DUBAI: The Meat Co’s signature Angus and Wagyu beef dishes have become something of a talking point among meat aficionados. To find out what the buzz is all about, we walked to Souq Al Bahar, where one of its two outlets in Dubai seats up to 270 people (the other is at the Madinat Jumeirah).
A lot of mouths to feed, to be sure. But as you walk in, the staff gives you a warm welcome and personalised attention. The nights can be busy. But with a crew of about 50, it’s still a casual dining set-up where every customer gets attention. In under 15 minutes our food was ready, which was impressive.
We started off with the potato and leek soup, which was nice and creamy. The in-house bread and butter did not taste as impressive as it looked, though. We tried the red chilli prawn as a “moving starter”; these are pan-fried prawns oozing with an interesting mix of garlic, ginger, red chilli and creamy sauce. They came with a small cup of rice, a sort of light meal cum herbal infusion - a great way to get us started.
We decided not to deviate from the steak and skipped the lamb, fish and chicken dishes. For main course, I had the 300-gram ribeye (Dh240) Australian Angus beef. Our friendly waiter, Ericson, happily explained the finer details on the leather-bound menu or the difference between grass and grain-fed beef, between Angus and Wagyu.
The cut I had was certified 150-day grain fed, with mashed potato on the side. And the taste? Even with the sliver of fat in the meat, it was unbelievably tender and an absolute delight to the carnivore in me. The restaurant’s signature sauces were on hand too – a choice of pepper, mushroom and garlic sauce. Abdel, my dining partner and lensman, had the Angus beef ribeye fillet (Dh295), which at 300 grams was quite heavy – with baked potato on the side and sour cream. He raved about it in French, the meaning of which I didn’t bother to get, before switching back to English, saying: “I have no complaints.”
We traded half cuts. Whatever French slang he muttered earlier, the cut of fat-free fillet he shared made me understand better. These are just two of The Meat Co’s specialities, and it shows the trip of the beef from pasture to plate was done well.
And to wash it all down I had Virgin Mojito – with lime, mint leaves, ginger, ice and soda water – which wasn’t too bad.
Next and helping bring the ‘steak-out’ session to a fitting finale was the traditional African malva pudding, stuffed with apricot jam, swimming in hot caramel sauce and topped with ice cream. This was simply divine.
It’s early May and the evening ambience at the terrace dining area is still good. While The Meat Co is serious about their steaks, the staff know how to add a healthy dose of fun, too. Its crew springs into action with singing and dancing to the rhythm of Kalahari drums when someone celebrates a birthday or anniversary.
The verdict: The Meat Co is a mid-range casual-dining restaurant, perfect for a business dinner or a boys night out – that also assures a great steak.
DETAILS
Location:
Meal for two: Dh230 to 480
Souq Al Bahar, Shop 13-14 (Old Town)
Tel. 04-420 0737
Timings: Weekdays, noon to 11.30pm; Weekends till midnight
