Business travel is a bittersweet affair. On the one hand, I receive the opportunity to dine with my superiors for the fine price of free. On the other hand, I am tragically torn apart from my co-blogger and dining partner of choice. Perhaps the upshot is that I won't be entirely clueless the next time we're in town together.
In this particular instance, I was whisked away to the distant, coastal city of Sydney, Australia. Having endured two grueling, long-distance flights, it was safe to say that a proper meal was long overdue. Thankfully, the invitation to join my colleagues for dinner couldn't have come any sooner.
Like cattle being led to water, one of the locals herded the group to the nearby Meat & Wine Co. Located along the beautiful Darling Harbour, this upscale steakhouse was stylized with both modern and rustic influences. Lighting in the dining area was appropriately dimmed such that dining guests would be able to view the moonlit harbour unobstructed through the glass-paned storefront.
Our meal for the evening was as follows (as seen from The Meat & Wine Co.).
Szechuan calamari, bruschetta avocado, caramelised High Country pork belly, Portuguese prawns with brown rice pilaf with cabbage and red capsicum
This platter of assorted goodies came packed with enough variety and food to serve as an entire meal replacement for one. The party favourite was the caramelised pork belly - with its melt-in-your-mouth texture and succulent flavour, it wasn't hard to see why. The bruschetta was prepared with a slather of avocado and fresh, diced tomatoes and served as a lovely and refreshing replacement to the typical options of dinner rolls or garlic bread. As a shrimp-lover, the light cajun-like flavour of the Portuguese prawns was regrettably unmemorable. Lastly, the calamari was surprisingly tender, but I'm afraid my unrefined palate preferred a more elastic texture.
2010 Barossa Babe Shiraz ($81 AUD / bottle)
I can't profess to be a wine expert but I do love a good bottle of red wine. The Barossa Babe is an Australian Shiraz featuring an illustration of a scantily clad 'babe' on the back of the label. When poured into the wine glass, its crimson red colour reveals that the wine is slightly oaked. Its aroma is powerful, yet fruity. The strong flavour and spicy sensation of the wine lingers on the tongue. For all intents and purposes, this would be a good red wine in my books and it would later prove to be a fine accompaniment for the main course.
Monte Black Wagyu Rib-eye ($59 AUD)
The Meat & Wine Co. describes Monte as a 'premium line of beef exclusive to' the brand and is sourced from local ranchers. Monte Black is their top-tier line, featuring smaller cuts of steak with a high marbling grade (that is, beef that contains a high fat-to-beef ratio where the streaks of fat are well-distributed between layers of lean meat). The steak, prepared medium, was served on a simple platter with plump-looking fries. While the presentation left much to be desired, the steak itself was by far the most flavourful cut of beef that has ever graced my taste buds. The Wagyu Rib-eye is the real deal - it's tasty, it's tender, and did I mention how tasty it was?
Although not pictured here, diners are offered a choice of sauce to be served in the void adjacent to the steak and frites.
For those willing to splurge on a 1-stop, 24-hour flight from Toronto to Sydney, and then additionally splurge on dinner, give The Meat & Wine Co. a shot. I can't claim this steakhouse is good value for the money, but it certainly was good value for my tummy.
Service - 4/5
The staff were quick to respond and came by frequently to top up my wine but our interactions with the waitstaff was rather limited otherwise. Nevertheless, I'm a happy diner.
Food - 4/5
Creativity is often not a quality found in steakhouses but consistency was certainly not forgone. My steak was served as a perfect medium and the calamari were served still tender. An option of horseradish sauce would have been desired but its absence was not detrimental.
Decor - 4/5
Don't get me wrong, the decor was great and the location was superb. However, the dining arrangements were not exceptionally comfortable nor was the design awe-inspiring. I also don't like how mood lighting makes my Android photos suck :)
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