Business Traveller (Asia-Pacific)
On the hunt for the best steakhouses in Asia-Pacific
There was a time when a steakhouse was more often than not an object lesson in culinary disappointment… a sad prawn cocktail – long before they became sought-after in a retro way – followed by a leathery steak of questionable origin, cooked any way except the way you had actually requested. And to round off the meal, the cheque would invariably make you wince. Happily, times have changed and steakhouses now boast culinary kudos and even Michelin stars thanks to innovative menus, impeccable ingredients and expert execution. A growing appreciation of sustainable, quality meats from all corners of the globe has meant that diners are offered a dazzling array of ageing techniques and cuts, some of which can run upwards of US$300 per person. The challenge these days can come in choosing your beef – or other meat of choice – from the frequently vast menus.
Throw in remarkable wine lists, stellar chefs and service and you have some of the finest dining destinations going. Here are six of the best leading the way across popular Asian destinations.
RAGING BULL CHOPHOUSE AND BAR, SHANGRI-LA AT THE FORT, MANILA
The New York-based design firm AvroKo managed to perfectly evoke a 1960s Mad Men look at Raging Bull with its chevron flooring, coloured glass, textured woods and even a clever light fitting in the shape of bull horns. The bar is one of Manila’s best cocktail spots thanks to its guest bartender series, 12 signature drinks and a selection of more than 100 whiskies and gins, all served on a beautiful backdrop of metal, marble and slate.
Design is one thing but happily the menu from Chef de Cuisine Nathan Griffin also delivers. A starter of crab cakes clearly heroes the fresh crab meat, perfectly matched with an aioli mayo lifted by charred orange. As is often the case, you then get to choose your knife before attacking the heavyweight selection of cuts. A prime rib chop from Galicia is a popular choice, but the best way to experience the selection comes in a platter which could include a John Stone 49-day aged Rathmore Irish striploin, or a 22-day aged Robbins Island wagyu MS7 from Tasmania.
Excellent desserts round off your meal, notably the Granny Smith apple cobbler or even a candyfloss pavlova for a delicate finish.
30th Street Corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, 1634 Metro Manila; +63 2 820 0888; ragingbullchophouse-fort.com
CUT, MARINA BAY SANDS, SINGAPORE
A steak spot holding a Michelin star can be found in the Lion City at Cut by Austrian celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck in Marina Bay Sands. Puck opened the legendary Spago in LA in 1982, having worked at Maxim’s in Paris and Provence’s three-starred L’Oustau de Baumanière. In Singapore his Chef de Cuisine Brandon Galitz oversees service in the contemporary interiors. Bronze, leather and white marble touches make the elegant bar and lounge a go-to for drinks, before the main dining room welcomes guests with a floor-to-ceiling wine collection.
Steak connoisseurs are spoilt for choice with Australian Angus, American and Japanese wagyu, as well as true Japanese A5 Kobe beef from Hyogo prefecture. Grilled over a mix of hardwood and charcoal, Puck himself declares a preference for Snake River Farms from Idaho. One special option is the sizeable dry-aged Tomahawk from Mayura Station in South Australia. The cut is especially sought after because Mayura feed their 100 per cent full blood wagyu cattle a unique mix of Cadbury’s chocolate, broken biscuits and candy – seriously. It makes for a distinctive, rich flavour but you can gild the lily still further with decadent additions including roasted bone marrow with parsley or foie gras.
B1-71 Galleria Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018972;
+65 6688 8517; marinabaysands.com/restaurants/celebrity-chefs/cut.html
BULL & BEAR, WALDORF ASTORIA, BANGKOK
A brand-new addition to Bangkok’s famed hotel landscape, the Waldorf Astoria is the legendary brand’s first Asia opening outside of China. They’ve taken cues right from their New York mothership in launching the Bull & Bear, an iconic steak restaurant that has been in action in the Big Apple since 1931. In the Thai capital’s chic Lumpini district, the Andre Fu-designed space incorporates Art Deco seats, brass furnishings and geometric shapes that reflect the New York original, but the views from the 55th floor are definitively Bangkok.
