€42 sirloin steak, Rathgar, Dublin

[u/enter_the_wu]

€42 “9oz” black Angus sirloin, caramelised onions, pepper sauce. Spuds and sprouts not included. I appreciate restaurants are struggling at the moment, but Jesus Christ. Would you be happy paying that amount for this plate of food?

[u/JohnHammond94]

At least if you were mugged you could report it

[u/Spirited_Worker_5722 → u/JohnHammond94]

And they wouldn't do anything about it

[u/ParpSausage]

Oh look you got two wedges!

[u/StellarManatee → u/ParpSausage]

I'm finding this the most infuriating thing about this photo. (Well that and the bowl of soup it's being served in).

Why so laughably scabby? Four or five wedges would be considered fancy restaurant scabby but this is ostentatiously daring you to complain

[u/FantasticMrsFoxbox → u/ParpSausage]

I think OP had to pay seperately for them 👀 and the sprouts

[u/Sharp-Class-551 → u/ParpSausage]

Theres clearly a side of potatoes. The chefs hardly going to lob two on the side of a plate. Maybe some mug that hasnt a clue might tho!

[u/crc_73 → u/ParpSausage]

More spud in a packet of Taytos.

[u/TheChrisD]

uh, where's the rest of the meat?

[u/chipsambos → u/TheChrisD]

The waiter asked "how did you find the steak? " op replied "I just moved a chip and there it was"

[u/DonaldsMushroom → u/chipsambos]

ladies and gentlemen....Fozzie Bear!

[u/EnviousMeasle → u/DonaldsMushroom]

Wokka wokka

[u/jailtheorange1 → u/chipsambos]

It’s almost “the” chip…

[u/Bogeydope1989 → u/TheChrisD]

That does not look worth the money.

[u/Garlic-Cheese-Chips → u/TheChrisD]

Hiding under the grass?

[u/CrazySlinkie → u/Garlic-Cheese-Chips]

It's probably waiting to eat the grass and grow up into a proper steak.

[u/KnittingKitty → u/Garlic-Cheese-Chips]

My husband calls those weeds.

[u/Longjumping_Test_760 → u/KnittingKitty]

Your husband is a wise man. I really don’t like cold leaves with my hot food. At least serve me some hot veg.

[u/FlyOut1982 → u/TheChrisD]

Wheres the rest of everything as well

[u/enter_the_wu → u/TheChrisD]

No way that’s a 9oz steak, right???

[u/Dry_Bed_3704 → u/enter_the_wu]

The weight is before its cooked, if that helps at all.

But it looks like you have steak pieces and a salad in a bowl of soup, which is off putting

[u/TomTabs → u/enter_the_wu]

Whatever about how much of it is there. €42 is crazy for a 9oz sirloin!

[u/tuscangal → u/enter_the_wu]

This is definitely not 9oz. wtf

[u/OneMagicBadger → u/enter_the_wu]

That's about 7.50 in Tesco

[u/Wild_west_1984 → u/OneMagicBadger]

Tesco beef is shite but I still get your point

[u/dannygloverslover → u/Wild_west_1984]

Yeah, from those notoriously subpar Tesco cows

[u/Pale_Eggplant_5484 → u/OneMagicBadger]

Not a chance would that be 7.50 way less I think you will find

[u/ImposterSyndromeNope → u/Pale_Eggplant_5484]

As a butcher that’s around €5 retail price, remember restaurants are not paying retail price.

[u/howsitgoingboy → u/Pale_Eggplant_5484]

And if you're a restaurant buying the stuff in bulk, you're not paying Tesco or Larry for it, you're buying it from a farmer/slaughter collective.

I'd say 3 quid.

[u/MrFnRayner → u/howsitgoingboy]

You're right, restaurants don't pay what we do in Tesco.

When cooking at home you also don't have to pay 3 or 4 chefs, a kitchen porter, 3 or 4 wait staff, 2 bar staff, cleaning staff, public liability insurance, businesses insurance, maintenance fees, rent or mortgage on a building, the huge amounts they pay on bills etc etc.

