THEIR IN-STORE BAKED BREAD. . . DELICIOUS !
A MUST-VISIT shop, yet it's still disappointing when staff and owners of any restaurant or retail business make a really great first impression---friendly, smiling, helpful---but something we looked forward to enjoying, falls far below expectations. Based on word-of-mouth and their longevity (over 30 years), the two well-marbled boneless strip steaks I picked out (13.99 lb, two @ 18.00) were going to be the next best thing to Prime grade. They weren't.
Per the owner, they don't carry "prime" meats, but offer "Chairman's Reserve" Certified Premium Beef---just below prime, and in the top 30% of "choice" grade. That was fine. We knew enough not to expect the flavor and tenderness of prime, but were certainly expecting better-than-average "choice". Both were grilled over a charcoal fire to medium rare. (Never gas.) Dry, chewy, and nearly flavorless. No clean knife-cut---a strange stringy texture, at times horizontally-grained---like the drier, less-fatty sections on a pot roast. Similar to the occasional below-average choice strips we've had from GE. (Usually, GE's choice beef cuts---Black Angus in particular---are "acceptable" enough for the money.)
Possibly a rare exception to K&K's normal "Chairman's" quality, so may try again---but very unlikely. Maybe less expensive cuts next time, in their standard choice, if offered. After eating as much as we could before irritation levels exceeded our hunger, I pulled up the "Chairman's Reserve" site just to see what they were all about. They also claim their steaks are well-trimmed. The ones we had, weren't---even the sizeable inedible collagen tips were still attached. K&K received a seriously inferior shipment which their butchers should have caught---but it may have been other employees who unpacked, then placed in the meat display case. What I absolutely resent is that this supposedly respected Chairman's operation passed off poor quality beef---lowest of choice grade---to one of their customers---but WE ended up paying for it. Without question, near the top of the worst steaks we've ever had from a restaurant or grocer. We ate not even half of each one, and the rest I cut up for dog food.
BACON * * * . . thick-sliced, meaty; well-trimmed of fat; nice flavor
WHITE LOAF BREAD * * * * * . . their own brand...tender-fresh-delicious; equal to the best "artisan" styles from GE and Heinens; other loaf bread varieties, and buns; sweet bakery items, too. Look forward to trying other baked items here.
STAFF * * * * * . . everyone especially friendly and helpful
STORE * * * * * . . very clean; well-organized and well-displayed items; sampling of snacks, dry mixes in envelopes, various jarred mustards and sauces; nice variety of fruits and vegetables---all fresh-looking; overall, a wide assortment of different items in this inviting little market.
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