One of the downsides of supermarkets like Whole Foods and the Giant is that they cause the disappearance of the local purveyor. How many main street butchers are still in business around the country? Wagshal's, in Spring Valley, is one of the last.

Wagshal's delicatessen and bakery has been family-owned and operated for over 80 years. The Market, where the butcher is located, was opened in 1995. It's where you'll find Aaron Fuchs.

He's the man weilding the meat cleaver behind a counter heaving with interesting cuts. Alongside is a fish counter, a display of fresh produce, some dried goods and a chill cabinet containing fish fumet and other rare goodies. He followed in his father's shoes, learning by watching him. "It was total immersion, and through some of the books my father has given me over time."

As a cook, he's a particular fan of the Kansas City strip. It's the cut under the New York strip with extra flavor introduced by the bone.

All Wagshal's beef is mid-Western Black Angus that has been grass fed before it arrives in the final feed lot. It's all Glatt Kosher-slaughtered, in Baltimore, although without a Rabbi on staff, Wagshal's is not a kosher butcher. The beef is then dry-aged in-house. One of the few outlets on the East Coast to sell Wagyu, this is where the Japanese Embassy comes for its supplies. The shop is popular, too, with Europeans used to having their meat cut to order.

There's a significant difference, says Fuchs, between European and American cuts. The New York super sirloin, an original Wagshal piece, is the last cut of the strip loin before you hit the hip, he says. The French break that down into even smaller sections, giving them six different names.

Domestic lamb, prime veal, chicken and Wagshal's own sausages are also on sale. But if there's something you need and don't see, Wagshal's can order it for you, with notice.

Wagshal's Market, 4845 Massachusetts Ave NW, 202 363 0777.