|
文章是转发的 My quest for the perfect cut took me to three of Sydney's top steak houses -- Prime, Steersons and Daniel's -- all in the heart of the finance district. Male patrons outnumbered females 10-to-1 in each, confirming somewhat that two-thirds of vegetarians are women and most bankers in this town are men. Prime, at the Wagyu-end of the steak-house scale, is tucked in the former Dock Master's office in the basement of the heritage-listed GPO building. Its dim lighting, subterranean location, and sandstone walls and columns, give carnivores a cavernous setting in which to devour their meat. The menu details breed, age, cut, aging process, feed and region, making choosing a steak as tricky as selecting a wine. Prices range from A$46 ($44) for a sirloin or rib eye, to A$295 ($284) for a ``Full Blood'' Wagyu (Marble Score 9+). I chose a medium-rare, 400-gram, dry aged, 200-500 days grain fed, fully matured at 24 to 36 months, Black Angus (from Warwick, Queensland-state) on-the-bone sirloin. Quite a mouthful, in more ways than one. Pink, yet bloodless, this is a steak for true meat-lovers: intensely beefy. The menu explains at length how such flavors are obtained and reads like a cook-book entry: once the cuts are selected, ``the meat is then dry aged on the bone for four to six weeks, in a temperature and humidity controlled cool room to break down the fibers in the meat, tenderize it and allow natural meat flavors to intensify,'' the menu reads. Fish don't get off easy either; they are ``brain spiked or percussion stunned.'' Steersons My own decision-making faculties stunned by the array of steak options, I handed the beverage menu to a South African guest to pick the wine. He chose Glaetzer Wines's 2006 Anaperenna -- a blend of 75 percent shiraz and 25 percent cabernet sauvignon from the Barossa Valley in South Australia (A$118). While the blending of shiraz and cabernet might horrify the French, here it works well with a nose of blackberries and chocolate giving way to a full-bodied palate complemented by mild tannins. Steersons, in the scotch-fillet class, is housed in the heritage-listed Burns Philip Building. Formerly called Kingsleys, the eatery is decorated with blood-colored carpets, Romanesque columns, vaulted ceilings and high-backed chairs perfect for slouching in after a full meal of steak and wine. The menu here is almost as detailed as Prime's, and even includes a cow carcass map to show diners which bovine parts they are eating. Gympie T-Bone Out of hunger and curiosity, I chose a 1 kilogram T-bone, from Gympie, Queensland, that would have made Fred Flintstone proud. While juicy, tender and with a pleasant smokiness from char-grilling, I couldn't resist a side of accompanying fries, leaving me unable to finish the 5-centimeter-thick goliath. My guest, a steak connoisseur who'd sampled some of Japan's best Kobe beef while a resident there, was impressed by a 450-day grain-fed Wagyu Striploin that was well marbled and juicy. A bottle of 2005 Kilikanoon Covenant Shiraz (A$95) has a strong plum flavor that went nicely with both Wagyu and T-Bone. At the more plebeian Daniel's, dated decor and a noisy open kitchen are ignored by a full house of business diners on a Friday lunch visit. I focused on the eye fillet, rump, scotch fillet, sirloin and rib-eye beef on the menu, skipping the fish, chicken, seafood pasta, pie and lamb offerings. My guest, an equities trader who seemed to know half the patrons, enjoyed his fillet with jus, while I opted for a little hot English mustard to accompany my sweet, medium-rare scotch fillet. Both were washed down with a peppery 2004 Sandalford Shiraz from the Margaret River, Western Australia (A$75). Mushroom, pepper, bearnaise and Dianne sauces are available, as are surf-n-turf add-ons of scallops, king prawns and soft- shell crab. But this is not a place for fusion in my books --true carnivores keep it simple and bloody. Prime, Lower Ground Floor, GPO, Martin Place, Sydney. +612- 9229-7777 http://www.gposydney.com; Steersons, 7 Bridge Street, Sydney. Tel. +612-9295-5099 http://www.steersons.com.au; Daniel's. 1 Bent Street, Sydney. Tel. +612-9251-6977 http://www.danielsrestaurant.com.au/ The Bloomberg Questions Cost? Daniel's Steaks from A$32.50 to A$36.50; Steersons from A$27.50 to A$63.50; Prime from A$46 to A$295. Sound level? Chatty at Daniel's, quieter at Prime and Steersons. Private room? Yes at Prime. Inside tip? Don't invite a vegetarian. Special feature? The gender gap. Date place? No to all. Will I be back? Yes to all. Rating? * for Daniel's, ** for Steersons, *** for Prime. What the Stars Mean **** Incomparable food, service, ambience. *** First-class of its kind. ** Good, reliable. * Fair. (no stars) Poor. |
