Of all the steak houses I’ve been to in Dubai, the highest marbling of wagyu beef I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating has been at The Meat Co (a prime 9+ Aussie wagyu steak). These guys are really serious about their meat, and they are also one of the very few that offer to serve meat ‘blue’ (below ‘rare’, and served ‘sealed’, very red in the center and at room temperature). In a nutshell, they are true-blue meat experts.
I love this South African chain! Apart from their very specialized cuts, the ambiance at both their branches is magical, and the service faultless. So when I got invited to taste their brand new menu last week, the carnivore in me gave out a roar of delight! After a bout of shopping at The Dubai Mall, we made our way to The Meat Co in Souk Al Bahar.
To get the evening into groove, we were served very zesty glasses of Aperol Spritz, a light and sparkling mix of Prosecco, Aperol and soda, finished off with fresh orange zest.
The staff at The Meat Co are expertly trained on wine-pairing, so if you really want to make the most of your meaty meal here, leave the wine choices to them! (For more details on South African wines at The Meat Co, read my previous post by clicking here).
And here’s a look at our appetizers round… first came the deep-fried golden brown orbs of Risotto Arancini spiked with saffron and served with a mushroom foam. We also nibbled on very crunchy Salt & Pepper Calamari which went beautifully well with the refreshingly light, fruity Chenin Blanc 2015, a white wine from the vinyards of False Bay, South Africa.
The Lobster and Crab Salad came to the table with a whole lot of drama. Despite the use of dry ice being used a little too often in the menus of Dubai, I still haven’t quite gotten over the fascination of the smoke. While many use molecular gastronomy as a guise for substandard food, this cold, creamy salad was spot on for flavor, and a satiating change from all that deep-fried goodness.
However, my absolute favorite from our appetizers round was The Meat & Co’s Wagyu Bresola and Goat’s Cheese. This curtain of cured meat disappeared in no time, with my little 6 year-old reaching out for these with equal gusto! I love how this dish is presented, and the flavor combination of the salted beef with aged cheese, crumbled walnut and cured beetroot is magical on the palate. A must-try!
If you are following me on Instagram on @TheTezzyFiles you might have spotted this monster… this is The Meat & Co’s Prime Tomahawk Steak. This 1.2 kilo serving of prime meat was cooked a beautiful medium-rare. The meat is succulently juicy with bits of moreishly sinful marbling. The protruding bone reminds me of the Flintstones, yet I doubt they cooked meat this well way back in the stone ages!
As if this 1.2 kilo of meaty goodness wasn’t enough… we also got served The Meat Co’s Blackmore Ribeye that has a marbling score of 7+. It is interesting to taste the difference in flavors between the two steaks. The tomahawk tastes more meaty, more rustic. This ribeye has a smoother, almost velvety aftertaste and is the perfect choice for the more refined palate. I loved the asparagus puree that came with this steak.
The steaks were served warm bowls of Black Pepper Sauce and Mushroom Sauce on the side. I found the later to be a little too sweet for my liking, and would recommend the peppery version instead.
We drowned all that meaty goodness with copious glasses of very fine South African red wine. This is the Nederburg Vintage 2014.
Dining with little ones? The Meat Co have a special menu for the kids! My little girl loved her Fish & Chips, and I have to confess I stole quite a few of her thick-cut fries!
We ended the night with a generously large platter of assorted desserts. This included my all-time favorite South African Malva Pudding (a deep brown sponge cake drowning in caramelized syrup). My little one loved the Nutella Cheesecake Millie Feuille (a far more sophisticated version of her favorite spread!). The platter also included a decadently creamy Vanilla & Orange Scented Creme Brulee and a deliciously sour yet sweet Single Apple Pie featuring green apples.
Despite being a specialist in meat, The Meat Co prove time and time again that they do desserts just as well.
If you love a really good steak and want to indulge in a meal with perfect wine pairings to go, The Meat Co is the place to visit. I’ve been a fan of their food for the longest time, and who would have thought they could better it? I’ve already been raving about the brand new steaks on their menu, and am planning to revisit with a larger group of friends and family for yet another indulgent, meaty evening.
In Dubai, The Meat Co has branches in Souk Al Bahar (where we dined) as well as Madinat Jumeirah. They also have a branch in Abu Dhabi. For more information on locations and table bookings, please visit The Meat Co’s website.
The Tezzy Files 