I recently had the enviable task along with a few fellow media to try out this new establishment – Steak and Grill Co. The restaurant is the only steakhouse in South Africa to be housed in a national monument (Atherton House built in 1904) and is found inside the newly developed Florida Fields on Florida Road in Durban.
The Steak and Grill Co is one of a kind – although it is affiliated to the Jack Salmon Group of restaurants. “One of Durban’s finest steakhouses of old, Squires Loft, was housed in the building and, with the grand old dame having been restored to its former glory, it made sense to open up this upscale space to Durban’s Steak and Wine lovers,” explains Steve Christodoulou who is the co-owner.
So what do they offer the discerning diner?
“We offer a high quality overall steakhouse experience, paying particular attention to the quality of the ingredients, food presentation and the experience of dining in a national monument,” Steve Christodoulou.
Head chef, Simon Mayise, who headed the kitchen at the Colony restaurant which was consistently ranked one of the best in the country by food lovers and cuisine critics alike, is serving up prime cuts such as sirloin, rump, fillet, prime rib, T-bone and Tomahawk steaks with signature sauces that include truffle mushroom, blue cheese and vodka, old school monkey gland, béarnaise, oven roasted garlic and pepper and thyme.
From The Grill, diners can expect a perfectly marinated and flame grilled deboned peri-peri chicken, lamb chops that have been marinated in extra virgin olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs, both pork and beef ribs and ostrich served with a balsamic and red wine reduction.
Combos – including a chicken and prawn combo and the ultimate surf and turf – as well as bespoke burgers and a “Lekker for Locals” offering that includes a fall off the bone lamb shank and a chicken and prawn curry – will leave every carnivore delighted. Those looking for something lighter can enjoy an array of salads as well as a “From the Sea” offering that includes calamari, grilled kingklip, Argentinean queen prawns and grilled crayfish.
The wide range of starters that precedes this extends from escargot and oysters to fresh black mussels, beef carpaccio and more.
The interior has been tastefully designed and uses a highly fashionable darker monochrome palette offset by wood and natural textures. This captures the upscale feel of the building and, at the same time, creates a relaxed environment thereby creating a whole new dining segment – Fine-Casual! The home’s original gardens have been re-landscaped and now house some fascinating public art, including a South African bronze sculpture called Morpheous that was recently brought home from the USA where it was on display.
The Steak Grill and Co is well located within the popular Florida Road Urban regeneration project. In the evenings, there is plenty of parking available in the new basement parkade.
I found it very difficult to decide on what to choose from the menu and I finally settled on Roasted Bone Marrow for my starter and then the Surf & Turf for mains. Both dishes were beautifully prepared and they tasted divine. There is a choice of sides for the mains and I chose the chunky chips. Plenty of appreciative sounds from around the table as everyone tucked into their meals.
Steak and Grill Co do have a great selection of wines and other drinks including the Distillery 031 D’Urban Scarlet Gin. What is that? Well – D’Urban Scarlet Gin is the world’s first gin made with cascara (coffee cherries). It is South Africa’s most internationally awarded gin, having won gold medals in New York, London and San Francisco. This gin is crafted in small batches using cascara sourced from Beaver Creek Coffee Estate on the KZN South Coast. Cascara is the red, fleshy covering around the coffee bean, and adds subtle berry notes to the gin.
You can find Steak and Grill Co at 295 Florida Road, Durban and to book call them on 031 521 0259.