc.)

Edited October 31, 2004 by Jake (log)

[SteveW]

Wanted to weigh in with a different opinion.  I have found Queue de Cheval to be far superior to Ruth's Chris.  That being said, I've eaten there (Ruth's) a few times and never had a really good meal.  It was okay, but nothing to go back for based on the other choices in Toronto (Barberian's Harbour Sixty etc.)

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Q being far superior to Ruth's Chris. You're talking specifically about their beef, and/or whole dining experience? Not many people would argue that Queue de Cheval has great beef. The other things concerning Queue de Cheval, some people have problems with. The prices they charge are overpriced(in particular their wine list), & some of their staff have attitude.

-Steve

[jayt90]

I know this is off topic, but there are discerning steak eaters in this thread with more knowledge than I.

I keep thinking about the N.Y. Times magazine article following a steer, from birth in Montana to a massive finishing farm in Iowa. The author owned the steer, and managed to eat some of the steak back in New York. He was appalled by the sight, smell, food (corn and protein mash) for the final 2 months of the steer's life. It was kept alive with large doses of drugs and antibiotics. But the steak was good.

There is no reason to think that Canadian finishing stalls are very different from U.S. practices. But I think it is now possible to get grass fed steaks and roasts, probably from Whole Foods, or other sources.

Has anyone tried grass finished beef? Good cuts, well aged etc?

[Jake]

Wanted to weigh in with a different opinion.  I have found Queue de Cheval to be far superior to Ruth's Chris.  That being said, I've eaten there (Ruth's) a few times and never had a really good meal.  It was okay, but nothing to go back for based on the other choices in Toronto (Barberian's Harbour Sixty etc.)

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Q being far superior to Ruth's Chris. You're talking specifically about their beef, and/or whole dining experience? Not many people would argue that Queue de Cheval has great beef. The other things concerning Queue de Cheval, some people have problems with. The prices they charge are overpriced(in particular their wine list), & some of their staff have attitude.

-Steve

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I guess that wasn't really clear, Steve, sorry. I have never had any service problems at Q, or attitude. No attitude at Ruth's, but service was only so-so. Beef was better at Q by far, but not anything I'd call the best steak ever. As for Q's prices, they are high and there are some ridiculous markups on their wine list IMHO. However, it's been 6 or 8 months since I last ate there. I find Ruth's overpriced (food) as well, but I could be said to be somewhat biased as I have never had a really good meal there.

[SteveW]

I know this is off topic, but there are discerning steak eaters in this thread with more knowledge than I.

I  keep thinking about the N.Y. Times magazine article following a steer, from birth in Montana to a massive finishing farm in Iowa. The author owned the steer, and managed to eat some of the steak back in New York.  He was appalled by the sight, smell, food (corn and protein mash) for the final 2 months of the steer's life.  It was kept alive with large doses of drugs and antibiotics. But the steak was good.

There is no reason to think that Canadian finishing stalls are very different from U.S. practices.  But  I think it is now possible to get grass fed steaks and roasts, probably from Whole Foods, or other sources.

Has anyone tried grass finished beef?  Good cuts, well aged etc?

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A bit off topic, but it's OK. I've tried Argentine beef(grass fed), several years ago, & was unimpressed. However I've been told that the best Argentine beef stays in Argentina. Otherwise I haven't tried any other grass fed beef. I know the well-known ACME steakhouse in San Francisco uses grass-fed US beef. And they're several US sources producing grass-fed beef(one of them is US Wellness Meats). It's generally less marbled that corn-fed US beef.

-Steve

[Marlene]

The problem with Ruths' is that they are not consistent from place to place. While I've rarely had a bad meal at the restaurant downtown, the one in Mississagua is a different story, as have been others I've dined in around the US.

I don't think Ruth's makes the best steak in Toronto, but for us, the downtown location is consistently good.

[SteveW]

The problem with Ruths' is that they are not consistent from place to place.  While I've rarely had a bad meal at the restaurant downtown, the one in Mississagua is a different story, as have been others I've dined in around the US. 

