Attitudes to how Steak is cooked in 'cheaper' restaurants?
Discussion
What are the PH thoughts having a Steak in a restaurant, and most importantly how accurately it is cooked to your liking?
I've seen a good few times in cheaper restaurants, such as your average cheapo sizzler pub, low end gastro pubs, etc, customers sending back steaks because they aren't cooked to their liking precisely, and asking for 'compensation' such as bill discounts or free wine. Would you be so picky on your £6.95 rump and chips?
I would expect if I went to a specialist steak restaurant, or a more expensive restaurant for it to be cooked to my requirements, but when going to cheaper places I have a pretty big tolerance - i.e. ask for rare and hope for the best - if you're lucky, it comes out medium-rare.
Sorry if this is a well cooked subject. fnar fnar
I've seen a good few times in cheaper restaurants, such as your average cheapo sizzler pub, low end gastro pubs, etc, customers sending back steaks because they aren't cooked to their liking precisely, and asking for 'compensation' such as bill discounts or free wine. Would you be so picky on your £6.95 rump and chips?
I would expect if I went to a specialist steak restaurant, or a more expensive restaurant for it to be cooked to my requirements, but when going to cheaper places I have a pretty big tolerance - i.e. ask for rare and hope for the best - if you're lucky, it comes out medium-rare.
Sorry if this is a well cooked subject. fnar fnar
I've thought this as well.
There's a place near the In-laws that does 2 for 1 on all meals. Steak is about £10 so factor in another meal and it's a fiver. They never get the 'doneness' correct, the cut is poor but what do you expect for a few quid.
If I want a good steak I either go to a decent steakhouse or cook a good one at home. If I want a cheap and cheerful meal I go there.
There's a place near the In-laws that does 2 for 1 on all meals. Steak is about £10 so factor in another meal and it's a fiver. They never get the 'doneness' correct, the cut is poor but what do you expect for a few quid.
If I want a good steak I either go to a decent steakhouse or cook a good one at home. If I want a cheap and cheerful meal I go there.
I was at admittedly not a fancy restaurant but they did offer a few different cuts of steak. When I ordered [the rib eye], they asked how I would like it done, to which I replied that I would like it very rare. The waiter then informed me that they can't offer anything below medium due to health and safety. I was quite surprised.. Too much to question much further but I decided to skip the steak altogether and went for something else!
Edited by srappy on Wednesday 13th June 22:10
I gave up along time ago in the cheaper restaurants.
I wouldn't mind as much if they said "Look, it's a bit of a lottery how your steak comes out, are you ok with that?" then at least you could make an informed decision. But no, they continue to ask how you like it done and serve you well done when you asked for rare.
If they are going to give you the option of how it's cooked then they have to be prepared for complaints when they make an arse of it.
I wouldn't mind as much if they said "Look, it's a bit of a lottery how your steak comes out, are you ok with that?" then at least you could make an informed decision. But no, they continue to ask how you like it done and serve you well done when you asked for rare.
If they are going to give you the option of how it's cooked then they have to be prepared for complaints when they make an arse of it.
Laplace said:
I gave up along time ago in the cheaper restaurants.
I wouldn't mind as much if they said "Look, it's a bit of a lottery how your steak comes out, are you ok with that?" then at least you could make an informed decision. But no, they continue to ask how you like it done and serve you well done when you asked for rare.
If they are going to give you the option of how it's cooked then they have to be prepared for complaints when they make an arse of it.
Agreed.I wouldn't mind as much if they said "Look, it's a bit of a lottery how your steak comes out, are you ok with that?" then at least you could make an informed decision. But no, they continue to ask how you like it done and serve you well done when you asked for rare.
If they are going to give you the option of how it's cooked then they have to be prepared for complaints when they make an arse of it.
Don't offer it if it's beyond the ability of the 'chef'.
Laplace said:
I gave up along time ago in the cheaper restaurants.
I wouldn't mind as much if they said "Look, it's a bit of a lottery how your steak comes out, are you ok with that?" then at least you could make an informed decision. But no, they continue to ask how you like it done and serve you well done when you asked for rare.
If they are going to give you the option of how it's cooked then they have to be prepared for complaints when they make an arse of it.
Me and MrsC are a bit I wouldn't mind as much if they said "Look, it's a bit of a lottery how your steak comes out, are you ok with that?" then at least you could make an informed decision. But no, they continue to ask how you like it done and serve you well done when you asked for rare.
If they are going to give you the option of how it's cooked then they have to be prepared for complaints when they make an arse of it.
, so regularly eat in cheapo establishments. (sub £10 steaks etc)- most* of the time it comes out cooked as asked for, which in both our cases would be medium rare.
Laplace said:
I gave up along time ago in the cheaper restaurants.
I wouldn't mind as much if they said "Look, it's a bit of a lottery how your steak comes out, are you ok with that?" then at least you could make an informed decision. But no, they continue to ask how you like it done and serve you well done when you asked for rare.
If they are going to give you the option of how it's cooked then they have to be prepared for complaints when they make an arse of it.
This. I wouldn't mind as much if they said "Look, it's a bit of a lottery how your steak comes out, are you ok with that?" then at least you could make an informed decision. But no, they continue to ask how you like it done and serve you well done when you asked for rare.
If they are going to give you the option of how it's cooked then they have to be prepared for complaints when they make an arse of it.
If they ask me, then I expect what I asked for. If they don't ask, I'd cancel the order and order something else.
I like my steak still moo-ing, so I am fussy with it. I probably wouldn't send it back though.
The cost of the steak should not affect the chefs ability to cook it. But, a cheap rump will be tough as hell if it is served rare to probably cooked medium in the hope it might be passable.
