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If you take Blue Line to the Canal St stop you can walk to Union Station and the ride the BNSF out. The butchers at Casey's will wrap the steaks and supply ice for the ride back home. I've had them do that for a week's worth of meat when I went to New Buffalo and then I discovered Drier's and did not need to bring my own provisions!
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Originally Posted by rparz
Which stop on the Blue line can take me there?
Paulina Market is the default for most people.
But, for something a little better and prime cuts, there's Olympic Meat in the Meatpacking district at Randolph and Halsted.
People still opt to go to steakhouses simply because the quality of meat that one can purvey in most retail locations pales in quality. I realize that there are exceptions but the figure that I've seen tossed around is that only 3% or less of the steaks sold for personal preparation are Prime whereas that's the standard classification at high end steakhouses. Simply put, you will be pressed to replicate the quality of steak you cook at home compared to a higher end steakhouse. Of course, it goes without say that you'll pay for this privilege.
It's important to remember that less than half the beef produced ends up as graded cuts, so while only 3% or so gets graded as prime, that represents about 8-10% of the beef that is sold as graded cuts. As Chet mentioned Costco gets prime grade cuts every week (the Lincoln Park location gets theirs on Tuesday mornings, they usually run out Friday or Saturday). Restaurant Depot has pallets full of prime grade cuts at all times. Any butcher's shop will also have prime grade.
Where good steakhouses really offer a benefit is when they age their own beef - Burke's and Keefers do a great job at this. If you want aged beef you can get some great quality aged beef from many butcher's shops, I really like Paulina Meat Market and Butcher and Larder for aged beef. I also got a great steak from PQM a few weeks ago. All these places are expensive, but still roughly half as expensive as a steakhouse. It's also very easy to do at home.
Here is why I will never go to Gibson's again: My lovely wife wanted to take me someplace swank for my birthday dinner, so she surprised me with a trip to Gibson's. It was high on my list of places I wanted to try and I was very excited. The food was pretty good, I will admit, but not superior IMO to most other high end steakhouses I've tried. The kicker for me was, our waiter, a seemingly capable young man, was attentive, but in a very mechanical and not very warm and welcoming way. He seemed to be rushing the courses, and rushing us, as if he was just trying to turn the table over (This is dinner, not lunch, mind you, so we weren't in a hurry to get back to the office or anything like that) After a while of this kind of treatment, my wife said to the waiter "We're trying to enjoy our meal, and it really seems like you're rushing us, trying to get us out of here. What's the deal?"
The waiter's reply? "Ma'am, we're the busiest steakhouse in the world. We don't play."
Well F--- that. If I'm gonna spend that kind of money on a steak, I'll go to Rosebud Steakhouse, where I never feel rushed, and the service is attentive and friendly and they don't act like they're doing you a favor by letting you eat in their establishment.
That is why I will never set foot in Gibson's again.
That is just really weird. I have been Gibson's Rush St location at least 36 or 40 times and I have NEVER felt hurried, in fact most the time I have left feeling like the last 10 - 15 minutes I spent in the place I could have actually used somebody to sort encourage me to leave -- after a ton of food / drinks / dessert (often carefully boxed for 'later'...) the waiters I have had seem entirely happy to let me sit there and contemplate just how big a tip a can part with...
Did you talk to anyone? I mean that is just totally not right...
That is just really weird. I have been Gibson's Rush St location at least 36 or 40 times and I have NEVER felt hurried, in fact most the time I have left feeling like the last 10 - 15 minutes I spent in the place I could have actually used somebody to sort encourage me to leave -- after a ton of food / drinks / dessert (often carefully boxed for 'later'...) the waiters I have had seem entirely happy to let me sit there and contemplate just how big a tip a can part with...
Did you talk to anyone? I mean that is just totally not right...
We were so taken aback (and it was pretty much at the end of the meal) so no, we didn't say anything, although in hindsight we should have. (As the night wore on and it sunk in more, I got a little more indignant about it)
At those prices, all it takes is one less than stellar experience like that for me to take my business elsewhere.
The irony is that this thread on the alleged decreasing food quality at Gibson's has really made me crave a good steak. I think I need one now.
I cooked up a nice ribeye last night. Marinated it in beer for a couple of hours before throwing it on the grill.
Yum.
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Casey's is right across from Metra stop!
