William Rose v Rye Lane

[matthew123]

I have read a number of recent posts that mention William Rose quality - but how does it compare with Rye Lane butchers? It seems Rye Lane is cheaper but how about the quality and freshness.

Does anyone who eats William Rose meat recommend any particular outlets on Rye Lane for chicken or lamb?

I do not want to dive in and buy from any old outlet on Rye Lane as last time I did that (with salmon) I ended up with food poisoning, so looking for a good recommendation before I again put my belly to the test! :)

[shaun]

Rye Lane Butchers mainly sell Halal meat don't they? I avoid it as I don't think the method of slaughter is humane or ethical.

[Louisa]

As much as I have serious issues with William Rose, I think i can pretty much guarantee you that there is little contest between a load of dirty smelly butchers in Peckham and a clean looking and heavily used butchers in ED.

Louisa.

[matthew123]

LOL - okay.. so there is a problem on Rye Lane which can be resolved with a nose peg.. but is Rye Lane meat going to give me food poisoning?

[SeanMacGabhann]

I have bough meat in Nevins the Irish butchers and also some meat in the Chinese supermarket next to HSBC

Nevins is ok - the do chop up ribs in a more caribbean way which is good for jerk but the steaks etc were a bit "meh"

The Chinese supermarket is awesome and sells things you can't buy anywhere else and is good for some fish

I haven't been to any of the others - You fill a street with butchers and the place with smell - I have no problem with that so I'm no snob like Louisa, but a lot of the meat is cheap and therefore likely to be produced in shocking conditions

[PeckhamRose]

Louisa is not just a snob she's ignorant. They are not dirty; but any smell may as mentioned above be due to the meat.

I have not seen behind the counters, though. They may be dirty there, but I doubt it. Trading Standards and so on are pretty active undercover in Rye Lane.

[dbboy]

It's not Trading Standards I'd worry about more like Environmental Health paying a visit to ALL the food shops in Rye Lane. I'm sure they find some intersting matters to deal with.

[hpsaucey]

Yes - don't always go by appearances. Try looking at the hygiene reports on William Rose and other 'posh' cafes nearby like Le Chandelier and you might get a shock. They only get one or two stars out of five! Check out: http://www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk/business-detail.php?business_id=155665

[paragon]

I walk down there a lot and the only thing that concerns me a bit is the sheer volume of meat behind the counters and the fact that most of them seem to be empty. I wonder how long it stays there. I would love to shop there confidentally but I guess it is just so far removed from where I have ever shopped before that there is a degree of concern.

Also it is the fish that smells the worst, but no worse than some areas of Borough Market.

Resolution for June: Buy meat on Rye Lane (and not from the new tesco's opening at the top!)

[lenk]

It just sounds like complete snobbishness.

If a butcher doesn't sell enough meat = it closes.

You buy bad meat from shop and get sick = you stop shopping there.

All the butchers on Rye Lane have been open long enough for market forces to have kicked in.

Ergo just because it doesn't fit with your idyll of a smiling man in a striped apron keeping a couple of pheasant aside for you for Saturday lunch doesn't mean it's bad.

And as for "a lot of the meat is cheap and therefore likely to be produced in shocking conditions"

Unless you personally know the farm where your meat is coming from then it is right to assume this is always the case.

[James]

Oh face it please, some of those butchers on Rye Lane are obviously filthy. Open your eyes. The reason they stay open is because they are so freakin' cheap.

William Rose is clearly the sensible choice. Better still, go veggie. Better for the environment and your health!

[lenk]

James Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Oh face it please, some of those butchers on Rye

> Lane are obviously filthy. Open your eyes. The

> reason they stay open is because they are so

> freakin' cheap.

>

> William Rose is clearly the sensible choice.

> Better still, go veggie. Better for the

> environment and your health!

william Rose got 2 stars on that thing posted above.

I think you're just being snobbish.

I really doubt you've ever set foot in any of the butchers on Rye Lane.

[ratty]

I have bought both chicken and beef from one of the rye lane butchers and on both occasions they were fooking disgusting!

[trentk69]

I have to agree, the general food handling of some of the shops there doesnt seem to be too flash, nor does the way that the meat and fish are prepared.

I think some of the seafood places leave a lot to be desired - you might not get sick from it, but the taste of the food would be pretty substandard.

I have bought both meat and fish from some of the better looking places on Rye Lane, and been disappointed, with the taste, quality and price.

On the other hand, William Rose, and Moxons fishmongers might be more expensive, but for me the cuts are better, the food handling seems better, and the overall quality is better.

Just my 2p

[ClareC]

I have always been pleased with the quality of meat from William Rose, always disapointed with the service though. It's as though they don't need to bother with customer service (maybe they dont!). I also find the cash only policy very unfriendly and inconvenient!

I would love to see another good quality butcher open on LL!

[DaveR]

"They only get one or two stars out of five"

If you look at the way the stars are calculated, and look at William Rose in particular, the actual fidnings are perfectly OK and what I would expect from a local butcher's shop. I have bought meat from one or two of the places on Rye Lane and it was poor - not make you sick poor but just poor quality meat. I used to buy from some of the local butchers around Brick Lane when I lived in the area and it was much better, but was also more expensive - surprise, surprise, you get what you pay for.

The seafood from Wing Tai both in Peckham and Camberwell is good, although I would only buy to cook that day (a good rule for seafood wherever you get it)

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Nevins is good for stuff like trotters.

I've bought lamb from Rye Lane Halal shop which was cubed for me to make kebabs - very tender. I've eaten beef from Rye Lane butchers which was braised very slowly and again was good.

My objection to those shops is as a woman, one is sometimes made to feel very uncomfortable.

[hat282]

I would be more bothered by the report on The Ormrith, which is completely damning, but very often recommended on the forum.

[lenk]

The fish in the Chinese is very good usually.

They also do Madagascan prawns (frozen) v cheaply.

Many of the fishmongers stock 'back home' fish for homesick Carribeans - there's still fresh in amongst, but check whether what you're buying has been flown frozen from somewhere or is genuinely fresh.

Everything I've had has been good - just don't expect a little bag of samphire and a recipe card, they aren't that kind of fishmongers.

They do live catfish for ?10 on the right near Starburger which look very good indeed (next to the shop selling giant African land snails at the moment)

[steveo]

What you've got to ask yourself is what kind of life have the animals had. In Brixton they sell chickens for ?2.50. At that price they will not have been nibbling on corn in a sunlit meadow

[lenk]

If I had a farm my animals would listen to death metal in permanent darkness.

[thebeard]

LOL

[matthew123]

Many customers are interested in the quality of the meat not the quality of life the animal has had before being slaughtered. The price suggests the Brixton chicken has been pumped with maybe water and steroids and consequently the bang for the buck you get is the next morning..

[lozzyloz]

With this British weather I can't remember the last time I had a nibble in a sunlit meadow!

Excuse the pun but it's horses for courses. Butchers or not, people shop according to taste, budget and location. The important bit to remember is that at least we're not restricted to the big four supermarket chains, but have a few independents out there (like them or not) with a variety of products you wont find in a Denmark Hill chiller.

[sophiesofa]

Having witnessed a butcher on rye lane unload raw chicken directly into a shopping trolley in the rain then push it up the high street to his shop I certainly wouldn't buy meat from any of them.