Sure, you can make it yourself for probably about a tenner, and I'd generally implore you do (restauranteurs are obnoxious and profiteering assholes mostly) but to compare making it yourself to all the other expenses that restaurants do is rubbish.

Would you expect a caterer to cater a party for you for the cost of ingredients?

[u/Longjumping_Test_760 → u/MrFnRayner]

What you say is true. Also a decent steak in €10-15 in a good butcher. Always ask for the gravy or sauce on the side in a restaurant so you can see and taste the quality of the meat without it being smothered in sauce

[u/Rulmeq → u/Longjumping_Test_760]

Honestly a good steak doesn't even need sauce

[u/Longjumping_Test_760 → u/Rulmeq]

Very true.

[u/howsitgoingboy → u/MrFnRayner]

No, not at all.

Obviously people need to be paid, I've no problem there.

But if a steak is going to cost 42 euro, it should look a lot better than that, that looks like sick on a plate.

When you let that steak out to a customer you put your business at risk to be honest.

[u/MrFnRayner → u/howsitgoingboy]

I agree with that, as an ex chef I don't think this looks great at all for the price.

My argument isn't about that, it's the cost argument. The "well a steak in Tesco is a fiver", completely ignoring the lack of other overheads that are included with running a business.

Dining out isn't a value proposition in a direct money sense. You pay a premium to be served instead of cooking it yourself, and hoping that the chef cooking your food does a better job of it than you would.

[u/howsitgoingboy → u/MrFnRayner]

Do you have any issues with the portion sizes?

Like let's say that had more potato, and the salad was pine nuts/pesto/rocket/parmesan, at least then you're in the "rustic" area.

I'm just saying, it's not hard to produce better food than that, and for 42 euro I'd be complaining about it to the chef.

[u/MrFnRayner → u/howsitgoingboy]

Again I agree. If I paid €42 and that was what I was given with an extra €6.50 per side I'd have just got up and walked off.

[u/LordyIHopeThereIsPie → u/OneMagicBadger]

Buy 2 fillet steaks in Aldi for a tenner regularly.

[u/sheehonip → u/TheChrisD]

And potatoes

[u/Misodoho]

Orwell road? I got the steak there & felt shortchanged. Was very nice, but I would have liked the other half of the steak.

[u/SnooBooks348]

Where's the rest of the meat or potatoes, id be fuming paying 42 EUR for that. Call the Guards, the guards are to be called

[u/craictime → u/[deleted]]

You're paying for the experience as opposed to the food. The michelin boys put a lot of hard work into their craft. Hours spent perfecting a dish  making a sauce, slow cooking a garnish. 

[u/MooseTheorem → u/craictime]

You’re not wrong in fairness - mate of mine worked in Glovers Alley and the attention to detail they have to pay is insane; the studying he did alone was nuts for the wines they served. He loved it now don’t get me wrong, but it’s an entirely different level of service from staff working in a regular spot

[u/Additional_Olive3318 → u/craictime]

Steaks are the easiest dish to cook though. 

[u/craictime → u/Additional_Olive3318]

What about everything else 

[u/Additional_Olive3318 → u/craictime]

Well I was talking about this meal, not Michelin in general, if that was ambiguous. Yes the Michelin skills can be amazing. 

[u/craictime → u/Additional_Olive3318]

One steak is easy to cook. What about multiple steaks and multiple cuts along with chicken and fish and all the garnishes. Then do it 10hours in a hot, loud kitchen with multiple timings. People really don't appreciate what a chef goes through. Steak is easy.. cmon. 

[u/endmost_ → u/[deleted]]

You're right, but what's pictured here is still very bad for that price. I've had much, much better steaks than that wide a side dish for €30 or less.

[u/Backrow6 → u/endmost_]

I got striploin two weeks ago in Bon Appetit, it was €28 for 9oz, another €5.50 for chips and it was one of the best steaks I've ever had. 

OP's dish is muck. The chef that threw a generic mixed leaf salad into a puddle of peppercorn sauce has lost all interest in their trade.