I know I'm a bit spoiled in that I have access to "free" white beef steaks, hung for a month etc etc but more often than not I get home and there's nothing in the fridge or I just don't want to cook so...
A new "Beefeater Grill" opened within walking distance of home a month of so ago so I was really eager to give them a go. In theory a half decent steak and chips and a reasonably priced (albeit cheap) wine all within walking distance. Unfortunately not. Every time the meat is crap quality and overcooked. For various reasons I have eaten there four times. First time I ordered "medium rare" it came out over medium, next time "rare", it was medium so third time lucky I ordered "bleu" at which point the waiter went away and came back saying they did not cook "blue steaks" and I ended up with semi-rare. I also tried their steak platter or whatever they call it. Supposedly rump, sirloin, rib-eye and fillet all cooked rare. Firstly they were bordering well done and secondly I struggled to differentiate the rump and the sirloin, the rib only stood out as there was a tiny bit of fat in it and the fillet looked and tasted like a hockey puck! That was my final visit.
If we end up there again (not through choice) I will probably avoid steak.
A lot of places doing deals are using imported Argentinian beef at the moment. Several wholesalers have it on "special" at £7.49 a kilo. Also you can get generic "imported rumps" which come from anywhere, seen crates from all sorts of obscure African states, this is even cheaper. And I know most of the chains want to pay less than £9 a kilo.
This is largely the problem along with poorly trained staff.
I know I'm a bit spoiled in that I have access to "free" white beef steaks, hung for a month etc etc but more often than not I get home and there's nothing in the fridge or I just don't want to cook so...
A new "Beefeater Grill" opened within walking distance of home a month of so ago so I was really eager to give them a go. In theory a half decent steak and chips and a reasonably priced (albeit cheap) wine all within walking distance. Unfortunately not. Every time the meat is crap quality and overcooked. For various reasons I have eaten there four times. First time I ordered "medium rare" it came out over medium, next time "rare", it was medium so third time lucky I ordered "bleu" at which point the waiter went away and came back saying they did not cook "blue steaks" and I ended up with semi-rare. I also tried their steak platter or whatever they call it. Supposedly rump, sirloin, rib-eye and fillet all cooked rare. Firstly they were bordering well done and secondly I struggled to differentiate the rump and the sirloin, the rib only stood out as there was a tiny bit of fat in it and the fillet looked and tasted like a hockey puck! That was my final visit.
If we end up there again (not through choice) I will probably avoid steak.
A lot of places doing deals are using imported Argentinian beef at the moment. Several wholesalers have it on "special" at £7.49 a kilo. Also you can get generic "imported rumps" which come from anywhere, seen crates from all sorts of obscure African states, this is even cheaper. And I know most of the chains want to pay less than £9 a kilo.
This is largely the problem along with poorly trained staff.
I've given up ordering steak in restaurants. It's generally the most expensive thing on the menu and more often than not the most disappointing. Also, it's the one thing that I honestly believe I can cook better at home than 95% of restaurants can manage.
Cook it a home and you can choose exactly the piece of meat you most like the look of and even the most expensive cut you can find in the butchers will likely be half the price of a ratty bit of sirloin in a restaurant. Trial and error will enable you to find the best method for cooking it how you like it. Once you get it right, it just makes you realise even more how badly steak is treated by most restaurants, even most of the more expensive ones.
Cook it a home and you can choose exactly the piece of meat you most like the look of and even the most expensive cut you can find in the butchers will likely be half the price of a ratty bit of sirloin in a restaurant. Trial and error will enable you to find the best method for cooking it how you like it. Once you get it right, it just makes you realise even more how badly steak is treated by most restaurants, even most of the more expensive ones.
I don't bother with steak in cheaper places any more, it never comes out quite right. I wouldn't bother asking for a rare steak on a £6.95 steak and chips deal either, the meat is going to be crap quality so hardly worth the hassle of asking for rare and getting disappointed with the invariably bad results.
In a middle to higher end restaurant I'd order steak and expect quality meat cooked as I asked for it. Then again, I still feel it's better when I just cook it myself, the best steaks I've had are in restaurants but when I cook it at home I always get it how I want it. When I was in Vegas recently, the USA, the land of great steaks, I didn't have a single steak, there always seemed to be something more exotic or appealing on the menu!
In a middle to higher end restaurant I'd order steak and expect quality meat cooked as I asked for it. Then again, I still feel it's better when I just cook it myself, the best steaks I've had are in restaurants but when I cook it at home I always get it how I want it. When I was in Vegas recently, the USA, the land of great steaks, I didn't have a single steak, there always seemed to be something more exotic or appealing on the menu!
I moved to the US in 2004 and now don't order steak at any UK restaurant. If I moved back I would just cook it myself because with the right raw material it is easy to do.
I'm a big fan of English country restaurant food. But, not steak. It just misses the mark so often and I get much more enjoyment out of eating meats not readily availible where I live now.
I'm a big fan of English country restaurant food. But, not steak. It just misses the mark so often and I get much more enjoyment out of eating meats not readily availible where I live now.
calibrax said:
I don't order steak at restaurants any more, even expensive restaurants. I've given up as none of them seem able to get it just right. Maybe I'm too fussy!
No.5 Cavendish Square in London. Best Steak I've had. Not cheap but well worth it (although the nightclub doesn't get good reviews)In answer to OP, I don't bother in cheap restaurants as generally it will be a cheap cut and never cooked the way I want it so I've found it's not worth the trouble ordering it.
Edited by Sir Bagalot on Friday 15th June 01:20
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