Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse is a model of what a high-end steakhouse should be. As one of Toronto’s finest steakhouses, you pay top dollar for quality and top-notch service. If you are celebrating a special occasion or just want an out of the world meal, this is the place to go.
Food
There is only one problem at Jacobs & Co. and that is how much stomach space you have to fill. The meal starts with delicious popovers, delivered warm right to your table. I refrained from eating all of mine to save enough room for the main event. So I nibbled on the irresistible popover throughout the meal to the point where I ended up finishing the entire thing.
The Caesar salad is prepared table side and becomes a part of your dining entertainment. Everything is made-to-order on the spot – including the mayo that is whipped by hand from scratch.
The dry-aged beef is stored in a climate controlled glass case. “We dry age all of our cuts in the meat rooms at Jacobs except for any wagyu,” explains Chef Danny McCallum. “I feel that aging the wagyu takes away from the subtle flavours that makes wagyu from different regions unique.”
The wide range of beef selection includes grass-fed, corn-fed, Wagyu and Kobe. Jacobs & Co. is one of only 3 restaurants in Canada certified to sell Kobe beef from the Japanese Kobe Beef Marketing Association. There are 13 restaurants in North America that are listed on the Japanese government website. Chef McCallum was recently in Kobe exploring the processing facilities. Kobe, in his words, “was amazing”.
My Birthday Meal
On this occasion, I ordered the European sea bass, which was seared perfectly that I even ate the skin and I never eat fish skin! We also had USA angus steak. The steak was so expertly seared that there was a nice crisp to each bite. There’s the option to have your steak carved, but I found the meat cooled much too quickly this way. Unless you really want to have surf and turf, the optional lobster tail add-on was simply too much food.
The steak was tender and so flavorful on its own that it didn’t need any of the sauces and salts served to the table. The selection of salts change from time to time, currently they are: Vancouver Island fleur de sel, Maldon England oak smoked sea salt, and charcoal infused sea salt from Hawaii.
The best part about the sides is that you can order full sides or half sides, so you can try a variety. We tried: Sautéed rapini with anchovy butter & chili flakes; Roasted spaghetti squash with parmesan, olives, tomatoes & basil; Duck fat French fried potatoes with tarragon; and Sautéed mixed mushrooms.
Though I was completely stuffed, I had to order dessert for my birthday! To narrow down the dessert selection, I simply asked the server to bring me the most photogenic dessert on the menu. The Pavlova with lemon curd, whipped cream and fresh berries was not only so pretty to look at, it was also the perfect way to end our 4 hour meal.
The Other Stuff
Jacobs & Co. is elegant and modern, without the old world stuffiness of old steakhouses. Starting with its bunker-looking exterior, you step into an upside-down layout. Entering at the upper level, you immediately go downstairs to the lower level where the piano bar is before heading upstairs to the dining rooms.
We arrived 20 mins late but that wasn’t a problem. We were quickly asked if we wanted to check our coats and were seated upstairs. The lower level is great for people watching, as everyone has to walk through that area to go upstairs, but I would highly suggest requesting a table in the dining room.
The servers at Jacobs & Co. are attentive, very knowledgeable, and unpretentious. The staff there will step aside when you walk past them, giving you the full right of way.
Your parting gift is a cellophane-wrapped chocolate chip muffin for your breakfast the next morning as a reminder of your epic meal from the night before.
Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse
Dinner for 2: $500 (including cocktails, wine, herbal tea)
Location: 12 Brant St, Toronto, ON M5V 2M1
This review is a based on the consolidation of multiple visits to the restaurant.
Photo credit photos 1 & 3: Jacobs & Co. Steakhouse
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