Did the cut make the cut?
Being an anthropologist is a right piece of piss. I had a look, and they estimate that humans have been cooking meat over fire for somewhere between one and two million years. Good effort, but what do you do for an encore?
Regardless, the estimate is a blooming long time ago, so we should have nailed cooking the perfect steak by now. And yet, it’s still the subject of much debate: the heat of the pan, the searing, the seasoning, the resting. Like a runny poached egg or fluffy rice, it sounds simple, but takes some skill to get it right consistently.
Thankfully, new kid on the block Son of Steak are debunking the whole thing. Great cuts of beef, cooked simply, and you choose from a selection of extremely steak-worthy sides. They’ve invested in a Josper oven, which is the daddy of catering-grade, charcoal-fired cooking, meaning the steaks get lovely and charred on the outside, leaving the inside as you like it.
We chose the Lomito cut, served medium rare. Heralded as one of the best cuts in Argentina, it’s essentially the rump end of the tenderloin, so perfect for steak on the rarer side of life as it’s lean with not much marbling. Served on a slate, with that elusive caramelised crust and cut a few times across the grain, it looks great and tastes awesome.
Our side selections were strong (all £2.25, or two for £3). The crispy onion loaf was fluffy and similar to an onion bhaji; the house slaw was vibrant and light; then there was the dressed avocado salad, and a lovely bucket of hand-cut chips to share. Our sauce selection was equally powerful (all £1) with truffle-infused mustard, and the most amazing beef dripping gravy, perfect for dunking chips into and, while somewhat uncouth, drinking directly from the ramekin. Some people have no shame.
We also sampled the pulled-chicken boa bun (£6.95), the Taiwanese snack that’s been popularised over the last few years by the proliferation of street food. The bun is almost pure white and softer than a Gucci pillow, overflowing with moist chicken, crispy vegetables, red chilli and sweet Japanese Yakiniku sauce.
We washed everything down with house mojitos (four for £20), arriving at the table in a wooden cradle, garnished with a big sprig of mint and fresh lime.
It’s a relaxed vibe with obligatory vintage light bulbs and a semi-industrial feel, and the food comes out pretty quickly, so perfect for a pre-theatre session, or pre-cinema session, or pre-whatever-you-like-to-do-with-the-rest-of-your-evening session.
Trinity Square, Nottingham, NG1 4BJ. 0115 959 9585
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