Meat Market Melbourne South Wharf

Meat Market Melbourne South Wharf

I’m currently in Melbourne attending a conference. The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia annual scientific meeting known as Pathology Update. #pathupdate

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I enjoyed giving a talk on Friday morning and after that, my mind turned to what to have for dinner. To be fair, I did take notice of the rest of the presentations I attended during the day. But regular readers know I’m able to think about multiple things on the go, especially if it involves what I’m having for dinner.

Melbourne Convention Centre

I’d been told by a friend that the Melbourne Convention Centre precinct wasn’t a great place to sample the best food offerings of Melbourne. I accept that, but I’m a lazy eater, and when I’m in unfamiliar surroundings, I’m not that adventurous unless I know I have time and unless I have a defined target for my appetite.

I had neither for Friday evening. I knew I’d have to return to my hotel room and work through a day’s worth of work e-mails and attend to other work-related matters. I also didn’t know what I wanted to eat.

Google maps

I resorted to what many people do and opened the Google Maps app on my smartphone and scrolled through the options.

Pho. Yes or no?

A Thai/Vietnamese place caught my eye. A nice bowl of pho would be good. After I read the reviews and checked out the location I went back to scrolling to see if anything else caught my eye. I then saw Meat Market and the thought of steak filled me with feelings of lust.

Carnal pleasures

I quickly rid my thoughts of spicy soupy pho. My mind went to meat, red meat, tender, juicy, unctuous meat. During the week I enjoyed a vegetable laksa, so tonight I sought balance in life and I would be showing gratitude to the cow which gave its life for my carnal pleasure.

Vegetable laksa

Vegetable laksa at Asian Noodle House, Woden
Vegetable laksa at Asian Noodle House, Woden

Novotel Melbourne South Wharf

I was staying at the Novotel Melbourne South Wharf, and it was a quick walk to the boardwalk on the south wharf.

Star Trek anyone?

I arrived at about 6 pm (1800 AEDT) and was shown a table with a nice view of the water. I didn’t shoot a photograph because the sun was setting in front of me and the glare through the window was strong. Readers of my diary blog know how much I hate Jar Jar Abrams lazy lens flare direction of the Kelvin Universe Star Trek movies.

My Thoughts and Stuff

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After a few minutes, I was asked about still or sparkling water. I asked for tap water because I’m a tight arse and as much as I do enjoy a glass of mineral water, I know that everything will be priced at a premium in a restaurant in a convention centre precinct. Besides, I know steak is expensive in places like this and I’d prefer to spend my readies (British slang for paper money) on meat.

Leather

The leather bound menu is heavy and is replete with information on the source of the beef as well as the different cuts of meat. You can download the menu from here.

1.2 kilogram Tomahawk steak

I wasn’t feeling like I could eat a cow, and in my mind I thought about a half a dozen natural oysters and a small steak. However, as I turned the pages of the menu my eye was drawn to the tomahawk steak. It was a 1.2 kilogram (2.6 pounds) lump of meat and bone. Man, meat on the bone tastes so good. My mouth started to water and I was fighting an internal battle. My head was saying, no, it’s not good to eat that much meat. You’re always complaining of weight gain. Think of your bowels, Man! Private health insurance premiums are going up. It’s not a good use of money. My heart was saying, do it. Do it because you know it will be good. Do it because it’s not something you have all the time. Do it because it’s a first time. Do it for the photograph you’ll shoot. Do it so you can say to your friends you ate a tomahawk steak cave person style.

Guess who won?

I was asked what I would like to eat at about 6.15 pm (1815 AEDT) and I smiled and said, “I’d like the Tomahawk please.”

Sadness, deep deep sadness

My smile turned upside down when the young person wanting to take my request answered, “I’m sorry, we had a Tomahawk event last night and there are no Tomahawk steaks left.”

I asked for a moment to gather my thoughts. She left me at my table while I pondered what could have been.

Wagyu anyone?

There were other options. I had to refocus. Wagyu? Well Wagyu is nice but is the cost per kilogram worth it? I mean I may still feel hungry after eating it. I went with the 600 gram ribeye on the bone. I wanted bone. I needed meat on the bone for the flavour that comes with it and gnawing that tasty juicy fatty meat from a rib bone is so satisfying. I’d tasted meat on the bone on Friday night. I had a lamb rack and the meat was cooked perfectly. The fat was crispy and full of flavour, the meat was tender, juicy and full of lamb flavours.

Lamb rack with crispy quinoa served with a fennel and mandarin salad. Novotel Melbourne South Wharf. #lamb #lambrack #quinoa
Lamb rack with crispy quinoa served with a fennel and mandarin salad. Novotel Melbourne South Wharf.

Ribeye on the bone

The person seeking my request returned and I asked for the Great Southern Pinnacle Rib Eye cooked medium rare with bordelaise sauce and hot chips. She again apologised that the tomahawk steak was not available.

It was a bit after 7 pm when my meal arrived. I was pleased about this. In my mind, this means if the steak had not been cooked sous vide, it would have been properly rested.

Medium rare. Really?

