Is Beefbar worth the high price point?
Here comes every vegetarian’s worst nightmare – a new Dubai restaurant by the name of Beefbar. Located in DIFC’s Al Fattan Currency House, Beefbar is tucked away in a cosy corner on the podium level and strategically located next to sister restaurant, Crazy Fish – both have replaced Cle. This global chain boasts restaurants in its home Monte-Carlo, Hong Kong (with one Michelin star), Mexico City, Cannes and Mykonos.
Beefbar’s focus is well, beef, but do not let its very Instagrammable and educational display of raw meat at the entrance fool you, this steakhouse serves more than just prime cuts. The mammoth-sized menu spans a raw bar (ceviches and seafood), leaf bar (salads and the like, so veggies are looked after…sort of), as well as different kinds of meat including Iberico lamb, farm chicken and veal. No pork licence here. For starters, the menu offers two creative sections – ‘certified Kobe street food’ and ‘Dubai exclusive street food’ which is localised for each Beefbar location, a welcome change for an imported concept. Options include Kobe beef shawarmas, as well as hummus with minced Kobe beef.
Japanese Kobe is undeniably the hero beef on the menu, similar to Kohantei. A special grade of Wagyu beef from the Tajima-gyu breed of cattle in Japan’s Hyogo prefecture, Kobe beef is prized for its flavour, marbling and texture. The cuts served at Beefbar are A5 grade, the most premium of Wagyu grades. This grade denotes the yield (from premium A dropping to C) and the quality (from inferior 1 rising to extremely good 5). Other breeds on the menu are Black Angus (both Australian from Rangers Valley Black Market and American from Creekstone Farms) – beef cattle with comparatively higher marble content due to cold temperatures.
With a dim ‘underground-esque’ ambience, leather textiles are littered throughout a sleekly designed space of macho brown, black and white. Married with deep sexy beats from the live DJ and a largely Italian service team dressed in suits with slicked back hair and accents as thick as their cologne, Beefbar feels like a cosy private gentleman’s club. Driving home my point, my dining companion and I are the only two ladies in the restaurant with one sole female waitress (at least on the day I am dining). The service is seamless, attentive and fun. Recommendations are presented without probe and the staff is as handsome as its interior.
For starters, we opt for the 3 petits tartares (Kobe, Black Angus and veal) and Kobe beef gyozas. The hand cut bite-sized cubes of Kobe beef are seasoned with (literally) a pinch of salt and is possibly the best tartare I’ve had in Dubai. Not only is it firm and chewy but also very flavourful. The freshness and quality is undeniable. The Black Angus and veal tartare on the other hand are standard and comparable to other upscale steakhouses in Dubai. Served with a simple side of lightly salted, well executed French fries, these are crisp and golden brown on the outside, whilst soft and fluffy on the inside. The gyozas are fried and I find the dough a tad too dense for my liking, but I am quite a purist with Asian cuisine. The filling of shredded Kobe beef is marinated in an overwhelmingly sweet sauce which overpowers the high quality meat – what a shame.
On to mains, a couple of of beef dishes are unavailable. I order the Black Market Australian Black Angus 500g rib-eye (AED360) as recommended by the waiter for being the “most marbled” outside of Japanese Kobe which is extortionately priced (AED1,000+ for 200g). My friend opts for a leaner fillet cut of the same breed that is similarly priced. Each slab of meat is seasoned with salt, pepper and charred on the edges giving rise to a slight smokey aroma (not strong enough for my liking) and served with a side of classic mashed potatoes. I upgrade mine to the gorgonzola e noci (mashed potatoes with Italian blue cheese and walnuts) which I really enjoy. Typically, I like my rib-eye thick, juicy and heavily marbled, which unfortunately is not how it’s served. The marbling is weak, and whilst tender and cooked medium-rare (I even specify I like it a little bloody) is similar in texture, colour and firmness to the fillet. I leave behind a clean plate with little residual beef juice – an unusual sight for a steakhouse. The fillet on the other hand cuts like butter and reveals a beautiful reddish-pink hue, which my friend easily polishes off. The steaks are not served with any sauces or condiments which make chowing down a ‘dryer’ than expected steak less appetising.
Bizarrely, Beefbar has no dessert menu and I have to probe the service staff to recite the four options. A passion fruit soufflé is light, fluffy and not too moist, however is overpowered by a strongly flavoured mango ice cream. On the other hand, the French toast is thick, heavy and indulgent. Dressed in a savoury-sweet caramel sauce and served with salted caramel ice cream, this dish is a heart attack on a plate.
Beefbar does stand out in a few ways. Firstly, its central location in the DIFC district with a generous space (lounge area, terrace and dining room), group-friendly seating and sleek interiors makes for a cosy atmosphere. Secondly, the team is charismatic and attentive. Most importantly, its blend of quality meat from Japan, Australia and the US is prepared in an array of creative yet familiar dishes (tacos, gyozas, tartares and so on) making the concept approachable, and different to a regular steakhouse. However, despite all this, at AED607 per person based on three courses each without alcohol including DIFC tax and VAT, Beefbar is one of Dubai’s most expensive restaurants and ridiculously over-priced given many dishes do not impress, so it’s an average 3 out of 5 FooDiva knives. If you do want to try it and are a lady, Beefbar offers gals 50 per cent off the menu and three complimentary glasses of wine every Tuesday.
What is your favourite cut of steak?
Who is FooDiva’s guest reviewer? Jovel has lived in some of the world’s best culinary destinations including Paris, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and Switzerland working as a marketing and PR professional in the F&B industry. On the weekends, Jovel works off her Dubai dining by teaching indoor cycling classes and practising yoga.
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