As a general rule I try to avoid buying steak in restaurants, it's the hardest meal to add value to, in terms of the extra flavour and texture that a chef can add to an already expensive ingredient, if you're anyway competent in the kitchen you can cook restaurant quality steak at home with very little effort. It only pays off when you go to an exceptionally good restaurant with a reputation for good steak.

[u/BRT1284 → u/[deleted]]

This is 100%. I've eaten in may a Michelin and you pay for the experience but you always cone out super full too. What was presented above was just pure robbery

[u/marshsmellow → u/[deleted]]

This is an expensive restaurant alright, but it ain't fine dining. 

[u/EconomyCauliflower43 → u/[deleted]]

Doesn't even look quality, roasted unpeeled potato, supermarket salad pack style salad, couple of large charred sprouts, all basic home cooking.

[u/enter_the_wu]

Orwell Road restaurant for those wondering

[u/maevewiley554 → u/enter_the_wu]

No harm in putting the name in the post. That’s ridiculous paying that amount and there’s barely anything on the plate

[u/splashbodge → u/maevewiley554]

I'm glad to see some name and shaming here, too often we see a post like this and the OP doesn't want to say where it was. This is ridiculously overpriced.

[u/im_on_the_case → u/enter_the_wu]

Looked it up. Muppets posting pictures of similar sized dishes with 5 star reviews. Based on such feedback, the owners probably think they are doing a generous deal.

[u/Kloppite16 → u/[deleted]]

yeah its Rathgar like where houses cost €2m. €42 is like 20 minutes salary to many of those people living there.

[u/The-Florentine → u/im_on_the_case]

Because for some people Quality > Quantity. Insane I know.

[u/SalaciousDrivel → u/The-Florentine]

I can appreciate quality over quantity but you can tell this dish is not quality.

Drowning in one thin sauce with little else of flavour and terrible plating.

It's just mediocre cooking with pretensions

[u/Captain_Blueberry → u/The-Florentine]

OP got neither here. Insane, I know.

[u/Fardays]

Wait…did they cut your steak?

[u/enter_the_wu → u/Fardays]

Yep

[u/LooseElbowSkin → u/enter_the_wu]

To hide how small it was.

[u/seanc6441 → u/enter_the_wu]

And two wedges? Lmao

[u/Rulmeq → u/enter_the_wu]

So how cold was it by the time you got to the last slice?

[u/random-throwaway_ire → u/Fardays]

The chef gets one half and the customer gets the other by the looks of it

[u/niekados]

The ramen looks great, but pricy though…

[u/Dreenar18]

I mean even if they were included it'd still be ridiculous but FUCKING SPUDS AND SPROUTS NOT INCLUDED? the fuck?

[u/mugsymugsymugsy]

That's fucking shite. Paid 19 euro for a steak ciabatta style sandwich and chips in navan. Not cheap but it was decent and service was good too.

[u/Anongad → u/mugsymugsymugsy]

Where was it I know of a few good places in Navan this could be

[u/mugsymugsymugsy → u/Anongad]

Room8. Good spot for lunch. Just annoying floor / seat layout.

[u/Kingbotterson → u/mugsymugsymugsy]

Yeah but then you've to go to Navan.

[u/mugsymugsymugsy → u/Kingbotterson]

When you live up this way navan is like a metropolis!

[u/midland05]

When’s the bubble going to burst

[u/nyepo → u/midland05]

As long as people like OP keep eating at restaurants at these prices, never

[u/ItIsAboutABicycle]

For that price I presume the restauranteur then calls over to your place and cuts the grass, washes the car, walks the dog?

[u/hesaidshesdead]

Is that half a potato?

[u/enter_the_wu → u/hesaidshesdead]

The spuds were € extra!

[u/Comfortable-Yam9013 → u/enter_the_wu]

And that’s all you got? Two wedges???

[u/enter_the_wu → u/Comfortable-Yam9013]

Nah there was a side dish of roasted potatoes €6.5

[u/Comfortable-Yam9013 → u/enter_the_wu]

Still 6.50 for potato’s! That’s ridiculous

[u/up_the_dubs → u/hesaidshesdead]

Is it the pot or the ato?