Regular readers might be concerned that I’d asked for medium rare and not rare. Am I going soft? In clubs, like Retuned Service League clubs, I’ll ask for rare because the odds are the steak will be overcooked and end up medium rare. If it comes to me rare, I don’t mind and I’m happy. I think for a proper steak establishment, a thick cut steak cooked to medium rare is the best way to eat it.

I hate wobbly tables

I had shallow setting sunlight streaming through a window opposite me. Long shadows were being cast across my table. My tables wobbled which left me feeling annoyed. It’s strange how a small thing like a wobbly table can make you feel about a meal, especially an expensive meal.

The hard light and shadows would not be good for a decent photo with my smartphone. So this is a long winded apology for the poor photography.

The steak was served with some red cabbage which I assume was dressed. The bordelaise sauce was poured over the steak. The chips (I’m Australian so I call them chips) came in a large pale with some garlic aioli. There were a lot of chips.

I like a well weighted knife in my hand

The steak knife had a good feel in my hand. I do prefer a slightly heavier knife with a larger handle, but this knife was okay as far as steak knives go.

Dissection time

I started by dissecting the bone from the fillet and I set it aside for later. I could see a nice amount of fat on the bone and in the meat.

My approach to eating a rib eye fillet steak is to eat the fillet first and leave the deckle or rib cap meat aside. This is because there is more fat in the deckle meat and when cut across the grain, the meat is more tender and the mouthfeel is amazing. The fat runs from around the cooked muscle fibres and the taste on the tongue is so enhanced eating it this way. The deckle meat in a good restaurant also has the fat cap seared and at Meat Market Melbourne South Wharf, I wasn’t disappointed.

The fillet muscle was beefy. It dissected away from the deckle or rib cap easily. I could have used my fingers or even chopsticks to do it, it was so nicely cooked. The fillet muscle meat was tender, it went well with the sauce and combined with some cabbage and chips, it occupied my fork like a perfect marriage of meat, raw plant fibre, and fat-fried starch.

Glory be, my mouth felt so good

The deckle or rib cap muscle and fat were glorious. The mouthfeel was heavenly. I was in full meat lust mode.

After I’d finished the meat that I’d cut from the bone as well as the cabbage and chips, I eyed the rib bone I’d dissected out at the start of this meaty adventure. I put my knife and fork down. With my dominant hand, I picked up the rib bone and began to gnaw cooked muscle and fat from the bone. OMG, that meat near the bone is just full of beefy fatty flavour.

I put the bone down and for a moment thought about the cow which lived and died for my enjoyment.

Should I do dessert?

It’s always worth looking at the menu, and I’d already decided if I wasn’t feeling uncomfortable, I would ask for the mango and vanilla new york cheesecake with hibiscus syrup.

Cheesecake cupcake. Really?

I wasn’t expecting a cupcake portion. I was hoping for a slice. That said, it tasted good but I don’t think it was worth what I paid for it. Perhaps that is unkind. I’m not a baker so I don’t know about the costs associated with cheesecakes.

Photographs

This is a gallery of photographs. Click on one image and then scroll through the photographs.

Questions and answers

What was the service like at the Meat Market Melbourne South Wharf?

It was really friendly and helpful. The people who I spoke with were pleasant, courteous, and very helpful with questions about the dishes.

Would you eat a steak at the Meat Market Melbourne South Wharf again?

Yes, if the opportunity came around again, I’d want that tomahawk steak.

What was the damage?

You can see the prices from the menu. I spent just under $100.

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Final thoughts

  • Would you go for pho or steak?
  • Does a 600 gram steak balance a vegetable laksa?
  • Do wobbly tables piss you off when you’re out for a nice meal?
  • Would you like to see more restaurant reviews on Yummy Lummy?

24 Responses

  1. I felt your disappointment at the tomahawk being sold out but perhaps it was for the best. I’ve had one as part of a big meal and it was good but really, it’s a steak on the bone which you got too 😀

    1. That’s very true Lorraine. It was a good steak even if I couldn’t hold it like an axe 😃

  2. I don’t think there is another person who could describe eating that steak as well as you did. It is a good thing that I will be going out to dinner in a couple of hours as you certainly have made me hungry. 😀

  3. Sounds like a lovely meat eating experience, and a very good one 🍖😁 Steak over pho for me. Not a fan or wobbly tables, or tables that are slanted or on uneven ground. Didn’t seem like you noticed wobbly table much when you ate 😂

    1. Thanks, Mabel. I made sure my booted feet were firmly placed on the struts of the table extending from the centre pole. I was pretty well consumed by the meat to notice much else.
      To achieve balance, I ate noodles tonight.
      https://flic.kr/p/2ePLfXE

        1. I did. I didn’t want to open a whole tin of coconut cream so I used some cheese to thicken things up.

                    1. That’s good, because if you meant low-fat cheese, then I don’t know you anymore 😂

  4. Ooh, wobbly tables – the worst! Still, a nice looking dinner and chips should always be called chips and not fries…

  5. The Pho and the vegetable dish both sound delicious. Pho is one of the must try dishes for me. I’ve heard so much about Pho. I would just have to ask the Chef to go easy on the spicy. Not good for my digestive system. You have the best culinary Adventures.

    1. Real authentic pho is amazing. It doesn’t have to be too spicy. It’s just full of lovely flavours.

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