Celebration Night Made Extra Special: An Insight On How Quality Steaks Are Made

Recently we went to Elements Bar and Grill to celebrate our family night out in style. It had a great lively ambience and the food was just finger licking good. The juicy steaks, the healthalicious veggies and mashed potatoes, the wine and the desserts, everything was just spectacular. A stellar taste in the mouth. 

So, What did we have for Dinner?

So, would you like to hear about this celebration meal? We actually had steak and baked potatoes. By the taste of it, and being an experienced steak taster, we understood from the smell of it that a great deal of effort and sincerity was put into making it. The waiters set the tables according to our requirements with a calm and composed vibe. No rush or pressurising. The tables included flowers and candles. Of course, in keeping with family first. The place consisted of modern plates, bowls, and cups of great artistry; something even the best steakhouse restaurants in Sydney would not have thought to include.
The first course was a simple Greek-style salad. It took about ten minutes to have it served. The flavours of the cheese, oil, and vinegar set right on.

Here is what I think what their basic recipe might consist of:

They have combined cut or torn Romaine lettuce with sliced sweet peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and onion. Then sprinkled them with Feta cheese. The dressing is simple and fairly healthy: olive oil and Balsamic vinegarette. My family don't like them, but olives are wonderful additions to this simple and colourful feast. Remembering that the more colour of the rainbow you include the healthier it is; this dish had purple onion; green lettuce, peppers and cucumbers, yellow and red peppers. Only blue and orange were missing but they made up for the blue with dessert.

What was in our Main Course?

The main course was steak, fresh from the butcher, and baked potatoes with sautéed mushrooms and onions. I once heard in some events and catering that someone say a good steak requires no seasoning and I have come to believe that. So, all these were only salted, very lightly and I believe was then sealed in the juices by browning them on high heat. The pan should be so hot that you hear the steaks sizzle when they hear it.


The steaks were browned on both sides and then placed in a baking dish to finish off in the oven or grill. They have used low heat to keep the meat juicy and tender. How long the steak is cooked will depend upon the customer’s taste in meat. A truly rare enthusiast may like their steak straight from the pan. Me and my family prefers it well done and briefed the bar and grill waiter accordingly. So, it took almost half an hour for the steak to be served. Through my assumption they had cooked the meat on the medium-low setting (which would be around 5 or 200 in the UK and approximately 250 to 300 in the US).

And the Dessert

Finally, dessert. We preferred it to be kept simple. My son wanted chocolate fudge cake topped with chocolate ice cream and fresh blueberries and strawberries. In complete honesty, it looked better than it tasted. But then again that happens in every best steakhouse restaurant in Sydney too.

Easy Tips on How to Cook and Serve the Perfect Steak

When you are shopping buy the best quality cut of meat you can afford. Whether you like the modern recipes or steak on stone, you need to buy meat from a reputable butcher who you can trust to source the finest meat possible. You should become familiar with all the different types of steak available whether it is filet mignon, sirloin, ribeye or T-bone and now what to look for when making your purchase. A great steak should have a degree of marbling which is basically fat within the tissue of the meat. Do not buy bright red steak, the colour should be a darker red which indicates that the steak has matured correctly. The ideal thickness for a steak is 1'' - 1.5" which will ensure that the steak does not dry out during the cooking process.

As an avid steak lover, you might have visited the best steakhouses in Sydney but here are some easy tips on how to cook and serve the perfect steak at your home.

The Preparation: Only for Foodies

Let your steak reach room temperature before you start to cook it. Take the steak out of the refrigerator anything from 30 minutes to one hour prior to cooking. This will allow for the steak to cook as evenly as possible because the internal temperature will have been raised before exposing the outside surface to a hot pan. Lightly pat the steak with kitchen towel to ensure that it is completely dry, this will ensure that the steak grills and not steams. Additionally, do not salt the steak before cooking as this will induce moisture on its surface and it will be steamed.

The Magic Grill: Cooking Your Steaks

Using dry heat is probably the best way to cook a steak. It is wise to use a specially designed steak or ridged grill pan over a high heat. This will cause the outside of the steak to brown nicely and give it that distinctive flavour. Make sure that the pan is extremely hot before putting the steak into it, in fact the pan should be smoking a little bit. Cook the steaks on each side for 8 minutes for rare, 10 minutes for medium and 12 minutes for well done. Be aware that cooking times can vary depending on the thickness of your steak and how hot the pan is. These are general guidelines so you may need to experiment a little bit until you find how to cook the steak to your exact liking. Turn your steaks using tongs and give them a nudge now and again with the tongs to ensure they do not stick to the pan. Halfway through the cooking time per side turn your steaks trough 90 degrees, this will give nice diamond pattern grill marks. By following the above-mentioned guidelines, you can cook the perfect steak that will match the taste of professionally cooked stuff served by any steakhouse in Sydney.