In common with other high-end steakhouses a raw bar offers the finest ocean produce, served maybe sashimi or carpaccio style, while seafood options from the mains include blackened Australian barramundi with sweetcorn, smoked chilli and lime butter. Unsurprisingly you tend to come for the beef, however, and the custom-made grill is the real star of the show for grilling, slow-roasting and even smoking serious meats. If you want to go large, a one-kilo grain-fed porterhouse is one whopping option from Australian chef Patrick Morris. For a post-dinner digestif take the elegant spiral staircase up to not one but two sleek bars, The Loft and The Champagne Bar.
55/F, Waldorf Astoria, 151 Ratchadamri Road, Lumpini, Bangkok 10330; +66 2 8468888; waldorfastoria3.hilton.com
THE KITCHEN, GRAND LISBOA, MACAU
Macau’s Grand Lisboa hotel is already a dining destination without parallel thanks to an incredible seven Michelin stars under one roof. While French fine dining at Robuchon au Dome and classic Cantonese spot The Eight hold the culinary holy grail of three stars each,
the modern steakhouse called simply The Kitchen was awarded one star in 2013 and has held onto it ever since.
To start, choose from excellent salads or lobsters and fish from the tank that can be served any way you choose, including at the compact sushi and sashimi counter. It’s one seating option in addition to the main room or private dining room, which overlook Macau’s always-changing skyline and allow for watching chefs at work in the show kitchen. Wherever you sit you’re rewarded with a stellar choice of steaks, notably wagyu from both Kagoshima and Australia M7, US Prime, or other options such as Dutch veal.
Those in the know also come for the mind-blowing wine collection of more than 16,800 labels, a selection so good that it has nabbed Wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence” and is notable for its heavy-hitters from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Tuscany and more.
3/F Grand Lisboa Macau; +853 8803 7777; grandlisboahotel.com
RUTH’S CHRIS, SHANGHAI
The global chain Ruth’s Chris is renowned for consistency across multiple locations – as well as its slightly odd name. This came in 1965 from founder Ruth Fertel, who purchased the Chris Steak House in New Orleans and decided to add her own name to the sign. More than half a century later and the name is familiar in the US and across Asia in Jakarta, Taipei, Tokyo and more.
In Shanghai the prime location at Five on the Bund means that iconic riverfront and Pudong views are served up alongside the food. The steaks are famously broiled, seasoned and served on a sizzling plate at a whopping 260˚C (500˚F) – reportedly the way that Ruth herself preferred them.
In true US style, the portions in Shanghai are huge with steaks ranging from a four-ounce petit filet to a 24-ounce T-bone or monster 40-ounce porterhouse for two that is cut tableside. If you end up understandably defeated, they’re happy to box it up for you.
Desserts are not for calorie-counters either, with the white chocolate bread pudding and classic New York cheesecake being the most popular choices, usually smothered in cream for good measure.
4/F East, 20 Guangdong Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai; +86 21 6071 4567; ruthschris.com/ restaurant-locations/shanghai
BEEFBAR, HONG KONG
Part of a burgeoning global franchise that started in Monte Carlo, Beefbar in Hong Kong sits smack in the gleaming heart of Central and has become a favourite haunt of committed carnivores since opening in late 2015. That’s thanks in no small part to its elegant surroundings of marble, slate and black woods (less masculine than the traditional steakhouse feel), but also due to the Michelin star it was awarded in 2017 and has kept this year. The menu starts with small sharing portions of “street food” where the casual eating format is lifted by seriously decadent ingredients such as Kobe beef and uni (sea urchin) served in tacos. The raw bar offers carpaccio including amberjack and cuttlefish, while the langoustine with mango and avocado is a big favourite.
The steak is where it’s at, however, cooked in the restaurant’s unique signature way: first broiled at extremely high temperature, then chargrilled, creating both that delicious crust and locking in the juices and flavour. American Prime, Australian Black Angus, Korean Short Horn and Australian Wagyu-Crossbreed are some of the options, but the A5 Hyogo Tajima black wagyu is the real showstopper, with the fillet running a cool US$110 per 100g. Excellent sides – especially the Comté mashed potatoes – and a 500-label wine cellar round off an impressive experience.
Beef bar, Club Lusitano, 2/F, 16 Ice House Street, Central; +852 2110 8853; beef bar.com