The Japanese beverage is what I was referring to but misspelled it - Sake
Ah, thought so already! Yes, they will have definitely have some sake! Actually, Iâve just had a look and they have it featured in their wine list, see below.
Last month I had dinner at a Japanese restaurant specialising in beef, in Amsterdam. We had a sake sommelier, who advised us a different one for each course. Lol, though thinking back, at some point we were longing for some âproperâ drinks and started ordering Hibiki whiskey alongside the sake⌠
That was a fun night.
By the way, these are mostly expense account meals, which makes ordering a whole lot easier.
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Just donât leave HO over it 
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Wow, your prices are very far from my prices in Boston/Somerville/Cambridge., Massachusetts. Granted, we have some of the highest housing prices in the US, one of the highest average incomes, and are also an area with high income inequity.
I donât shop in Bostonâs Chinatown due to transportation and physical handicap issues. Prices for duck and pork belly are probably lower there.
Duck is available in our area only in a few places, like Whole Foods, Wegmanâs, high-level expensive specialty shops like Savenor or Formaggio, or from local farms like Lilac Hedge or Stillmanâs. Not commonly stocked at other local grocery chains such as Stop and Shop or Star Market or Market Basket. Maybe during Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years but not now so I canât check online prices.
Prices for duck legs range from $10 to $15 per pound and whole duck is cheaper, as low as $8 per pound.
Pork belly is trendy but also not found in most local grocers. At Wegmanâs, itâs $18 per pound. That is not a typo; I saw it online. $10/pound at Savenorâs. Even higher per pound at Stillman Farm. You say you can get bacon belly for $2 a pound, so maybe you mean bacon? The cheapest bacon in my area is around $4 for 12 ounces, and higher quality goes up to more than twice as much.
Rendered duck fat to make your own confit (which I always do) is now available jarred from Epic. 11 ounce jar is $13.50 at Whole Foods, $11 at Wegmanâs.
It is also important to me to buy humanely raised animal products. So we donât eat animal products that often because of the high prices.
The beans really make cassoulet in my experience. So when I (rarely) make cassoulet as a price- and labor-intensive dish, I donât spring for the hugely expensive imported Tarbais beans, which are way beyond my budget, but I do spend $7.50 per pound for Rancho Gordo Cassoulet beans grown on the west coast from Tarbais seed stock.
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Actually, MB has Bell & Evans whole duck legs and packages of 2 boneless duck breasts in their freezer section. Havenât tried them yet, but got some for my home freezer. I picked up the duck leg thinking that was all they had several months ago; just saw the duck breasts this past weekend and got them. Smaller than the DâArtagnan individual duck breasts I get at Wegmans in the fall/winter.
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Thanks for letting me know! Which MB do you go to?
We are in Somerville and have occasionally gone to the much larger MB in Chelsea, which has many products that Somerville, one of the older and smaller stores, doesnât carry. (and the Somerville MB parking lot is like a bumper car amusement park, though inside the customers and staff are very courteous and helpful).
Last time I checked in Somerville, which was some time ago, ours didnât have any duck though I do recall seeing it there in past winter holiday seasons. My husband went today and was disappointed that they were out of the Vermont Creamery creme fraiche we love. And we love MB!
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Itâs right in Tewksbury, where their headquarters and one of their distribution centers is (not sure if that makes a difference, as this is one of their older stores).
Iâd agree that the older MBs probably wouldnât carry them (except for mine, oddly!) but newer larger stores like Reading might.
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Thatâs NUTS. I agree that itâs not always easy to find at the regular grocery store, but Costcos near me (Westchester/NYC) carry it for $3.99/lb whole, $4.99/lb sliced (I know because I bought a whole one yesterday!). Hmart also carries it - not sure of their prices but itâs definitely less than $10/lb.
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There is some delivery available now for the larger markets, if you want to take a look. (Aside from Instacart, Weee is probably in Boston by now.)
TJs has well-sized (ie small) packages of sous vide cooked pork belly that are easy to use. Whole Foods also used to carry it (though not always in stock, and occasionally organic) for under $10/lb but I havenât looked recently (easy to check on Amazon before going to the store).
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I would check the soup and the pie of the day, and maybe add in the chicken wrap or an omelet. But if its a really greasy spoon, I might pass on the whole experience!
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I donât think it will be too greasy, more of a family restaurant!
Well, how was the doggone cassoulet?
Depends on the time of day.
Morning - The Breakfast Special. Bacon, sunny side up, swap rye for the texas toast, home fries extra crispy and hot sauce on the side. Black coffee.
The rest of the day - Battered mushrooms, Steak and Dill Pickle Salad. Unsweetened ice tea.
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I was worried initially that there wouldnât be anything on the menu Iâd like but taking some time going over the sections Iâve seen plenty I would order. Is this like an American diner style restaurant?
For breakfast: just the breakfast special as that seems the best deal, though Iâm not a fries in the morning person.
For lunch: the steak sandwich. (although I have a feeling their Reuben will be good?!)
For dinner: either NY steak, souvlaki or fish and chips.
Looks like pretty standard diner fare
Morning â eggs over medium or scrambled with sausage and toast, plus coffee
Lunch â chicken salad sandwich
Evening â some fried crap to share like chicken fingers or the battered mushrooms which are intriguing, maybe a chicken quesadilla or a burger and onion rings, and a chocolate milkshake (using chocolate ice cream not vanilla and chocolate syrup for Peteâs sake)
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Thanks! I didnât think of checking TJs online for pork belly; they refuse to sell duck. Their fully cooked pork belly is $6.99 for 12 oz.
And itâs interesting. When I search our closest Whole Foods stores online for pork belly through the Whole Foods site, nothing comes up. But pork belly slab does come up when I search the same Whole Foods store via the Amazon site. Itâs $7/pound.
Weee is in Boston, I didnât know!!! Pork belly is around $5/lb, $10/lb for Berkshire pork. Whole duck $5.33 with another brand $3.33/lb! And I just remembered that I should have checked the very close to me in Somerville Reliable Market (Korean and Japanese). Canât search them online but can easily do in person.
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Not TJs online â Instacart for other places around you like asian markets
TJs only has the precooked, which is a huge timesaver â and also just right amount of pork belly for only a couple of servings
Itâs the Canadian equivalent of an American diner , luncheonette or coffee shop.
The giveaway that itâs in Ontario, is the peameal bacon.
The giveaway that the owners are likely Greek or Macedonian, is the presence of souvlaki on the lunch and dinner menu, as well as the Greek Omelette (tomato and feta). That said, a lot of Greek and Macedonian restaurant owners in Ontario and other parts of Canada have retired over the last 20 years, and the people buying the restaurants, who might be fairly recent Central European, Balkan, South Asian or Southeast Asian immigrants.
Sometimes former kitchen staff purchase the restaurant.
Often the new owners keep the Souvlaki and Greek Omelettes on the menu, and photos of Santorini on the walls, long after the original owners have left the building.
Then, the menus and daily specials often become even more interesting. 
Iâve noticed samosas , Pad Thai and Ginger Beef at more rural restaurants that serve bacon and eggs lately!
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