Have you wondered what’s the difference between Restaurant and Hawker steak? I watched this Eatbook video recently, which also gave us a huge temptation to try out the “restaurant steak” that they mentioned in the video.
To be honest, I prefer to pay more for a better quality steak. If I had to dine at a Hawker Centre, I prefer having the local favourites like Chicken rice, bakchormee, hokkien mee, etc. One of my favourite all-time budget steak place would be Astons. It’s not top-notch quality, but the price is really reasonable and the baked potatoes are to die for.
When it comes to beef type of dishes, I usually go for the steamboat style – thinly sliced beef which melts in your mouth. American steak is something I wouldn’t mind eating, but it’s not what I love.
So the question is.. Is The Chop House Steak worth $39?
This exact location at 112 Katong used to be T.G.I Fridays but it has now been replaced with The Chop House. With a comfortable ambience, this place looks great for a chill out evening with your friends and colleagues after work. But we’re here to just have a quick dinner to satisfy our long awaited cravings.
I had a difficult time looking at the menu though, those jagged lines are surely distracting.
Lets start off with the Appetizer first – Sauteed Spinach and Mushrooms ($8). I am not impressed at all. How is this dish worth $8? No doubt that the taste was fragrant, but for $8 I would rather get something else. I thought that this mixed well with my Carbonara though, the dish was a little too salty on its own.
USDA Prime Grain Fed Rib Eye – served with watercress, grilled tomato and a choice of bearnaise, red wine or black peppercon sauce ($39) – medium rare. We had the Peppercon sauce as it is something that we are both comfortable with. They told us that bearnaise is somewhat similar to Hollandaise sauce.
Tip: Always go for medium-medium rare steaks for an expensive steak, otherwise it will ruin the goodness.
The steak isn’t bad, but neither is it that fantastic as described in the video. As you know, high expectations lead to high disappointments. The meat was a tad dry on some parts and it wasn’t as juicy as mentioned. Nonetheless, the sauce was very unique, unlike other common BBQ or pepper sauce. Bf said that he likes the steak, but felt that the price tag of $39 was a little too high for this standard.
That being said, my views could be slightly biased as I am a fan of Japanese Wagyu beef and my standards could therefore be affected.
Really glad that we chose to order 2 different dishes to share because the Carbonara – with smoky bacon, egg yolk, parmesan and pecorino cheese ($22) saved the day! It was one of the best Carbonara I have tasted ever. If you’re looking for a good Carbonara, do consider the one at Harry’s too.
Harry’s Carbonara is a lot wetter and creamier in terms of texture. Meanwhile, The Chop House’s Carbonara has a very appealing cheesy taste with a mix of both Parmesan and Pecorino cheese. But towards the end of my meal, I find that the pasta is a little dry. If both pastas are combined with their best qualities, that would be perfect for my palate.
Would I come back again? Yes for the pasta, but no for the steak. It’s a hit and miss for me, have you tried the steak before? What’s your take on this?
The Chop House
112 Katong Mall
#01-13, 112 E Coast Rd, Singapore 428802
