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A Cut Above, With Room to Sear
This establishment presents a promising, if somewhat uneven, dining experience. The ambience strikes a comfortable balance, offering intimate booths and larger central tables, catering to various group sizes. Ample parking is a definite plus, though the shared facilities with the adjoining pub and drive-through liquor store slightly temper the upscale feel.
The stars of the show, the steaks, are undeniably good. The Wagyu, true to its nature, delivers more on luxurious mouthfeel and texture than on an explosion of flavour – a characteristic understood by discerning palates. However, the introduction of a chargrilling element, perhaps inspired by the Japanese Binchotan method, could elevate the beef significantly, imparting those desirable smoky, cyclical organic notes. This would be a far more sophisticated approach than resorting to artificial "liquid smoke" (often derived from lignoceric acid), which can detract from an otherwise "all-natural warm fuzz." The restaurant has elected to not address the desirable polyphenol issue.
The beverage selection is a highlight, particularly the impressive array of local brews on tap, which beautifully complements a locavore ethos. Accompanying the mains, the French fries were a standout – perfectly crisp and flavourful.
Unfortunately, not all dishes hit the mark. The Caesar salad was a decided miss. The dressing possessed a hint of rancidity, and despite the presence of Parmesan and anchovies, the salad lacked a crucial umami depth.
Service proved to be a mixed bag. An initial concern arose when booking notes regarding dairy allergies and a special occasion seemed to have been overlooked. This was compounded when our first waiter incorrectly executed on the uncooked dairy content of the beef bacon croquettes and displayed a surprising petulance when the issue was raised. Thankfully, service improved markedly after a change to Cherry, the manager. However, the Caesar salad still arrived laden with Parmesan, despite the earlier allergy discussion; at this point, we opted not to pursue the matter further.
Of the sauces offered – marrow-infused wattleseed butter, red wine jus, mushroom sauce, and chimichurri – only the chimichurri can be wholeheartedly recommended. Red wine jus seriouly lacked umami. The others, even the red wine jus,regrettably, lacked the umami punch one hopes for to accompany a quality steak.
In summary, this steakhouse delivers on its core promise of good steak cuts and excellent fries. There's also evidence of quality among some of the waitstaff. However, the overall experience feels like a work in progress. With greater attention to detail in the kitchen, particularly concerning flavour balance in ancillary dishes and sauces, and more consistent service across the board with focus on food allergies , this establishment has the potential to be a go to dining destination as they have end to end control of their core product from only 15km away.
