Black Cow Bistro | Launceston
Black Cow Bistro was circled a number of times on our itinerary; we were excited to say the least. It has now ended up as one of our best experiences in Launceston! While we got caught up in the beauty of Tasmania, the meal you eat at the end of the day is the difference between leaving a giant exclamation mark on your memory, or a simple full stop. Let's just say the steak was bloody damn good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Note the exclamation marks). Apologies in advance for the quality of the photos. The lighting is perfect for mood setting and ambiance, but not for food photography. Sometimes it's best to just leave the camera at home and enjoy the meal at hand!
Black Cow Bistro showcases some of the finest premium dry aged beef that Tasmania has to offer. It is great to see a restaurant making the most of Australia's premium beef market. Not only is it good for the economy, the freshness of the meat makes us happy. Both steaks below were sourced locally from Cape Grim, Smithton.
Scotch Fillet (aged 30 days)
Scotch fillet is known for its fat content and therefore is a hard piece of meat to cook properly. Well cooked, the fat should be soft and break away with the meat, however on the other scale you get tough and chewy fat that's basically inedible. You can see in the picture the steak was grilled to perfection. The fat was almost non existent and the taste of the charcoal was really evident. The truffled bearnaise sauce elevated this steak from something great to something amazing, we just wish we had more of it. But at $4.5 per serving we thought it be wise not to go back for seconds.
Eye Fillet (aged 40 days)
Eye Fillet is most definitely one of the best cuts of meat. The pure quality of the eye fillet that is ridden of any excess fats and is both delicate and tender to touch. It is lean and extremely healthy... except of course when you combine it with the same truffled bearnaise sauce mentioned above. This was simply an amazing cut of steak and since visiting Launceston we have not found anything better. It was cooked impeccably and with a serving of potato au gratin on the side, made for a masterpiece of a meal. Simple plating, but great food.
Vanilla bean creme brulee
We thought it might be best to wash down all that meat with something sweet and the vanilla bean creme brulee was almost jumping off the menu. The delicate vanilla bean aroma swept the room as it was brought to the table and the taste was prominent throughout the dessert. It was fabulous, and served with a side of poached rhubarb, rosewater gel and chocolate soil it was a nice way to finish the meal.
Chocolate lava cake
A rich, velvetety-smooth lava cake that is extremely satisfying for chocolate lovers. Served with vanilla ice cream and on a bed of caramel, it was the perfect mixture of bitter and sweet without going over the top.
Black Cow Bistro can be a little hefty on your back pocket, but believe us when we say that it is worth every cent. The fresh, locally sourced beef and the friendly staff made for a great night out on the town. We highly recommend visiting when you are next in Launceston!