Foodaholic!

Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse is one of my favorite steakhouses in Toronto. We have been fortunate to have been able to dine here on several occasions, and have mostly enjoyed our dining experiences. There was perhaps only one time - where the service was lackluster when compared to the high-end standards service that they're known for (which took place two years ago). Nonetheless, it is a nice place for a splurge dinner, but it's definitely not an everyday occasion. Please note that this blog post is a combination of multiple visits throughout the years.

One week before the lockdown (due to COVID-19) in March, J had dinner at Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse with a colleague of his. I was unable to attend due to prior commitments. Looking back, I regret not going given what has happened since then. At the time of this post, they are currently closed for dine-in service but are available for take-out and delivery. Personally, I like dining in for the experience, so I am holding off on getting take-out for that reason. Waiting until it is completely safe for the city to re-open dine-in services (not counting just patios).

Moscow Mule ($16) and Manhattan ($20) [March 2020]

Dinner often starts off with a plate of complimentary Cheese Popovers, which are fresh from the oven. Airy and light!

If requested, they do bring a platter of selected steaks that you might want to select from.

Next up for us is usually a salad. Most of the time, we opt for their popular Jacobs Caesar Salad ($26), which is always prepared tableside. Six years ago, it was only $19, so the price for this particular dish has increased substantially when compared to the chicken and steaks on the menu. Still good though!

Another salad that we like is the Lobster Cobb Salad ($39) - bacon, blue cheese, tomato. Unfortunately, this salad is often on/off the menu, as it's not available every single time.

Depending on the Chef, the salad can take on different appearances, but more or less the same ingredients.

Next up is the steaks! First, we were given two plates containing various seasoning for our steaks (if you want more seasoning on it that is). I thought that the steak was already flavorful and juicy on its own, so I didn't put too much additional seasoning on mine Anyways, the selection for the first plate was chimichurri sauce (green), blue cheese/bacon sauce (white) and ponzu sauce (dark brown). The selection for the second plate was different kinds of salt; sea salt (white), volcano salt (black), and smoked sea salt (light tan).

Here are some of the steaks that we have enjoyed throughout the years at Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse. I like their consistency, so it's one of the reasons why we go back. Unfortunately, I lost a few pictures of other visits, as I got a new phone back in 2016 (and forgot to back up the photos). Oh well - c'est la vie!

Japanese Tajima A5 Wagyu ($200) - 6 oz

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Mishima Reserve Wagyu, CO, USA ($120) - 6 oz Tenderloin

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USDA Prime Black Angus ($91) - 14 oz Ribeye

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Canadian Prime Hereford (High River, AB) ($120) - 18 oz Bone-In Striploin

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My favorite cut is the Westholme Wagyu-Queensland, AUS ($160) - 8 oz Tenderloin. The steak was cooked to perfection and melts in your mouth good. I love it enough that I got the same cut from Famu a few times to make it at home.

Mishima Reserve Wagyu ($210) - 14 oz Striploin

Canadian Prime Hereford-Guelph, ON ($108) - 14 oz Boned-In Striploin

The A5 Nagasaki Prefecture Ribeye ($170) was from our very first experience in 2014 at the restaurant. You can read it here. The quality of taking photos in the dim-lit dining room with the iPhone is also very noticeable too. (the above picture is from March 2020).

The Oysters do not have a set price, as they are always MP (market price). The last time we went, we got 6 Raspberry Pointe ($24) and 2 Kusshi ($9).

One of the downsides to Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse is probably that the steaks do not come with any accompanying side dishes. You have to order them separately, and they do vary from $15-$18. The sides are sharable, and you can also do a half-order as well. So it does add up if you get a lot of side dishes.

Half Duck Fat Fries ($8)

Full Portion Duck Fat Fries ($17)

Half Potato Puree ($8), Half Mushroom ($9) and Half Asparagus ($9)

Side Risotto ($18)

Like I mentioned, Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse can be quite the splurge and is not exactly a place for an everyday occasion. So if you're interested in making your own Wagyu Steak, then you should definitely check out Famu. They are the only Japanese butcher in the GTA that offers both Wagyu and (legit) Kobe Beef. Famu is actually one of the butchers that Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse gets their steaks from, so you're going to get quality. I will be doing a full detailed review on my visits to Famu soon =)

Whispering Meadows is a local farm source for premium meats, with the highest quality of naturally-raised and organic meats. They offer quick and convenient home delivery straight to your door to Toronto and the GTA.

The 127-acre family farm was founded in 2003, and is located in Milverton, Ontario. The farm prides themselves on raising and growing its animals with the best methods to ensure high quality meat. All of their animals are fed a diet that is 100% plant and vegetable-based, and free of antibiotics and synthetic hormones. They also use non-GMO corn and feeds, and certified organic methods as well.

As you can see from the above picture, each meat comes in a vacuum-sealed package, so you don't have to eat it right away. I find that they are good in the fridge for at least 2 weeks, and you can freeze them as well if you're not planning on making them anytime soon.