I don't think Ruth's makes the best steak in Toronto, but for us, the downtown location is consistently good.

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Your friend Hanne manages both Toronto-area locations, so hopefully(& they should), correct any problems at Ruth's Chris Mississauga(to at least equal Ruth's Chris Toronto). The Mississauga location by my count, has opened for less than a year.

-Steve

[Marlene]

In addition, I'm pretty sure the Toronto chef went to the Mississauga location. That location has now been open for a year. It was right around this time last year that we went to their opening. Hanne is less involved in the daily operations these days. Both locations have their own General Managers, but yes, you can be sure I'll be mentioning the Mississauga location's problems to her next time I talk to her.

It isn't just the second location here. If I recall, the New Orleans location (the first one), was great, Dallas was so so, and NY was lousy the first time and better the second time we went. There have been a few others that I've tried, but they aren't coming to mind at the moment.

[SteveW]

Wanted to weigh in with a different opinion.  I have found Queue de Cheval to be far superior to Ruth's Chris.  That being said, I've eaten there (Ruth's) a few times and never had a really good meal.  It was okay, but nothing to go back for based on the other choices in Toronto (Barberian's Harbour Sixty etc.)

←

Q being far superior to Ruth's Chris. You're talking specifically about their beef, and/or whole dining experience? Not many people would argue that Queue de Cheval has great beef. The other things concerning Queue de Cheval, some people have problems with. The prices they charge are overpriced(in particular their wine list), & some of their staff have attitude.

-Steve

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I guess that wasn't really clear, Steve, sorry. I have never had any service problems at Q, or attitude. No attitude at Ruth's, but service was only so-so. Beef was better at Q by far, but not anything I'd call the best steak ever. As for Q's prices, they are high and there are some ridiculous markups on their wine list IMHO. However, it's been 6 or 8 months since I last ate there. I find Ruth's overpriced (food) as well, but I could be said to be somewhat biased as I have never had a really good meal there.

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Another thing with Queue de Cheval, is that their portions are way too big(this complaint also applies to many of the big steakhouses across North America). Gigantic shrimps, gigantic lobsters, gigantic desserts, gigantic steaks, & so on(that also equals to a gigantic bill!!). When I go to lunch at Queue de Cheval, & the smallest steak they have is a 18oz rib-eye steak(that's not right)!!! Previously they had a 12oz rib-eye steak on their lunch menu. One thing however, they were the first steakhouse I noticed that had a bone-in filet mignon on the menu. Now it's a hot cut on menus at high-end steakhouses in the US. Not sure, if they're available at Toronto steakhouses.

-Steve

[SteveW]

In addition, I'm pretty sure the Toronto chef went to the Mississauga location.  That location has now been open for a year.  It was right around this time last year that we went to their opening.  Hanne is less involved in the daily operations these days.  Both locations have their own General Managers, but yes, you can be sure I'll be mentioning the Mississauga location's problems to her next time I talk to her.

Are the Ruth's Chris in Toronto & Mississauga, company-owned or franchises(I'm guessing company-owned)?

-Steve

[Marlene]

No, they are franchises. Both are owned by Lana Duke, a lifelong friend of Ruth Fertel. Lana's bio can be found here

[SteveW]

I see the prices listed at the Ruth's Chris Canada site. The steaks are much more expensive then at Queue de Cheval in Montreal, although they don't list size of the cuts on their dinner menu. Glad for their lunch menu, they offer smaller cuts(12oz offered in their rib-eye & NY Strip cuts). Is their lamb chops any good? I think I heard that each Ruth's Chris location gets the same custom grill that's tailored to Ruth's Chris specifications. I think it gets up to 1800 degrees F. Marlene, have you gone into a Ruth's Chris kitchen, & saw their grill in action?

-Steve

edit: digging further into the Ruth's Chris Canada site, I see the size of steak cuts listed. Rib-eyes are 12oz(lunch only) & 16oz; Filet 8oz & 12oz; Cowboy rib-eye 22oz; NY Strip 12oz(lunch only) & 16oz; Porterhouse for Two is 40oz.

Edited November 2, 2004 by SteveW (log)