Tag: steakhouse

Thailand’s dry aged butcher in Chiang Mai: Arno’s in the Old City

Arno’s restaurants in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Pattaya are owned by Mr. Arnaud Carre, a Frenchmen butcher that lives in Thailand. I was recommended the place for its burgers and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Arnaud is a fan of aged beef.

The visit

During my weeks in Chiang Mai at the beginning of 2020, I went to Arno’s restaurant in the Old City twice. (It is the only location in Chiang Mai).

The restaurant has 40 seats on two levels.

The space has an open kitchen downstairs dominated by sizzling grills and a display fridge where you can see the meat available.

The first time I went for their traditional burger with a 200-gram dry aged patty. It was a good burger, but not exceptional, the other ingredients were a bit bland.

In my second visit I had one of their steaks, a Picana cut (200 grams) that I ordered medium. It came with fries. The presentation was depressing, with a small piece of blackened meat alone on the plate… but the meat was good.

I had their mac ‘n’ cheese that was very good.

The check

The burger with a bottle of water ended up costing 250.38 THB (around 7.8 USD). I guess the price was ok.

The steak and the mac were 673.24 THB (a little over 20 USD) and I guess also in this case it was ok.

While overall I was not impressed, I might still consider it for a simple steak dinner since I like dry aged beef.

Where in Chiang Mai:
114/1 Racha Phakhinai Rd., Phra Sing, Muang Chiang Mai.
Website: http://arnosgroup.com/arnos-chiangmai/

A Myiazaki beef set menu in Osaka

Miyazaki beef (gyu) comes from Japanese Black cattle produced and fattened in Miyazaki Prefecture and is Grade 4 or above in the meat quality grading standards set by the Japan Meat Grading Association. Furthermore, Miyazaki Beef has been registered as a local collective trademark. In a nutshell, it is high quality Japanese wagyu and it is kind of a big deal: in Japan restaurants that are allowed to offer Miyazaki Wagyu on their menus are requested to put up an authorization notice in their store. 

The visit

I went on a Saturday evening to a restaurant specializing in this kind of wagyu called Tennosachi Yamanosachi (天の幸 山の幸) in the basement of a hotel. My visit was impromptu, as other places I was interested to go were full.

I was the only customer at that time and the staff, for good measure, reminded me the closing time.

The menu was only in Japanese, but it was not a problem since they were mainly offering set menus, along a format that is popular also in Kobe. I chose one.

The course dinner started with three cold appetizers: roast beef on eggplant (center), beef stock jelly uni and beef (left), somen noodles with marinated beef (right).

The second dish was also an appetizer: two cubes of stewed beef. As you may expect, it was really tender.


The center-piece of the dinner was 150 grams of Miyazaki beef with vegetables and sauces nicely laid down on the plate. It was excellent, even if it was not top-grade in terms of marbling.

The final amount of starch was provided through some Inaniwa cold udon noodles.

The dessert was a forgettable lemon sorbet.

The check

All in all, the check 6,901 yen (64 USD). The set meal was actually pretty good, notwithstanding the ghastly atmosphere of the empty restaurant. I cannot complain about the value: a similar menu in Kobe with their wagyu would be easily above 100 USD with probably a lesser amount of meat and a similar quality. They also had a gyukatsu set menu that was pretty interesting.

Where in Osaka:
4-2-7 Kouraibashi, Chuo-ku (basement of Unizo hotel).
In Japanese: 大阪府大阪市中央区高麗橋4-2-7 ホテルユニゾ大阪淀屋橋 B1F.
(There is also a main branch of the restaurant in Umeda.)

A new Hong Kong’s favorite: Feather and Bone

Feather and Bone is a chain of butcheries cum groceries cum steakhouses that has become a new favorite for Hongkongers. All the times I have passed by a branch at dinner time I have always seen it jam-packed. In June 2019 finally I tried their Sai Ying Pun location.

The visit

I got one of the last tables available in the busy dining room part of the shop. They have burgers and a few other large plates such a linguine bolognese and chicken schnitzel, but the main attraction is the meat from the butcher counter. You can either choose the meat you want and pay by weight or go for their “butcher’s choice” or the more expensive “prime choice” for a selection put together by the chef.