I had the opportunity to try out some of the products from Whispering Meadows last month, and quite enjoyed them. I got the following items:

Rib Steak (grain-finished beef)

Sirloin Steak (grain-finished beef)

All-Natural Beef Sausages

Pork Spare Ribs

For the Sirloin Steak (grain-finished beef), we decided to make steak udon with it. Sirloin steak comes from the rear back portion of the cow, and comes in two parts. The steak was seared to a golden brown, and then topped off with garlic, herbs, butter, and green onion.

The week after, JJ and I decided to fire up the barbecue to make the rest of the meats that we received from Whispering Meadows. It would have tasted good in the oven, but we preferred the charcoal taste of BBQ. Additionally, I can definitely taste the high quality of the meats.

I love the smokey flavors that charcoal provides. Don't forget to use medium heat to create perfectly smoked sausages.

Whispering Meadows Family Farms also offers a variety of prepared foods using their own premium, all-natural and organic meats. Some of the items available to order are beef jerky, bone broth, cooked ham, hot dogs, Montreal smoked beef and many more. Definitely helps to make preparing meals much easier, especially for families.

If you're planning on hosting a dinner party or having a BBQ, then I recommend getting one of the Butcher's Boxes. The butcher boxes provide you with volume discounts on a number of their popular meats, and there is no need for a subscription to re-order. It's a great way to taste test the variety of meats that the farm has to offer.

Lastly, if you would like to support support locally-grown food, then definitly give the meats from Whispering Meadows a try. What is great about their delivery options is that they offer a number of FREE pickup locations (Penguin Pick-Up) or $29.95 fee to core delivery areas. Delivery is also free for orders above $350. Delivery was fast and smooth.

Address: 4509 Line 61, Milverton, Ontario, Canada N0K 1M0

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is a memorial park located in the center of Hiroshima, Japan. The park is dedicated to the memories of the bomb's direct and indirect victims. As a result of WW2, Hiroshima was the first city in the world to suffer a nuclear attack, and it resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries.

The entire park is located in the center of Hiroshima and covers an area that was close to the hypo-center of the blast (which was once a commercial district). The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is a little over 120,000 square with several memorial sights including the Peace Memorial Museum. In 1996, the site registered as one of the world's UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The A-Bomb Dome is what is left of the former Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, which was destroyed by the atomic bomb on August 6, 1945. The skeletal remains of the building were quite haunting to see, and very much a symbol of the devastating effects of nuclear weapons.

The Children's Peace Monument is a statue dedicated to the memory of the children who died as a result of the bombing. Next to the paper cranes was a statue of a young female with outstretched arms with a folded paper crane flying above her. The statue is of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who died from radiation effects as a result of the bomb. She has become a leading symbol of the impact of nuclear war, and it's truly sad that her life tragically ended at 12 years old.

The Cenotaph for Korean Victims is dedicated to the 45,000 Koreans who were killed or exposed to lethal post-explosion radiation.

The Peace Bell was constructed on September 20th, 1964.

Every year on the anniversary of the bomb, a ceremony is held at the park to commemorate this world tragedy. The park is such a stark reminder of the horrific devastation humanity can cause, and that some of the effects are still here today.

Access: From Hiroshima Station, take tram line 2 or 6 to Genbaku-Domu Mae station

The InterContinental Lisbon was our home away from home for the week in Lisbon. The luxury property is located in one of the best locations in the city, as it's centrally in the city center. The hotel itself faces Edward VII Park, and close by to the metro. However, I do not recommend walking to the hotel from the train or metro station if you have luggage. There was a very steep walk-way up to the hotel, so taking an Uber or taxi may be best.

We booked the One Bed Premium room with the member rate, which was 255.60 euros per night ($392.55 CAD/night). You can sign up for the IHG Rewards to collect status, and get those rates when booked directly on their website.

Locals in Lisbon were incredibly nice and friendly. Unfortunately, that can't be said the same with this particular group of Caucasian boomers that we had the misfortune of sitting next to in the bar/lounge area. They kept on staring and acted like we walked right into the bar to sit. One of them whispered something about how can the staff just let random people walk in without paying. The group of old women stopped whispering once I went upstairs to our room, and came back down with my purse. Initially, I thought it was an act of racism but soon realized that we were victims of ageism instead. As they minded their own business after they realized we were guests also. Not as bad as racism, but still not an ideal situation to be in on a vacation. I am sorry, but I wish that baby boomers would stop thinking that all millennials are lazy and broke. It's a horrible stereotype that the older generation has bestowed on (basically) all millennials.

Anyway, our stay at the hotel was a little marred by that personal experience, but the overall stay itself was good. The hotel was clean, the amenities were replenished daily, and the room was spacious. J and I loved exploring Lisbon (we were out a lot), so we barely used any of the services in the hotel to be able to provide a more comprehensive review. However, if you're looking for a quiet stay then the InterContinental Lisbon was good for that. It is housed on one of the seven hills in Lisbon, so the noise level was relatively quiet at night.