In Pursuit Of Steak Heaven

Local restaurant doyen Terry Laybourne recently unveiled his latest venture Porterhouse Butcher & Grill.

The steak bar continues his longstanding association with the Fenwick department store and offers visitors the chance to purchase meat from the butcher’s counter to take home or have it cooked for them on site. The venue slots nicely into the hustle and bustle of the food hall. Its chic bar stools and open kitchen make it a stylish spot for weary shoppers deserving a break. A prime city centre location also lends itself nicely to a business lunch, so I rocked up with another confirmed carnivore to learn more. Porterhouse is really all about the quality of the product and the team’s attention to detail. Much like the neighbouring Saltwater Fish Company, visitors can tap into the energy of the kitchen and dine openly at the counter.

The restaurant boasts a charcoalfired Josper grill on which diners can watch their chosen cuts being prepared. Terry’s fleet of highly-capable chefs are all immensely passionate and are happy to provide little nuggets of wisdom on how to best cook and prepare quality beast. This ensures for a fun, social experience which is very engaging for any aspiring masterchefs. Whilst all this sounded marvellous, we thought we thought we’d best leave the cooking to the pros. Thankfully, Porterhouse also has a swanky 30-cover dining area resplendent with rich cream leather seating and marbled table tops. Tables are nicely spaced out for cosy dining and are also set with jumbo steak knives which provoked a few shoddy Paul Hogan impressions -“Now that’s what I call a blade!” In addition to the premium meat offering, Porterhouse also serve a selection of starters and small plates certain to awaken the palate. Seafood is extremely well-sourced here and my colleague chose the Lauder smoked salmon; two wisps of fresh fish served with a lemon wedge and a hunk of wholemeal soda bread. Porterhouse really champions good, honest food which you can really get your teeth into. I chose the crunchy-fried chicken wings with hot sauce a finger-licking vice of mine which has been tantalising tastebuds and ruining shirts for as long as I can remember. Go on my son. During a suitable digestive interlude, we ordered a couple of bold, full-bodied reds and readied ourselves for the main event. The wine offering here has been well thought through with some great house options available whilst a more-pricey bottle from the “Big Guns” range can elevate an already excellent meal into the stratosphere. One of the major suppliers of beef is Peter Hannan’s Glenarm Estate which is dry-aged in a ‘Himalayan salt chamber’ for up to 45 days. This instils a unique tenderness which was especially evident from my colleagues first slice into his 400g club steak. I chose the equally-impressive 200g fillet which had been cooked to a smoky, slightly charred perfection on the Josper. Inside, the meat was the perfect pink and possessed an eye-opening depth of flavour. Presentation here is removed of any unnecessary fuss which allows the strong and simple flavours to assume centre stage.

I paired mine with a peppercorn sauce and French fries whilst my colleague opted for a side of buttery winter greens. Delicious. Porterhouse also do a choice of “Big Cuts” which are available for 2 or more people. Diners can share prime ribs, chateaubriand or the eponymous Porterhouse cut or even build their own mixed grill. In fact, Porterhouse employ a “We cook what we sell approach” which means the menu will constantly be evolving in the weeks and months ahead. Anyone with a penchant for steak should check this place out. It seems Terry Laybourne has done it again and this is another venue befitting his 21 Hospitality Group. On leaving, my business colleague even procured himself a “little something for later” from the butcher’s counter. I can’t say I blame him.