#FtLionAwards 2022 Grill of the Year shortlist

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5/5 rated Cona steakhouse in Bradford have been nominated for a starter and a veggie (both being the same dish), as well as a main and seafood. They continue with the pièce de résistance and this Japanese Wagyu Sirloin A1, which we slowly savoured for all it was worth. This couldn’t have struck a better textural balance, being beautifully charred on the outside, and tender soft on the in, with that distinct meaty-umaminess filtering through with every bite. One for the ages.

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Cona again, this time with these utterly unique, melt-in-your-mouth lamb chops, thanks to the combination of a couple of Far Eastern ingredients. What will make this live long in the memory is the Japanese spice mixture called togarashi this was marinated in. Not only was there a hint of spiciness to it, but its toasty sweetness was complimented by the smokiness imparted by the grill. Add to that the gentle tanginess delivered by the accompanying soy and ponzu dip, and this was one of the best chops we’ve had this year.

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Drunch in London’s Fitzrovi, who have a beverage, a starter, a veggie in contention, and now this 21 Day Dry Aged Scottish Fillet, which was a masterclass in the art of cooking a steak. In this case, we ordered this 8oz thing of beauty rare to medium rare, and that’s precisely how it turned out. Seasoned with sea salt, this was an extraordinarily delicious piece of umami goodness which, truth be told, trumped some of the wagyu steaks we’ve tried this year; and that’s saying something.

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Again Drunch served out these outstandingly good French-trimmed Lamb Cutlets these, which set the tone for the mains to come. Turning out perfectly pink on the inside meant that these chops offered that gorgeous balance between the tender softness and the satisfyingly chewy. These were further elevated by being served on a bed of silky smooth parsnip purée, finished by a sprinkling of thin parsnip fries. Not only did the purée add an edge of sweetness to the dish, but said fries assured textural contrast.

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Being part of our big Birmingham Tour 2022, Fargos on Lady Pool Road, who have a main dish in the running, served us this New York Strip Steak dish. In between medium rare and medium, this dreamily tender and glisteningly succulent piece of sliced, dry aged sirloin was simply mesmerising, with the charring achieved on the outside elevating this to ecstatic bouts of pure pleasure. Add to that a zingy chimichurri sauce and caramelised onions, and you better believe this made our end of year awards.

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Rated 5/5, Pitmaster, who were part of our Manchester Tour 2022, have a shake, a starter, and two burgers with a chance of winning this year. But this 8-Hour Smoked Ribs proves that what they do as a smokehouse they do extraordinarily well. These were, succinctly put, the best smoked ribs we’ve ever had! This thick piece of deeply-flavoured, smoky beef was practically oozing juices from every pour and crevice; and we couldn’t get enough of it. This was served with a number of condiments including a meat-based gravy that just added to the experience.

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Part of our Manchester Tour 2022, 5/5 Ribeye, who thus far have been nominated for a main, two veggies, two starters, and two beverages, add this 300-400 days corn-fed, grade 8+ Wagyu to the list. Nine ounces of utterly buttery goodness (and we’re not referring to the wedge of garlic butter here either), with only a standard table knife required to cut through this soft and tender specimen. The accompanying piece of Chargrilled Beef Bone Marrow with sriracha seasoning just lifted what was already a mind-blowingly umami-rich experience into the stratosphere.

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They floored us with this 9oz US Creekstone Beef fillet too. This wasn’t so much an experience as it was a journey across textures and meaty flavours. As we made our way slice by slice towards the centre, then not only did the cooking of this thick hunk of steak change from well done to medium/ medium well, but it also transitioned from a firmer and more intense beefy taste, to a softer and more umami-flavoured one.

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Royal Shezan in London Ealing’s Hotel 55 had the same dish shortlisted for both the starter and the veggie, as well as two seafood dishes. Their Royal Platter was every bit as royal as the name suggests with a superb assortment of tandoori delicacies. While the chops were medium well and thus succulent, the elements that caught the attention were the huge prawns, as well as the large soft nuggets of semi-translucent white fish. What’s more, the seekh kebabs were tender without being overly spongy in texture, and the chicken tikka delightful, being moist on the inside and boasting a smoky fragrance.

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As part of our Birmingham Food Toour 2022, Tarragon Bistro in Hall Green, who have a beverage, a main, and a seafood up for consideration, now have this glisteningly mouthwatering 9+, 9oz Wagyu Steak from Australia in with a chance. After liberally smearing the top of this pan fried steak with the accompanying knob of herbaceous garlic and tarragon butter, our knife didn’t so much cut as glide through. Being “aged for 28 days”, this was an addictively satisfying eat, with the meat retaining just enough firmness to enjoy its juicy goodness.