To grill The Grill.

Since the few people who read this blog (mainly Gavin and my Mum) cannot afford to spend $140 on a main meal, (and believe me, neither can I!) I thought I would write about the experience of going to The Grill in the Sky City complex on Federal Street.

If I was to review it, no, I wouldn’t recommend it to a friend. Don’t go there Gavin and Mum.

It is an upper market steak house. Leather seats, mod decor, and shinny floors that can be quite dangerous in heels after three glasses of wine. It is too clean, too shinny, and too... nothing. It is kind of like the brand of David Beckham, absolutely no personality. Too scared to let any real emotion show in case it’s not the right emotion. It is like the boiled down version of you when you go to a job interview. It lacks character and charm.

To be fair, the wine and the entrees were spectacular. I had a delicious Riesling from central Otago which woke my sweet tooth up, accompanied by king prawns. Ever the lady, I got stuck in with my fingers while posh onlookers gave me sideways glances. My dinner companion, who also funded this extravagant outing, had steak tartare that was prepared at the table. I am a big fan of this; it turns dinner into more of a spectacle and a show. Who says you can’t play with your food?

   

The waiter was lovely and friendly explaining every stage of the process. Not to mention his Scottish accent made me slightly weak at the knees. Steak tartare is raw steak mixed with spices and sauces, and is delicious on crackers.

The main, was a bit of a flop. I ordered the “study of beef” and expected to receive a smorgasbord of dainty little pieces of beef that I could nibble away at, but instead got three big fat pieces of steak. It might have been the ideal meal for 5 people with a few side orders. But just for me? I ate about 4 bites of it, and yes I did feel very guilty about the starving children in Africa, and even guiltier when I glanced at the bill and saw it costed $140! (the price wasn’t on the menu for this item, nor was a description).

We should have asked what it was, but the waiter also should have warned us about the size of the meal and the cost.

With the steak, one was grain feed, one was pasture feed, and one was the famous wagyu beef, I mainly conserved my energy and focused on the wagyu, but I took a bite from each to compare. I couldn’t really tell the difference to be honest.  It was all very nice, but for someone who hasn’t eaten meat for a long time, 3 big steaks on a plate was quite daunting.

Perhaps I am just a mere commoner, and didn’t really get the characterless atmosphere. It was ok, but I wouldn’t go back unless I needed an oversized (and overpriced) dose of iron.