[u/Zur__En__Arrh]

If that’s a 9oz steak, then I’m the holy father.

[u/999ddd999 → u/Zur__En__Arrh]

Forgive them father…

[u/Bonoisapox]

Did you ask for the soup or did it come free ?

[u/skuldintape_eire]

Salad and pepper sauce, that's weird to others too right?

Also that plate is shocking value.

[u/TomRuse1997 → u/skuldintape_eire]

Pepper sauce goes on fucking everything I'd argue.

[u/TomRuse1997 → u/[deleted]]

Aw yeah, I'm not here to defend the dish, just pepper sauce

[u/Sweaty_Survey_7499 → u/skuldintape_eire]

The watery sauce and lettuce really bothers me

[u/bear17876]

Is there more under the leaves or?

[u/enter_the_wu → u/bear17876]

Nope

[u/Important_Farmer924]

Restaurants wonder why they're folding in droves.

[u/SimonMate → u/Important_Farmer924]

This place definitely has a poster asking for the 9% VAT rate back somewhere

[u/Important_Farmer924 → u/SimonMate]

Not even afraid of coming across like a massive bogger but that's not 42 quid worth of a steak, and spuds and veg being extra is a piss take.

[u/ItsTyrrellsAlt]

Looks shite for the money. I would say that the presentation is on par with the lunch I used to get in DIT Bolton Street.

[u/GhostOfKev]

Regardless of value, what a weird way to plate it

[u/Ok-Reference-1227]

Please tell me they didn't serve it to you cut up like a mother would to their child. It looks dry as fuck on the inside which means they probably stuck it in the oven after being in the pan. It actually gets worse the longer you look at it.

The rocket and wedges 😭 you have to stick that on their Google reviews.

[u/caitnicrun → u/Ok-Reference-1227]

If it's precut as you say, I wonder if it's even the full steak. Like, how would you know? Then they can collect the other slicings and basically charge another 40 euro for them as a "steak".

[u/Ok-Reference-1227 → u/caitnicrun]

There is only two reasons it would be served like that, and zero reasons it should have left the kitchen.

Its to mask the fact that the steak isn't 9onces which probably means it's a cheap cut that shrunk significantly during cooking, 

or;

It was cut into to ensure it was cooked, which it wasn't, so they stuck it in the oven/microwave to finish cooking it and cut up the rest of it to make it look deliberate.

[u/caitnicrun → u/Ok-Reference-1227]

Ever read George Orwell's "down and out in Paris"?  He goes into many reasons the food at expensive restaurants is overpriced or outright terrible.  Almost a hundred years later they're still at it.

[u/marshsmellow → u/caitnicrun]

Which is apt as this was Orwell road. Absolutely amazing book BTW. That, the Road to Wigan Pier and Homage to Catalonia are amazing memoirs. 

[u/Anbhas95 → u/Ok-Reference-1227]

Dry as fuck which is why it's literally swimming in a sauce. It's a tactic restaurants use to cover up the use of a bad quality steak. Which is why you'd never see this in a steakhouse.

I usually just eat what I'm given in a restaurant but for 40 quid, I'm sending that back

[u/shanavajahzbsbsv]

Least they could do is not take a big shit on it

[u/BRT1284]

Live in Stockholm (which is a lot more expensive then home) and even by Swedish standards, you got fucked

[u/DaemonCRO]

This is why I am not eating out anymore. I get the problem, but with these prices I don’t see the value.

I am not a cheap guy. I will pay 100€ for a meal. But then I have to feel like I am getting 100€ of value back. The restaurants are taking the piss now, and are serving food that is nowhere that value.

[u/StoreVegetable4294]

Ahhhhh Bisto

[u/PoppedCork]

what is it gold flaked gravy?

[u/appletart → u/PoppedCork]

I'm a qualified chef and I'm still trying to figure it out - it looks like the skim off a greasy stock!

[u/AShaughRighting]

Why is it drowned in yuck?

[u/craictime]

Chef here, a 9oz steak with that garnish, yeah, it's too much. I charge 36.50 for a 10oz sirloin, potato, pepper sauce, tomato, watercress. 

