The Butcher’s Bench
Century City Walk, 285-287 Springvale Road, Glen Waverley
03 8561 2345
Australian, Steak
$$$$$
Food
- Crispy Calamari
- BB Salad
- Truffle Fries
- BB Platter:
- Beef Ribs
- Lamb Ribs
- Beef Brisket
- MSA Rib Eye 300gm
- Grilled Prawns
- Potato Mash
- Roasted Marrow with Cafe de Paris Butter Sauce
- Frozen Chocolate Truffle
- Coconut & Vanilla Panna Cotta
The Good
We started off with the Crispy Calamari and were rather impressed. At a sizeable chunk, each piece of calamari was cooked to perfection. With a slightly crisp and lightly battered outer, the meat was exceedingly tender, soft and juicy. The Szechuan spices were present but subtle, and while we could’ve definitely done with more seasoning, the aioli definitely added more flavour to this otherwise perfect entree.
The highlight of the evening was of course the Rib Eye. Cooked to a perfect medium rare, cutting open this huge piece of protein reveals a beautiful pink inner that was just so tender and juicy. Lightly seasoned, you were able to truly appreciate the divine and bold flavours of the beef itself. With no dryness or gristle to be found anywhere else, this was one flawless Rib Eye. Topping this off, quite literally, were three perfectly cooked prawns. With a nice charring on the outer, the beautiful grill aroma permeated throughout the fresh crunch of the prawns. This was served alongside a roasted marrow sauce, so creamy and rich with a slight saltiness. Absolutely delectable.
We also enjoyed the BB Platter. Starting off with the Coffee Spiced Beef Brisket, we found the protein tender and soft, with a hint of coffee flavour permeating throughout. This wasn’t as juicy as we hoped but was enjoyable nonetheless. The Lamb Ribs didn’t disappoint either. With a charred, crispy outer, the skin enclosed some tender and juicy protein that had a bold lamb aroma. Last but not least was the generously sized beef rib. Coated in a sweet and slightly smokey barbecue sauce that wasn’t overly powering, there was a good mix of fatty and lean protein surrounding the bone. Exceedingly flavoursome though not too rich, the beef itself was soft though had a slight chewiness.
We ended the evening with some desserts, but the Frozen Chocolate Truffle stole the show. With a slightly crispy, chocolate dusted outer, pouring on the warm coffee liqueur sauce cracked open the crust and revealed a smooth and creamy inner. The bitterness of the coffee sauce perfectly balanced out the sweetness of the chocolate mousse within, while the tartness of the fresh fruits provided a refreshing twist to the indulgent dessert.
The Coconut and Vanilla Panna Cotta didn’t disappoint either. Appropriately wobbly, we found the panna cotta silky smooth and rather creamy. While the coconut flavour could’ve been more prominent, we enjoyed the vanilla bean shavings topping the dessert. Juxtaposing the softness of the dessert was the crunch of the biscotti and the sourness of the kiwi jelly. A well balanced and tasty conclusion to the evening.
The Mediocre
The BB Salad felt rather pedestrian when compared to the rest of the meal. Despite the soft black rice and tender grilled eggplant, we felt that while the freshness was undeniably present, the dish failed to deliver in flavour. More crunch elements and tang would’ve elevated this dish.
We also felt that the Truffle Fries were unremarkable at best. While perfectly serviceable, the fries weren’t overly crunchy, nor did the truffle flavour power through quite enough.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
As a newly established steak house in Melbourne’s East, Butcher’s Bench holds true to their name and dishes up some spectacular cuts of meat. The Steak was pretty much flawless and absolutely divine, and the Ribs Platter also impressed. While there are certainly room for improvements for the sides, the mains definitely stole the show and certainly impressed.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Definitely. A good steak always wins my heart, and The Butcher’s Bench has done exactly that.
Penguineats would like to thank Novotel and The Butcher’s Bench for inviting us.