Carnivores' delight in Wilton: The Meat House

Wow!  I owe the proprietors and the staff at The Meat House in Wilton an apology.  When it first opened, I pretty much yawned.  I yawned because I have been trying to limit my meat consumption, and although I realized that The Meat House would be ratcheting up the quality meter, it wasn't like the butchers at Price Chopper were offering up a substandard product.  I figured with my diminshing meat consumption and my desire for efficient use of my shopping time, The Meat House wouldn't be worth the extra stop.

 

Wrong, wrong, wrong.  Why?  Many reasons.  First of all - going to the Meat House is fun!  Yes, fun!  They're so creative and enthusiastic with their offerings that it's simply a pleasure to shop there.  When you go there for the first time, it can start off a bit uncomfortably. You don't even get your second foot in the door before one or more staff members is saying hello and starting to communicate with you. The first time I was there the instant communication was a bit shocking and I thought he was trying to sell me a time share or something - I'm just not used to that level of enthusiasm and service.  But I quickly found out he's not trying to sell me a time share, in fact he's giving me a free meal-size sample of marinated steak tips to take home and cook up.  Then he's pointing me to all of the free samples inside the store - different, high quality, and, oh yea, delicious products to try as I'm shopping.  The Meat House has the highest sample to square foot ratios I've ever seen. 

 

Of course you need more than upbeat butchers and a little free food to be sold on the place.  You need something more - and you get it in the meat.  Besides looking so fresh and fantastic, the meat at The Meat House is simply unique and creative.  The cilantro lime marinated turkey tips I bought last week were excellent, and the "Wise Guy Roll" that I cooked up last night was out of this world.  The Wise Guy roll is a steak rolled up with salami, pepperoni, and italian cheeses - enough to make your cardiologist shudder but when I was eating that I savored every last piece.  You know that feeling you get when you have a great dessert and you are so sad when you get to the end?  That's the feeling I had when I got to the end of my Wise Guy Roll - it was that good.

 
 

 

 

They have exotic meats if you want them, frozen fish, and certain cuts of beef and other meats that you can't get at most supermarkets.  Their marinaded meat is their specialty, and they offer many of them.  They have plenty of jarred sauces, marinades, and spices for sale, as well as specialty pasta and a number of other things you might not associate with a butcher shop.  One really cool thing about The Meat House is that about 20% of their products are from local suppliers.  Here is a partial list of local businesses that The Meat House carries products of: 

• Saratoga Peanut Butter
• Battenville Valley Creamery (milk)
• The Ice Cream Man
• Sundaes Best
• Saratoga Salsa and Spice, Co.
• Saratoga Garlic Co.
• Smith's Orchard (pies)

If the place was simply good it wouldn't do it for me - The Meat House is great because it's cool.  You gotta know they take their quality and service seriously when they can park their store right off a triangle comprised up of category killers Price Chopper, Hannaford, and Wal-Mart.  The Meat House simply says to its supposed competition: we'll give you the masses who don't appreciate top quality food and service, and we'll gain loyalty by trying harder with those that appreciate the difference.  From the large number of smiling customers who have been in and out the two times I was there recently, it seems like The Meat House's business plan is a winner.  I've been treated very well by manager Todd Fisher and his colleagues and I know I'll be a regular customer. If you appreciate quality, then you will be going there regularly also.

 

The Meat House is located at 3057 Route 50 in Wilton.  It's in the same strip mall as Chipotle and Five Guys.  Open daily from 9am-7pm.  Phone 518-583-4027

Comments

[Saratoga SaratogaChips]

I hear they also carry Saratoga Springs own, Moon Brand Original Saratoga Chips!

[Dan]

Well shame on me for missing that one! You have a great product and I like your marketing plan.

[Albany Jane]

I am going to have to make a trip out there for a Cowboy steak! Woah, mama!

I also like the prices - I thought it would be more expensive. Quite a nice surprise.

[Kevin]

Haven't had a chance to get up there yet, but I understand their primary point of differentiation is that they sell Prime grade meat, rather than the Choice that is sold in supermarkets and most butcher shops. That is a huge difference, though so is the price difference.

[ajm56]

locust grove smoke house in argyle FTW! Eat Local. 20% doesn't cut it for me.

[Dan]

Thank you for the comments everybody. AJM56 I'd love to try that smoke house out and if I get to Argyle I will, but The Meat House is great and it's 5 minutes from my house. 20% local is pretty good in my book.