The selection included chorizo, pork sausage, lamb chop, and a good portion of rib-eye steak. Now, if you look at the pictures above you will see a lot of meat… well… there was a mistake and they brought me meat for two people but only charged for my single order. Sadly I could not finish everything. This kind of situation happens only once in a lifetime.

The meat was good, not extraordinary, but good. Perhaps only the sausages were not on par with the rest.

I also had a burrata that was very fresh.

A side dish and a sauce was included. I had mashed potatoes. If you are there for a small splurge, you may try their truffle mac & cheese.

Meat on display at the butcher’s counter.

They also have a selection of cheese.

And a section with more grocery and household goods.

The check

The butcher’s choice was 352 HKD per person. The more expensive fine choice was 572 HKD. Appetizers and other plates were quite expensive. My total check was 514.80 HKD (66 USD) that of course was a steal for the double ration. For a regular portion was still an acceptable price point. I can see why it is so popular.

Where in Hong Kong:
See their website for un updated list of locations and online reservation: https://featherandbone.com.hk/pages/our-locations.

A no-nonsense steakhouse in Saigon that delivers: B3

B3 Steakhouse & Craft Beer is a steakhouse located in the middle of Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, as central as it gets when it comes to Ho Chi Min City.

The visit

To get to the restaurant, that is on the first floor, you have to go through a travel agency. Not the most impressive way to start, but the rest is much better, I promise.

Hidden upstairs the restaurant is spacious and well appointed. They even have some tables on a terrace overlooking the busy Nguyen Hue.

Upon my arrival I was immediately served some complimentary salted peanuts.

My order was quite straightforward. A big steak! They had a 400-grams Chateaubriand that was exactly what I was looking for.

On the menu they had all the classics cuts (from fillet mignon to striploin) that could be ordered in three different sizes: 200, 300, 500 grams.

My Chateaubriand was part of a selection of big steaks to share and it came with two sauces and two side dishes.

I had mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese.

The steak was thick and perfectly cooked medium rare as I asked. All their beef is grass-fed and is imported from New Zealand. It was not the most tender steak like this I had, but it was very juicy and I enjoyed every bite.

Finally I had a chocolate mousse, which was very good.

The check

If you do not need an official invoice, they do not add 10% VAT, which makes their prices even more competitive. I spent 1,030,000 VND (or around 44 USD). Their pricing is even more reasonable considering that sides and sauces are usually included in the price of the steak, not like in some other greedy places where everything is extra (El Gaucho, I am talking to you…).

Apart from the good pricing point, I enjoyed the experience because they gave me what I was looking for that evening: a no-nonsense steak. Nowadays steakhouses have become like boutiques, with Kobe beef, Nebraska cuts, not to mention all the fake wagyu that you see on menus everywhere. For this reason, I really enjoyed finding B3 Steakhouse that could serve a dam good steak without all the mambo-jumbo that you see nowadays (and the crazy prices associated with it). Yes, B3 delivers (metaphorically, I do not know if they have any delivery service, ok?).

Where in Saigon:
90 Nguyễn Huệ, District 1.

Steak lunch at Morton’s in Shanghai

Famous Morton’s Steakhouse from Chicago has restaurants in China. I had lunch in the one located on the fourth floor of IFC Mall in Shanghai on my way to Pudong at the end of the summer 2018.

The visit

The storefront is kind of unassuming.

The small storefront hides a huge restaurant with numerous private rooms.

I had their lunch menu that included an appetizer and a steak. I chose the lobster bisque. A bit small, but the soup concealed a nicely sized piece of lobster.

The steak tasted pretty regular to me. Around 300 grams rib-eye. I guess that in the lunch deal they threw in the lower quality meat (this should be from Australia, while higher quality cuts are from the US).

The check


The steak, mashed potatoes, the bisque and a grapefruit cost me 410.30 RMB (61 USD). For a simple lunch that felt pricey. But Morton at IFC is positioned as a fine dining venue and unfortunately steaks are very pricey in Asia and even more so in China. My tip? Go to Taiwan.

Where in Shanghai:
4F/IFC Mall, 8 Century Avenue
In Chinese: 世纪大道8号国金中心商场4楼
Nearest metro station: Lujiazui (one exit is connected directly to a lower level of the IFC mall). 

