FtLion Awards 2017: Best Steak of the Year?
After the #FtLionAwards 2017 Best Burger of the Year (sponsored by Smoky Boys BBQ & Grill Haus), we continue with the Best Steak of the Year category.
After much debate and dialogue, we’ve shortlisted the following five nominees.
And while you marvel over these amazing steaks, remember that not only can you also vote for your favourite on our Instagram and Facebook pages, but in doing so you’ll automatically be entered in our prize draw with the chance of winning a £30 voucher to be spent at any of Smoky Boys three locations – Watford, Amersham and Hounslow.
SHORTLIST – Best Steaks of the Year
We want you to either: 1) vote for the following nominees, or 2) let us know both your favourite steak and the place you had it, all on our Facebook and/or Instagram pages.
CHAI WU
Wagyu Steak Sirloin (200g) – with black pepper sauce, £90
Another nomination for Chai Wu in London’s iconic Harrods. Good wagyu is wagyu; and this pricey sirloin certainly didn’t disappoint. Not quite as good as its half-priced cousin over at Mango Tree in Belgravia, which we certainly recall having a sweeter undertone, this was, nonetheless, as moist and as succulent as you’d like.
DRUNCH
Grilled 10oz Sirloin Steak with Portobello Mushroom, Grilled Tomato, Chips & Bernaise Sauce £25.95
Yes, yes, yes… yes, and yes some more with this steak by Drunch in Regent’s Park! Given the cut, a superbly chewy-soft and juicy slab o’meat, with a well charred exterior, that was soundly seasoned with pepper, medium as ordered, and had us chewing and purring towards a food orgasm. Add to that the tangy, sweet Bernaise sauce, rocket leaves, a few other bits and pieces that were practically forgotten in our admiration of the sexy sirloin, and what you have here is a worthy contender for best Halal sirloin steak had by FtL this year. More importantly, and a rectification to what came before, not only were the amazing chips far better cooked, but also lightly vinegared to give it a tangy sour aftertaste.
KILIKYA'S
Lamb Steak £16.95
These thin skewers of lamb steak by Kilikya’s in London’s Katherine Docks were delicious and so full of that meaty cum ever-so-lightly marinated flavour. Pink on the inside and as succulent as you’d like, we thoroughly enjoyed their soft, chewy texture with just the right level of give. With the accompanying salad dressed in that familiar Turkish pomegranate sauce, we enjoyed the interplay between the natural sweetness of the meat and the sour tanginess of said sauce.
LE MADISON
T-Bone £23.00
This T-Bone steak by Le Madison in East London was an absolute triumph both in terms of its seasoning and, far more significantly, its cooking. The meat was cooked in between medium-rare and medium, and consequently offered an assortment of textures ranging from the soft and succulent, to those chewy juicy morsels so distinct of a good T-bone cut. Couple that with the gorgeous charring on the outside, which ensured that added depth of barbecue flavour, and what you had here was a steak which, when had with the strong mushroom sauce, made for an incredibly satisfying meal. To be honest, we enjoyed this minus the fuss and bother of the accompanying condiments. But, for what it’s worth, they were cooked well, with the runner beans retaining a bite.
ZELMAN MEATS
Chilean Wagyu (per 100g) £30.00
And the Chilean Wagyu (Grade A4) by Zelman Meats in Knightsbridge! What an UNBELIEVABLE cut of meat, really! This was as close to melt-in-your-buccal-cavity meat as you’re ever going to get, with a natural sweetness so addictive that you’d want the moment to continue ad infinitum. Even the corner piece mesmerised the senses and tested the limits of natural law. This was as close to being the perfect proportion of fat and meat. Forget the sauces and just enjoy this in all its raw, unadulterated glory. Arguably one of the best, if not the best, steaks had this year!
