Steak Dinner 101
When one thinks of quality steak and wine, it usually triggers the feeling of a very expensive evening. Last Thursday we proved that it is in fact not that complicated to enjoy beautiful produce, steak and enjoy wine with like-minded people without costing too many dirhams.
THE BACK STORY
We recently had the pleasure of meeting a restaurant critic Brandon Stoltenkamp (@bmstoltenkamp a.k.a. Mr. Bubbly) at our Japanese Wagyu event last Feb and had talked about doing a steak and wine dinner together. The goal would be to show how it actually is not that complicated or expensive to have great quality steak and fantastic wine at a minimal budget.
PRODUCE IS KEY
Our very own Culinary Business Manager Joan (@joantuano) orchestrated the culinary delights of the evening as Brandon wanted the food to be less manicured, more rustic and straight from the heart. We thought it fitting that we involve the newest online grocery store in town @Fulfilme to join us in showing the residents of Abu Dhabi their amazing platform, especially since they just started their organic line! Fulfilme actually has one of the lowest minimum order requirement when it comes to quality produce delivered to your home, at only 100 dirhams. We ordered their new organic produce which hails from Mawasim and they were beautifully packaged and well assembled.
SOURCING THE BEST WINE
When it comes to buying good wine, there are only a handful of proper options in Abu Dhabi. We chose none other than the seasoned Gray Mackenzie and Partners to help us pair our three-course menu with their most down-to-earth, unique recommendations. Their choice of wines was incredibly entertaining from a very lemony refreshing Stich Sauvignon Blanc to delicious Perle de Muscat to go with our Tiramisini desert!
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.
Hamdan Street to Abu Dhabi veterans is basically the heart of old Abu Dhabi, and so Al Maha Arjaan Rotana, being one of Abu Dhabi's iconic residences was a perfect place to hold our special dinner. Rotana, being a homegrown hotel chain of the UAE, is our favorite hospitality brand and it was an honor to be hosted by them. Al Maha Arjaan takes pride in being a true home away from home, especially with their newly refurbished hotel rooms and beautiful new lobby Cafe @cafe302. The ambiance of Al Maha Arjaan is very cosy, but still offering a 5-star experience albeit being a residence hotel. We were honored to have been invited to host our dinner at their very lavish Penthouse Suite.
SO.. WHICH STEAK DID WE CHOOSE?
We believe in the beauty of simplicity and so we chose our favorite @jackscreekbeef Angus Ribeye Steak. There's not always a need to go all the way up to Wagyu beef when it comes to good steak, and our guests were surprised that the 400g steak they were having only costs about 65 dirhams at our shop. Their guess was that the marbling score was 4, but it actually had a marbling score of 1-2! Jack's Creek is the winner of the World's Best Steak Challenge London for the past 3 years and we are proud to sell Abu Dhabi residents quality #TrueAussieBeef.
THE MENU
Joan's favorite cook is Nigella Lawson and so our menu rotated around some of her best cookbook's recipes. Check out her work to pack in a lot of flavor to simple ingredients (and so you don't overcomplicate life).
THE FINAL TALLY
To conclude, it was an incredible pleasure to host the finale of Brandon's Steakhouse Round-up Abu Dhabi by holding a Steak and Wine Dinner, in an intimate setting, showcasing the capital's exquisite Steak and Wine options. Stay tuned for the next Brandon and Joan's Table!
Wine - 1500 dhs
Steaks (400g for 8 pax) - 434 dhs
Groceries - 486 dhs
TOTAL PER PERSON
303 dirhams!
Truly not bad for 3 courses and wine pairing :)
Best wishes, Joan and Brandon
