Meat NW5

Meat NW5 is like the ultimate middle class /​posh, yummy meat shop.
A while ago my husband and I decided to eat less meat, but when we *do* eat meat, we want to make sure that it is really good quality (as happy animals seem to become tastier meat…) This means we’d much prefer to buy from a butcher, rather than the supermarket.
We popped in to buy a shoulder of lamb to roast when my mum came to visit for mother’s day. The joint was really, really tasty (and pricey — £18.67 for enough for 4 people.) We also bought a couple of small pies because it was pi-​day (ham hock & peas, as well as lamb, chorizo & chickpeas) They were both delicious, but at £3.95 each, I’m not sure if I’d buy them again.
The great things:
— This shop is pretty… it is well set out with delicious food in all directions.
— The staff were all really friendly and helpful.
— It is full of really tasty things (not just meat! They have a good delicatessen counter as well…)
— They have a tub of lollipops for children when families come shopping, which is a really sweet touch.
The less-​great:
— The prices make Waitrose seem cheap (!)
— The queuing system seems a bit chaotic.
To be honest, I do really like bargains, so I’m not going to abandon the other lovely butchers shop on York Way (it is a little more traditional, and quite a lot cheaper…) but I have a feeling I’ll come back here when we fancy something as a treat.

I didn’t WANT to move out of Tufnell Park, but such is life. Meat NW5 opened shop about a month prior to my lease ending, so I got a wonderful taste of what I’m missing out on. The shop itself is nice and open and doesn’t feel cluttered/​cramped like a lot of butchers: instead of having a traditional butchery setup with the counter dividing butcher and customer, the most of the meat is displayed in a counter at the front of the shop. It’s nice not to feel pinned in; at the same time, it probably makes queuing a bit chaotic during busy periods. There’s also a deli section featuring a nice assortment of sauces, condiments, pasta et al.
The meat itself is great quality (and all free-​range too if you’re into that) — I got to try their rib-​eye steak and pork chops, both of which were excellent. I could have cut my steak up with a child’s arts and crafts scissors, it was deliciously textured; as for the flavour, I would have preferred a touch more mature, but this was definitely one of the best home-​cooked steaks I’ve had. The pork chops I had were also great — hefty and flavourful. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to try out anything else, but I’m sure I will do when I move back oop north (hopefully). In terms of price and quality, it’s definitely up there with somewhere like HG Walter (my former local) — it’s not that much more expensive than the free range selection at a supermarket meat counter, plus they have a decent selection of cheaper cuts too. If I ever needed an incentive to return to Tufnell Park…