The Cut Steakhouse
7 Alfred Place, Melbourne
1300 253 733
American, Steak
$$$$$
Food
- Starters:
- Popover
- Fresh Oysters
- Grilled Calamari with mussles, nduja, broccoli
- Fried Pie with chicken, wild greens
- Mains:
- Seven Creeks Wagyu Scotch Fillet (MB 9+)
- Robbins Island Wagyu Dry Aged Rump (MB 7+)
- Black Market Ranger Inside Skirt (MB 5+, 270 Days Grain Fed)
- Cape Grim Sirloin (MB 4+, 36mth Grass Fed)
- Sides:
- Roasted Mushrooms
- Buttermilk Onion Rings
- Garden Leaves
- Roasted Bone Marrow
- Baby Kipflers
- Dessert:
- Cheese Platter
The Good
Starting with the Popover, it was very much akin to a traditional English Yorkshire pudding, except this was the American version. A nicely baked, golden outer crust enclosed a soft, moist yet fluffy inner. Dab on some butter and every bite is rewarded with a heavenly dough that is simply bursting with flavour and rather enjoyable. Needless to say I polished this off in a hurry.
The Calamari was another standout. Soft, fresh and perfectly cooked calamari was stuffed with mussels and nduja (spicy, spreadable salami) which turned up the heat on the dish and along with its bold flavours, provided a spicy kick. The result was rather spectacular in both flavours and texture, almost a sensory overload and made for a very palatable dish.
The fried onion rings were quite enjoyable. Thick cut onions were fried in a light and airy batter that offered great crunch. The slight sweetness of the onions were a welcome contrast to the otherwise savoury meal.
The Baby Kipler Potatoes were rather unconventional and it's nothing like any other roast potatoes I've had before. The skin was thick and a tad shrivelled, but within was an inner that still remained crunchy. The potato itself was rich in flavour. Combined with deep fried, thick cut bacon-like kaiserfleisch, this potato dish certainly did not disappoint.
Dessert was, you guessed it, savoury as well. A great variety of cheeses were presented along with some thin crackers. You know it's great cheese when it's exceedingly pungent, and the blue cheese here certainly smelled and tasted the part.
The Mediocre
The Fried Chicken Pie was perfectly fried with a thin and exceedingly crunchy outer skin. Within were minced chicken with cheese that was much too salty for its own good. The saltiness alone ruined an otherwise perfect dish, only to be salvaged by the mascapone, which was necessary to tone down the saltines.
The Roasted Mushroom were bursting with flavour and I'd say it's the most flavourful mushroom dish I've ever had. Unfortunately, it was entirely too oily, and I was disappointed to find some mushrooms swimming in an inch or so of oil as we dug deeper into the dish.
The steaks were rather unspectacular given that this was a steakhouse. They would've been passable at a cafe, but this was not the case here. While all had decent flavour and the aroma of quality beef, two out of four pieces of steak contained tendons, rendering those bits completely un-chewable which went to waste. Such a shame.
The 9+ Marbelling on the allegedly exclusive 'Seven Creeks Wagyu Scotch Fillet' was highly irregular, with my cut consisting mostly of an edge of pure fat with little bits of protein. Disappointingly, the skirt was extremely chewy despite being cooked to medium. The other cuts were also unspectacular, with the dry-aged rump providing no discernible depth in additional depth in taste nor texture. The only relief were the many sauces on offer (I'm eyeing you seeded mustard!) that made the steaks a tad more enjoyable.
The Bad
The salad was extremely odd. Somehow it managed to defeat the sole purpose and all the characteristics of an ordinary salad. Salty, creamy and rich sauce coated the otherwise fresh leaves. What a waste. After all that grease and grub from the mains, I was really hoping for some light, tangy salad to balance it off. Obviously not the case here and it just added to the already heavy meal.
This supposedly three-course meal also took over three hours to dish out. The service was extremely staggered throughout and it was a long long wait between each dish, including that final cheese platter...
The Verdict
At this price, it is simply embarrassing and borderline unacceptable for patrons to find tendons in their steak. Let alone in two out of four pieces. Unfortunately these steaks didn't quite make The Cut tonight.
Admittedly, the sides are a hell of a lot better than the main fare and managed to save the night. Regardless, the chef really needs to lighten up on the salt.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Maybe. The nice swanky decor, the professional service, and the atmosphere all scream high end but unfortunately, the steaks were not the highlight of the meal. Perhaps it's a great place to wine and dine your clients, but for the pure experience of a perfectly cooked steak, I'd be look elsewhere.
I'd like to thank The Cut for their invitation and opportunity to review their newest establishment in Melbourne. Maybe I'd enjoy Fratelli Fresh downstairs a tad more...