There was once a time when I did not appreciate the goodness of a great steak. I was THAT person who ordered fish and chips at a steakhouse and on the occasions where avoiding steak was not an option, I would request cooking to well-done... Thankfully this was years ago and not at all the case during a recent visit to award-winning steakhouse restaurant, The Cut. 

After great success in Sydney, the New York-style steakhouse has opened up shop in Melbourne, taking up residence in the The Alfred; a beautiful historic building. The charm of the venue carries through to the decor of the upstairs space and adds a premium feel to the overall dining experience.

The steak selection on their menu does not disappoint, featuring quite a range of cuts sourced from beef farmers across various regions and includes an exclusive and premium wagyu scotch fillet and flank steak from Seven Creeks in Victoria's Strathbogie Ranges. We were treated to four cuts on the evening of our visit:

• Seven Creeks Wagyu scotch fillet, MB 9+ full blood, Strathbogie Ranges, Victoria.

• Robbins Island Wagyu dry aged rump, MB 7+ full blood, Tasmania.

• Black Market Rangers inside skirt, MB 5+ 270 days grain-fed, New South Wales.

• Cape Grim sirloin, MB 4+ hand select, 36 month grain-fed, Tasmania.

The steaks were quite well cooked with all four cuts of steak cooked to medium rare (as they should be!) perfection, although the inconsistency of shape occasionally pushed the cooking of tail portions to medium for some cuts. Highlighting the quality of the beef farms, the steaks were bursting with natural flavour, contrasting beautifully with char delivered by the grilling process. Well worth its weight in gold (okay, gold might be a bit of a stretch but it doesn't come cheap either), the premium Seven Creeks Wagyu scotch fillet has a real leg up on the other cuts when it comes to its fuller flavour and super succulent texture. You know a steak cut is top notch when you're more than happy to eat it solo without any sauce or condiments. Accompanying sides included roasted mushrooms, buttermilk onion rings, a garden leaves salad, indulgent roasted bone marrow and hearty baby kipflers. 

On another note, the choose your own steak adventure does not stop with the steak selection. There's of course the usual condiments and sauces on offer but to our amusement, there's also the option of choosing your own steak knife!  

The menu also offers a selection of oysters, raw seafood delights and appetisers to complement your steak experience. Straight from the farm, the Hidden Cove (Tasmania) and Sydney Rock (Batesman Bay) oysters were sensationally fresh. The grilled calamari was also a crowd favourite; the silky rings of calamari were teamed with a creamy broccoli puree and spice-laden nduja and mussel blend, culminating in a tasty explosion of flavours. Our evening also ended on a high note with a great selection of cheeses (hold the blue...). 

With its gorgeous interior and some great quality steak cuts, the dining experience at The Cut Steakhouse is a cut above many other steak joints. 

The Cut Steakhouse

7 Alfred Place,

Melbourne, Victoria, 3000.

(03) 8658 3129

http://www.cutbarandgrill.com/melbourne/

Disclosure: I was invited to dine at the restaurant as a guest of The Cut Steakhouse. All opinions expressed in this post are based entirely on my experience and observations made during the time of my visit.