Steer Dining Room
15 Claremont Street, South Yarra
03 9040 1188
Steak
$$$$$
Food
- Entrees
- Oysters with Shiso and Yuzu Granita
- Beef Tartare
- Baby Calamari
- Baby Abalone
- Steaks
- Cohuna F1 Wagyu Porterhouse 30day Dry Aged
- Sher F1 Wagyu Scotch Fillet
- Sides
- Onion Rings
- Steak Chips
- Red Cabbage & Kohlrabi Remoulade
- Dessert
- Chocolate Fondant
- Rosemary Brulee
The Good
It was a promising start to our meal with the Oysters. Served cold on a bed of salt shards, we found the oysters exceptionally fresh. The tender, creamy sensation was well complemented by the refreshing shiso and yuzu gratin, offering up a hint of saltiness that worked wonders with the sweetness of the oyster.
Another highlight would be the Beef Tartare. A unique rendition of the more traditional beef tartare, we found the mince absolutely delicious, offering up a beautiful beef flavour and well accompanied by a lovely coconut curry that was creamy and well-spiced, without being at all spicy. Served on puffed barley and accompanied by salted duck egg, all the components simply highlighted the quality of the beef itself. Just delightful.
The Baby Calamari certainly deserved a special mention. The incredibly tender calamari was char grilled to perfection. With a slight bouncy feedback, the baby calamari was stuffed with well-spiced pork farce that carried a strong yet controlled porky, meaty flavour. Combined with the slight spice of kimchi and spring onion oil, and juxtaposed by some fried baby octopus, this Asian-inspired dish was definitely an entree to remember.
We were also impressed by the Baby Abalone. The fresh, tender cuts of abalone were mixed with a variety of sautéed mushrooms. With an almost bouncy feedback coupled with the juicy goodness of the mushrooms, we found the black vinaigrette and chicken jus added a sensational depth in flavour to the already flavoursome dish.
The steaks were what we came here for a they did not disappoint one bit! On this visit, we opted to sample the Sher F1 Wagyu Scotch Fillet and the Cohuna F1 Wagyu Porterhouse.
With the porterhouse dry aged for 30 days, the flavours were incredibly intense. The relatively thin cut allowed for a huge surface area that was seared just so. Digging in reveals such a juicy, succulent and tender inner with gorgeous marbling that offered up a rich, luscious experience that simply melted away in your mouth. The beef itself was no doubt top notch, exceptional flavour without so much of a hint of chewiness.
Cutting open the thick cut Scotch Fillet, reveals an impeccable cross section, beautifully pink and so juicy without being bloody. The bits of crusty, charcoal on the outer making for a crisp and aromatic experience, adding just the perfect flavour to the meaty goodness. Offering a slightly more textured and chewier experience than the porterhouse, this cut truly allowed you to enjoy the simple goodness of quality beef. No sauce needed.
As far as sides go, you can hardly get more spectacular than the tower of Onion Rings! Stacked high on top of one another, the light, puffy and almost flakey batter simply crumbled with each bite. The crispness was well matched by the soft juicy onion ring within. When combined with some Hot English Mustard, this unconventional yet extremely tasty combination is sure to keep you licking your fingers and going back for more.
The Mediocre
We rounded off our meal with arguably the least impressive part of our meal. Dessert.
The Chocolate Fondant was enjoyable, well accompanied by caramelised banana and a lovely banana cream, perfect for any banana lover. Unfortunately the fondant itself was overdone and didn’t quite ooze out when cut open.
The Rosemary Creme brûlée was pleasant and the rosemary flavour worked remarkably well with the sweetness of the custard. Unfortunately it wasn’t quite as silky smooth we’d like and caramelising could’ve been a tad crisper to provide textural diversity.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
The honest and simple pleasures of enjoying a steak hardly gets better than this.
Fresh, quality protein, simple seasoning and perfectly seared. We are pretty convinced that Steer is the definition of a perfectly cooked steak.
Apart from the desserts, this was an utterly, utterly flawless meal. The calibre of chefs inside that kitchen was just phenomenal!
Would Penguin Eat Again?
You bet! Having last visited more than a few years ago, we are glad to report that Steer still remains as our favourite steakhouse in Melbourne.
Penguineats would like to thank Steer for inviting us.