Introducing: Côte de Boeuf, a new butcher and food shop from the owners of Union
Name: Côte de Boeuf
Neighbourhood: Ossington
Contact info: 130 Ossington Ave., 416-532-2333, @CDBOssington
Owners: brothers Chasen Gillies and Teo Paul (Union)
Butcher: Mike Greenberg
The food: Naturally raised meats, prepared foods and other provisions. The meat is sourced directly from small-scale famers like Top Market Rabbitry in Kitchener, which supplies the duck, and Scotch Mountain Meats in Meaford, which supplies the beef. Prepared foods include meat pies, confit duck and bolognese sauce, and before 4 p.m. each day, the store sells fresh soups, salads and sandwiches. The small grocer’s pantry is stocked with favourites from sister restaurant Union down the street.
The place: Previously home to a flower shop, Côte de Boeuf is divided into a cute barn-style storefront and a back kitchen large enough for carving up whole carcasses. The front window doubles as a walk-in fridge filled with curing meats, and the floor is covered by a huge image of a bull to match the banyard scene at Union.
By the numbers:
• 1 x 1,000 pound cow, delivered weekly
• 40 pounds of ribeye, 40 pounds of striploin and 10 pounds of tenderloin, average per cow
• $11, the price of Alhema d’Queiles olive oil, which Union head chef Ross Goodall swears by
• 3 types of sausages available weekly
201191 Fresh pie by Union’s Marissa Janes (slice $3, whole $16) (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Côte de Boeuf Introducing: Côte de Boeuf https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-12.jpg 624 395 [] https://torontolife.com/food/cote-de-boeuf/slide/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-12/ introducing-cote-de-boeuf-12 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
201180 The grocer’s pantry features a selection of staples from Union’s kitchen, like a house soy sauce ($4.50) and Alhema d’Queiles olive oil from Spain ($11) (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Côte de Boeuf Introducing: Côte de Boeuf https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-01.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/cote-de-boeuf/slide/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-01/ introducing-cote-de-boeuf-01 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
201188 (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Côte de Boeuf Introducing: Côte de Boeuf https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-09.jpg 624 395 [] https://torontolife.com/food/cote-de-boeuf/slide/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-09/ introducing-cote-de-boeuf-09 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
201189 Berkshire pork fat back curing in the front display fridge (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Côte de Boeuf Introducing: Côte de Boeuf https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-10.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/cote-de-boeuf/slide/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-10/ introducing-cote-de-boeuf-10 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
201186 Breads from local bakeries and veteran Union bartender and baker Marissa Janes (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Côte de Boeuf Introducing: Côte de Boeuf https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-07.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/cote-de-boeuf/slide/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-07/ introducing-cote-de-boeuf-07 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
201185 Confit duck leg ($7) (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Côte de Boeuf Introducing: Côte de Boeuf https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-06.jpg 624 395 [] https://torontolife.com/food/cote-de-boeuf/slide/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-06/ introducing-cote-de-boeuf-06 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
201184 Confit chicken leg ($7) (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Côte de Boeuf Introducing: Côte de Boeuf https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-05.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/cote-de-boeuf/slide/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-05/ introducing-cote-de-boeuf-05 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
201183 Water buffalo salami ($20) (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Côte de Boeuf Introducing: Côte de Boeuf https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-04.jpg 624 395 [] https://torontolife.com/food/cote-de-boeuf/slide/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-04/ introducing-cote-de-boeuf-04 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
201182 Duck fat ($8) (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Côte de Boeuf Introducing: Côte de Boeuf https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-03.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/cote-de-boeuf/slide/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-03/ introducing-cote-de-boeuf-03 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
201192 The back kitchen, where butcher Michael Greenberg (Union, The Healthy Butcher) works (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Côte de Boeuf Introducing: Côte de Boeuf https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-13.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/cote-de-boeuf/slide/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-13/ introducing-cote-de-boeuf-13 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
201190 Sandwiches available daily until 4 p.m. (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Côte de Boeuf Introducing: Côte de Boeuf https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-11.jpg 624 395 [] https://torontolife.com/food/cote-de-boeuf/slide/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-11/ introducing-cote-de-boeuf-11 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
201291 Most of Côte de Boeuf’s wares are held in this waist-height cupboard retrofitted as a refrigerated display case (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Côte de Boeuf Introducing: Côte de Boeuf https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-16-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-16.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/cote-de-boeuf/slide/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-16/ introducing-cote-de-boeuf-16 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
201181 (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Côte de Boeuf Introducing: Côte de Boeuf https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-02.jpg 624 395 [] https://torontolife.com/food/cote-de-boeuf/slide/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-02/ introducing-cote-de-boeuf-02 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
201193 Artist Barbara Klunder also created Union’s barnyard mural (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Côte de Boeuf Introducing: Côte de Boeuf https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-14-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-14.jpg 624 395 [] https://torontolife.com/food/cote-de-boeuf/slide/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-14/ introducing-cote-de-boeuf-14 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
201273 The front window doubles as a walk-in refrigerator and display case (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Côte de Boeuf Introducing: Côte de Boeuf https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-intro1-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-intro1.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-intro1.jpg 656 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/cote-de-boeuf/slide/introducing-cote-de-boeuf-intro-2/ introducing-cote-de-boeuf-intro-2 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)