With the return of US beef and an array of good high-end and mid-range steak houses in town, there has never been a better time to make room for a big juicy steak. We hunkered down and carved our way through some of the best steaks in town.
Morton’s, 4/F, The Oriental Hotel, 5 Raffles Ave., 6339-3740.
In keeping with its American restaurant chain heritage, Morton’s firmly believes that bigger is better. Everything is truly humongous: Potatoes almost the size of rugby balls, and gigantic crayfish are all part of what one can expect here. Maybe ordering 24 ounces of ribeye is slightly OTT, but when it tastes as good as it does here, it’s a little hard to say no. Their biggest menu item is the porterhouse for two ($172), a whopping 48 ounces of meat, meat, meat. If this sounds too much, try the “smaller” serves—we highly recommend the 10 ounce Filet Diane ($76) with its gorgeous mushroom sauce or the Filet Oskar ($82.50) which comes with lumps of crab meat and a delectable Béarnaise sauce. At the moment Morton’s is serving Australian beef, but look out for US imports soon.
Lawry’s The Prime Rib, #02-42/44 Paragon, 290 Orchard Rd., 6836-3333.
Stepping into this seven-year-old restaurant in its prime real estate overlooking Orchard Road one could be forgiven for thinking you were in an English tea room. High ceilings, large paintings and maids’ uniforms certainly make it a novel dining experience. But what you’re really here for is the American rib eye roasted over two and a half hours and cut from 24-month-old corn-fed steers. Steaks come in four sizes: Five ounce ($49.80 for lunch, $54.80 for dinner), seven ounce ($59.80 for lunch, $65.80 for dinner), 10 ounce ($69.80 for lunch, $76.80 for dinner) and the giant 16-ounce ($89.80 for lunch, $94.80 for dinner), all served with delightfully fluffy Yorkshire pudding and Idaho mashed potatoes. On weekends the Flaming Tournedos ($67.80) are also available—Australian grain-fed tenderloin pan-seared and brandy-flamed at your table for an impressive spectacle. And if steak isn’t your thing, take your pick of the lamb shank ($44.80 available for lunch only) or the Atlantic mixed lobster tails ($86.80 available for dinner only) which are equally delish.
Long Bar Steak House: A Plantation Restaurant, 2/F, Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Rd., 6331-1612.
For a steak with a touch of Asian influence Long Bar Steak House offers their specialty rib eye ($55) and fillet mignon ($57) with a choice of six different sauces all with Asian flavors such as sambal. However, we prefer the more traditional steak sauces such as peppercorn, the subtle house barbecue and the aptly named “brown” sauce. Apart from the truly stellar service, what is especially helpful is the chart listing different ways of cooking the steak. As restaurants often vary in their interpretations of how well-done a “medium” steak should be, it’s extremely useful to have the restaurant specify exactly what you can expect. A la carte steaks are only available at dinner (at lunch time there’s a semi-buffet instead).
The Tavern, 229 River Valley Rd., 6737-6995.
For 12 years The Tavern has been luring discerning diners to its elegant Swiss-styled dining room with its promise of some of the best steaks in town. Expect grade-7 Australian Wagyu beef, sliced the thickness you desire ($40 per 100gm) at your table. The perfection of the grilling which brings the full flavor to the fore while being melt-in-your-mouth tender is impressive. Steaks are served with broccoli, delicious raclette cheese potatoes and a divine Béarnaise sauce. Or try US prime rib eye ($25 per 100gm) and organic US Kurobuta pork chops ($36). We can also highly recommend the New Zealand rack of spring baby lamb ($36) which is well marinated and served with a gorgeous garlic and rosemary red wine gravy. Specialty starters not-to-miss include pan-fried goose liver ($28) and raclette cheese with air-dried beef ($15.50), also beautifully prepared.
Just Steak, #01-42 The Riverwalk, 20 Upper Circular Rd., 6438-5522.
For the most fashionable steak experience in town, try Just Steak. Here, the minimalist blonde wood space and waiters dressed in black present a very cool contemporary experience. They only serve US beef, such as the Black Angus tenderloin steak ($5 per ounce) and the ribeye steak ($6 per ounce). They also serve strip sirloin steak ($6 per ounce) and Black Angus ribeye steak ($4 per ounce), all of which require a minimum order of eight ounces. They’re served with yummy potato croquettes, green beans and carrots, plus mustards and horseradish, but Béarnaise sauce requires 10 minutes of preparation. Also available are sides of creamed spinach ($10) and sautéed mushrooms ($9) which were tasty. They also serve US pork chops ($28 for six ounces, $48 for 12 ounces), roast rack of lamb ($39 for eight ounces) and over-roasted spatchcock ($28).
Gordon Grill, Goodwood Park Hotel, 22 Scotts Rd., 6730-1744.
At this veritable institution, steak is a big part of the menu. Basically there are six cuts to choose from: Three American and three Aussie. The US beef served here is prime Creek Stone Black Angus and comes in rib eye ($2.60 per 10 grams), striploin ($2.40 per 10 grams) and tenderloin ($2.80 per 10 grams). And it is for good reason that this steak is considered one of the finest around. The Australian Wagyu, served as rib eye ($4.50 per 10 grams), striploin ($4.50 per 10 grams) and tenderloin ($$4.50 per 10 grams), is positively melt in your mouth. You can opt for your steak to be flambéed, grilled or braised. Béarnaise, green peppercorn and brandy, and mushroom sauces are available but the meat doesn’t need any addition. If you want to go for variety over quantity, check out the restaurant’s sampler lunch ($55 per person) which allows you to have two mains as well as three appetizers, three soups and two desserts—all in small tasting portions.
Hog’s Breath, #01-26/27 CHIJMES, 30 Victoria St., 6338-1387.
Where do you go if you want good prime rib in a fun, casual setting? Here! Aussie chain Hog’s Breath has been at CHIJMES for about a year now and is dishing out the same juicy steak as in Down Under. Slow cooked for up to 18 hours, the prime rib is tasty, tender and carefully put together. There are six flavors to choose from: the Mexican style El Grand; avocado; topped with prawns; au naturel; and best sellers Cajun blackened prime rib and hickory smoked prime rib ($29.50-34). As the portions are large coming in a big group is ideal if you want to also have appetizers and dessert. And the best beverage to accompany your hearty steak is an ice cold Aussie beer from the well stocked Hog’s Breath Saloon.
