[Raleigh, NC] Butcher Counter at Standard Foods

[Fuzzsonic (Ron)]

The new version of Standard Foods is now up and running, including both the full service restaurant as well as the attached grocery.

I wanted to put in a plug for the Butcher counter in the Grocery. They have a nice selection of high quality meats and seafood. It looks like this is basically a retail window on the meat shop that serves the restaurant. I’ve only tried a few items, but they’ve been very good. There are roasts, chops, steaks, and sausages, as well as seafood. The have some very, very nice roast beef and pastrami. There are a few prepared sandwiches listed on the chalkboard behind the counter. I had their pastrami sandwich, and it was excellent. I took home a bit of their “beef bacon”, which was a thin-sliced, inch-thick, seasoned and smoked beef. Really tasty stuff.

One other offering of the grocery worth noting: prepared stocks. The restaurant kitchen is making intermediate products for direct sale, and are offering chef-prepared stocks. A good stock is the basis for many good home kitchen recipes, and is often glossed over with packaged grocery store offerings that just don’t have great flavor. I know where I’m headed the next time I need some prepared stock.

[meatn3 (equal opportunity eater in the NC Triangle)]

Our marketing person at work lives just around the corner from Standard Foods. She was in today and mentioned mixed feelings about it. She was happy with many of the specialty items but frustrated that local eggs (Haw Creek iirc) were $7.99/doz. It helps but there is still a need for a larger moderately priced grocery downtown was her verdict.

[Fuzzsonic (Ron)]

Oh, I wouldn’t mistake their offerings for that of a normal small grocer. The majority of the store is basically a gift/boutique shop of locally sourced products. Good stuff, but not exactly a way to feed a family - particularly on a budget.

Of the non-butcher offerings, the most useful (to me) were the dried beans, bread, and small produce selection. Hard to shop for what’s needed to cook for a whole meal, but it would be somewhat possible with these items available.

All of which is why I focused my post on the butcher counter and the stocks. Those are unique offerings that will motivate a special visit. The sandwich was pretty great.

In reality, most of my visits will be due to the fact that my gym is right across the street, and a stop by Yellow Dog, Wine Authorities, and/or Standard is so easy while I’m already there.

[meatn3 (equal opportunity eater in the NC Triangle)]

Sounds like a nice addition to Raleigh! I think she had expected it to be different and was still in sticker shock from the eggs…

Good stock is hard to find. Last place that I was aware of making it was the now closed Italian grocery at Lafayette Village.