A perfect filet in this American steakhouse in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

This was my Christmas 2018 lunch! I had found that in Taiwan there were some outposts of an upscale American steakhouse called Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse (the strange name came about because the new owner, Ruth, had to relocate the restaurant due to a fire but for some reason she could not use the old name in the new location, so she just added hers in front). This seemed like the right place where to satisfy my hunger for a steak in Kaohsiung,

The visit

I headed to the steakhouse directly from the high speed train station using the metro. It is very close to a metro exit (number 2, City Council Station), but it was not so easy to find because the restaurant was located on the 25th floor of a nondescript building; there were no signs clearly visible and at the time of my visit the ground floor was vacant, so it may be easy to miss. But eventually I made it.

The dining room was elegant, with both tables and booths. Not many people on Christmas Day.

A waitress took me to my assigned booth not without letting me know her name (a classic American touch). I was promptly served the bread, still warm, and the butter.

I started with pan-seared tuna (I would say tataki style). Quite good, but the sauce was probably too spicy.

The this monster came: a 310-gram corn-fed USDA prime filet beef. It was perfectly cooked medium rare. The steak was served sizzling on a plate 260 degree hot with a light layer of butter. When it arrived it was really sizzling and it helped keeping the steak warm.

I can only say that it was one of the best steaks had in my years in Asia. Probably the best. The filet was splendidly tender and the big chunk was perfectly cooked (it is not so easy to cook this cut of filet).

Also had mashed potatoes as a side, which I finished, even if it was a large portion.

The check

Total check was 2805 NTD (or 91 USD). The steak alone was 1947 NTD or 63 USD. As compared to Mainland China this was a bargain. And this was one of the priciest cuts in the menu. Taiwan really maintains reasonably priced restaurants.

A great meal, highly recommended. They are also in Taipei and Taichung, where I suspect you would find exactly the same service and menu.

Where in Kaohsiung:
No. 211, Zhongzheng 4th Rd, Qianjin District, 25th floor.
Could not find online booking options, but you can call: +886 7 241 8888.

One of my favorite brunch spots in Hong Kong: the Blue Butcher (closed)

The Blue Butcher has in my opinion one of the best deals for brunch “semi-buffets” in Hong Kong. The idea of a semi-buffet is quite good: a nice spread of appetizers, desserts and other more or less substantial snacks and a menu from which to order one or two mains.

The Blue Butcher on weekends has a spread that is really difficult to beat in terms of quality. In addition to this, you get to choose a main dish from a list of five options and a cocktail.

Coincidentally, they are operated by the same company owning Mott 32.

The visit

In 2018 I have been to the Blue Butcher twice, the latest visit in December 2018. If I am staying in West Hong Kong it is a must. I usually book via phone or their website.

They have a bar/lounge area downstairs opening on Hollywood Road, while the brunch is served in the main dining room upstairs. It is a spacious and comfortable space.

The buffet is certainly their main selling point. They have a very good selection of cheese, tartines, cold cuts, seafood, not to mention the dessert station (I will mention it later).

The oyster station is alone worth the price of admission.

Seafood includes prawns, salmon, tuna and crawfish.

The choice of mains is quite limited, but they are all appealing. They have included in the basic price a burger, coal roasted Canadian pork (excellent), deep fried foie gras, pan-seared salmon, and a type of pasta (cavatelli) with mushrooms and Parmesan cheese. So far I only tried the pork and it was excellent.

On my last visit, I had one of their steaks that come at an additional price. It was a good 12 oz (340 grams) piece of Australian sirloin. Truffle and Parmesan fries are included.

Some of my choices: oysters!

Cold cuts and some good cheese (montasio and pecorino).

An avocado tartine, a piece of quiche, salmon and tuna.

My dessert panna cotta with strawberries, chocolate cake and a piece of authentic Italian panettone (it was mid December after all and that’s the season for this baked good).

The dessert station is pretty amazing and they can prepare you a real crepe.

The check

Normally the cost of the brunch is 495 HKD (63 USD). But I chose a steak and it was 220 HKD more, so the total check was 715 HKD (91 USD).

Honestly, with all the food available in the buffet, going for an upgraded main is not necessary, unless you really want a steak (but then go on a normal day when their steak menu is more extensive).

Overall, I found the Blue Butcher a very good alternative to more traditional hotel buffets.

Where in Hong Kong:
108 Hollywood Road.
Website: http://www.bluebutcher.com

Sadly, the restaurant closed on 19 May 2019 due to rent hike.