DUBAI: In a city of foodies captivated by #saltbae fever, you’d be forgiven for thinking there are no other high-end steakhouses in Dubai worth your hard-earned cash.
But you’d be thoroughly mistaken, dear readers. What if I told you that there was a hidden gem in Downtown Dubai that not only houses excellent cuts of meat that won’t break the bank, but also cooks them to your liking? A restaurant that serves your steak up in the manner you, the diner, requests, and not how the head chef commands it should arrive?
Enter World Cut Steakhouse.
The degree of doneness of a chunk of beef is a bit of a controversial topic. Some meat-eaters swear by medium; others like a bit of medium-rare. I, on the other hand, can’t bite into anything that has a lot of red in the middle. So, I prefer medium-well to well-done. I have lost count of the number of times I have ordered a steak well-done only for it to arrive as medium. Granted, it’s not exactly a chef’s favorite thing to do — to some, it’s an outright abomination — but hey, it’s the diner paying at the end of the day, so they should be able to get what they want.
When choosing our cuts during a recent visit to World Cut Steakhouse, both my dining partner and I opted for them to be well-done. The friendly staff member didn’t turn his nose up at the request, but politely informed us that one of the cuts might become too tough to eat once overcooked. We didn’t mind, so went ahead anyway.
One was a rib-eye, the other a flank of wagyu. Both came exactly as ordered. So, it was refreshing to enjoy a meal without having to send it back to grill some more.
Quite frankly, this restaurant doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Formerly J&G Steakhouse, World Cut Steakhouse was rebranded following the change in management of the five-star property originally known as St. Regis Dubai and now called Habtoor Palace, LXR Hotels & Resorts.
Entering the fine-dining establishment, you’re greeted by friendly staff who keep it low-key throughout and only tend to you when you’re in need of assistance. The décor is not the most eye-catching — brown leather seating and mahogany tables are not particularly exciting to look out, but the space is big enough that you don’t feel you are listening in on the conversation of the couple next to you.
The menu is pleasingly straightforward: A single double-page spread comprising appetizers, entrees and grills. Beef prices range from 250g Australian wagyu flank for $45 to 180g master Kobe wagyu fillet for $167.50.
We went for the more affordable options with sides of creamed spinach and truffle macaroni and cheese, which was glorious. The meat dishes were perfectly seasoned, and the portions are so generous we could have probably ordered one steak between us.
There are little touches throughout the meal that make a visit to this establishment memorable. For example, your steak sauces are prepared in front of you from a sampling trolley, while you have the option of choosing your own steak knife from a vast ‘catalogue’. Cue cutlery nerd alert: I chose the Global GSF-4023, a series that is handcrafted in Niigata, Japan.
World Cut Steakhouse makes for a great venue for a birthday or other special occasion; just don’t forget to book ahead. But while I look forward to going back for the mains, I’ll be giving dessert a miss on my next visit.
We received a complimentary cheesecake to share, and quite frankly, it was dry and ‘mealy’. Being free isn’t an excuse to offer subpar sweets. And that’s a marketing opportunity lost right there.