Paradise on Your Plate: Serving Your Steaks

Once the steaks are cooked to your liking, whether that means nice and pink on the inside for rare or burnt to a crisp for the well-done faction, remove them from the pan and place on a plate and loosely cover with aluminium foil, the steaks will continue to cook on the inside. The majority of cooks ignore this very important part of the process. Let the steak rest for about five minutes prior to serving.

Best Steakhouse Restaurants Serves More Than Just Meat and Potatoes!

If you really want to enjoy your dining experience in a steakhouse then you must really know how a good steak tastes like. Yes, there are steakhouses all over, but if you really want to enjoy your food and have a memorable dining experience then you have to search for the best steakhouse restaurants in Sydney. It is not only about meat and potatoes. A special occasion calls for special celebration in the company of special people. So why don't you go to a steakhouse to celebrate any memorable experience or occasion.

Do some research on steak before trying it

To enjoy eating steak, you must know about the different types of steak that are made. Ideally a steak dinner consists of a cooked steak with a side dish. In a steakhouse, steaks are cooked in different ways. To be able to enjoy an ideal steak, first of all you must understand that the taste of steak differs greatly depending on the way steak is cooked. Also, you must try to find out what type of steak you best like to have.

There are certain common terms that are used to describe the steaks that are cooked in different temperature degrees. Some of the terms are rare, medium rare, raw, blue rare or very rare, well done, medium and medium well done. Once you find out what type of steak you like best to have, go to the steakhouse and ask them to make the steak just as you want to have it. All good steakhouses are capable of making different types of steak.

Look for reviews to collect the names of the worthy steakhouses in Sydney

Select the best steakhouse restaurants in Sydney to enjoy your steak. Yes, there are a quite number of references for a good steak house, and finding out the best from the lot can be quiet a difficult task. Word of mouth is a good way of going about it to find a good steakhouse. Only a genuine steak lover will be able to recognize and tell you where to find the best steak in town. So, if you know of anyone who loves eating steak, then you have found out the source for guiding you to the best steakhouse in your city.

The internet is another source for you to find out the right steakhouse for dining with your family for any special occasion. Look on the internet and you will find an immense amount of information on the classic bar and grill restaurants. Reading the customer testimonials is also a great way for you to find out about the best steakhouse in your locality.

Varieties of steaks that you may find

Beef steak is the most widely loved and eaten steak among the public. Some of the different types of beef steaks are flank steak, skirt steak, hanger steak, flat iron steak, Swiss steak, chuck steak, filet mignon, rump steak, rib steak and round steak.

Many steakhouses also have the provision of arranging Sunday parties and other private events and catering services for customers. So, if you want to book a steakhouse for celebrating any special event, just tell them well in advance about what things you want for the event. Almost all major steakhouses have the facility for hosting private parties for clients.

6 Elements To Focus On before Choosing The Right Corporate Catering Service In Sydney

Corporate caterers generally offer different services. Before choosing a corporate catering company it makes sense to address six important factors. Otherwise, the task of choosing the right catering company can be quite confusing and overwhelming.

Commercial caterers commonly offer various services. Before picking a corporate catering service in Sydney, it is important to consider six significant elements. Without these six elements, choosing the right caterer can get too confusing and overwhelming.

Fix your budget before picking your caterer

You should set out a fixed budget before hiring a business catering service provider. You also need to find out about its reputation by looking at the reviews and references online or personally (if available). The way they manage their overall service is something to look into as well.

How prepared are they during emergencies?

The ability to stay prepared and deliver proficient services during emergency situation is the hallmark of a good corporate catering service in Sydney or any other places in Australia. Choose the one you feel comfortable talking and negotiating with. Most importantly, the quality of food is an important thing to consider when choosing and negotiating a corporate caterer.

How willing are they to satisfy your needs?

If you are looking for a caterer that offers corporate lunch, it is important to pick one that is perfect from every angle. This means, the service properly understands and adapts to the specific requirements of the clients and are willing to go to greater lengths to maintain their standards of quality and service.

Expertise in serving varieties of food

A good professional corporate caterer should have the ability to provide your corporate house with a reliable service during events and other occasions too. The caterer should have something in their menu to satisfy every pallet including luxurious dishes, sandwiches or bespoke business lunches according to their needs.

Wide range of services to meet your needs

Handling private parties, weddings and corporate events require careful consideration. A catering company has to offer a wide range of services alongside serving foods only. Depending on the kind of celebration, a caterer has to prepare the food. A company that provides such services should demonstrate that it follows appropriate food storage practices. The company should also be subject to proper health inspection.  

They only recruit the best and train them well

A professional caterer only recruits the best personnel who are fully trained and have the right attitude and work ethics. All in all, a good corporate catering service in Sydney should be able to plan and strategise properly before coming to a proper solution regardless of how bad the situation is.