Meat District Co. | Darling Harbour
We celebrated a romantic dinner at Meat District Co. down on King Street Wharf for Valentine's Day (yes we know... we are a bit late in posting this one). They had a great Valentine's deal that we couldn't pass up and with a view like that how could we say no. Located in Barangaroo, only a stone's throw away from Wynyard station via the Wynyard walk, its conveniently located for the avid commuter! Plus.. the set menu sounded amazing so we just had to make a reservation!
Watermelon Salad
We started off the evening with a refreshing watermelon salad consisting of rocket and balsamic vinegar. The menu classified it as a "compressed, grilled watermelon" and we can only assume they squash the watermelon before grilling it.. either way it was definitely refreshing and the combination of the sweet watermelon and balsamic vinegar made for a dynamic duo of a combination. Side note - we love how everything is served on a board.
Cured Meat Platter
Served next was a nice selection of premium cured meats, grapes and olives served with olive bread, lavosh & grisi. Each cured meat provided a different texture and flavour to the next. Some provided a rich flavour with a strong aroma where others were mild and easy to eat (we won't even attempt to name what meats were on the board). The sweet pockets of flavour from the grapes gave the platter a refreshing taste. The dips on the board added yet another element to the board and was a good way to ensure the bread and meat combo wasn't too dry. It was definitely a romantic way to start the evening.
300g Rib eye on the bone
The Cape Grim succulent rib eye on the bone served with your chips and bearnaise sauce was incredibly delicious. The rib eye was ordered Medium, however some bits were quite rare. The charred outside gave the steak a nice flame grilled taste and the bearnaise sauce made the dish something special. I really wish I had more of the sauce for the chips, as it went straight on the steak!
Pork Ribs
We wouldn't usually order pork ribs as we usually prefer beef short ribs. This was probably the first mistake as there is never enough meat on the bones! The sauce was quite nice and not to overpowering where you can't even taste the pork. This meal certainly deserves a good work out session afterwards.
Chocolate Mousse with Strawberry Ice cream
When you think of a good pairing with chocolate mousse, strawberry ice cream is not the first thing that pops into mind. Vanilla, or even Caramel ice cream are the first two that really scream "eat me" but nevertheless, the strawberry ice cream had bits of really strawberries and tasted quite nice together. The mousse itself had a perfectly even texture and was made with milk chocolate, so the chocolate flavour wasn't intense. A very subtle, yet sweet dish.
Lime and Coconut Cheesecake with Lemon Sorbet
The menu had stated alternate dessert options, but the waitress gave us both the option of choice. It confused us at first, but we decided to go alternating to try more of a mix from the menu. The lime and coconut cheesecake sounded amazing, but when it was brought out it was obviously not defrosted enough as it was rock solid, to the point where a knife wouldn't cut through it without literally digging at it to break it apart like ice shards... It almost fell out of the plate! When we could finally attempt to eat it, the lemon sorbet had melted. The flavours however were great and the lemon sorbet gave it that much needed zing. The normal menu prices can be a little expensive at Meat District Co. so be sure to check out the menu prior to visiting. We had quite a nice relaxing experience, a great way to celebrate Valentine's Day.