[u/Ok-Brick-4192]

There is like €10 worth of ingredients on that plate.

[u/hesaidshesdead → u/Ok-Brick-4192]

It was cooked in a fancy pan though.

[u/up_the_dubs → u/hesaidshesdead]

The chef once shifted a french exchange student as well.

[u/DaemonCRO → u/up_the_dubs]

She was half French. Father was Moroccan.

[u/Dreenar18 → u/hesaidshesdead]

In an area with a massive ego too.

[u/AcrobaticNot → u/Ok-Brick-4192]

More like €4, sirloin is dirt cheap.

[u/Safe_Understanding86 → u/AcrobaticNot]

Pure ingredients is less then 4 € there

[u/ScrewLews]

On to McDonalds after to fill up I guess? Oh wait that's not far of that price these days lol.

[u/Comfortable-Yam9013]

Spuds not included is bullshit. How much is a fucking potato??

[u/bobbyperu1971]

I’m sure that’s about 5oz of meat on the plate. They cut it up and spread it out to give the illusion of more. So is a favour and name the place for Gods sake

[u/Kbanana]

Name and shame OP

[u/[deleted]]

Did you do this to the plate or did it arrive like that?

[u/enter_the_wu → u/[deleted]]

The sauce? Arrived like that

[u/Reddot_186]

And two chips.....

[u/Ironmeister]

A fool and their money are soon parted - but in Ireland it occurs 400% quicker......

[u/tovarish22]

It appears they’ve replaced most of of your steak with things that steak eats.

[u/Finsceal]

This is that new Orwell Road place, right? I knew there was a reason they didn't post prices on their site.

[u/Jumpy_Emu1111]

I don't want my steak cut for me 🥩

[u/pipper99]

That is a lot of rocket and a lot of money for a sirloin. At least€10 over what i would expect at the high end and wouldn't be happy to receive that.

[u/[deleted]]

42 euro for half a plate of food, and half a plate of dish water looking ass sauce

[u/Xamineh]

Dublin is a shitshow nowadays in regards to eating out. Very expensive and mostly mediocre at best.

[u/willywonkaschoc]

What’s with the fucking soup!!

[u/1stltwill]

Was the dog poo extra ?

[u/TheStoicNihilist]

I’d expect to be properly fed for €42 not just have my gullet tickled.

[u/KieranDenieffe]

Looks lovely

[u/DelGurifisu]

Which restaurant ffs?

[u/Bandicoot-Ordinary]

The mark up on steak is fucking mental

[u/DribblingGiraffe]

It looks like they drowned the plate in pepper sauce too

[u/Apprehensive_Bat_980]

Fancy leaves

[u/Zulob]

Its a small plate thats 2 thirds aldi bag of mixed leaves and peppercorn sauce.

[u/Ok_Resolution9737]

Rathgar Prices maybe? Change your post code and you might get the rest of the potato

[u/amanzi999]

See this in ireland glorified roast beef dinner dressed as a steak.

[u/Etxegaragar]

Did they chew a bit of it up for you?

[u/Ill_Pair6338]

It does look well cooked, I would be annoyed if I ordered a steak and got steak strips that didn't constitute a full steak.

[u/ChefCobra]

Was a Chef for 17 years back in the day. Cutting up steak was always bullshit and I bet a slice or two went to "Chef".

It's cooked really good though.

[u/itsfeckingfreezin]

That’s nowhere near 9oz

[u/Pale_Eggplant_5484]

If you pay it…

[u/Professional_Elk_489]

Ripped. I'd pay more but for a decent fx Buckley I'd be happy about

[u/Mrs_Heff]

This is why I gave up eating out, other than cafés.

[u/malavock82]

No thanks I can cook it better at home and pay at most 1/5 of the price

[u/elfy4eva]

Jaysus at 42 for a bit of sirloin is very steep. They're trying and failing at a gourmet presentation here. I daresay you'd have got a better steak, portion and value in a pub and thrown in a couple of pints on top for that money.

[u/howsitgoingboy]

I see half a potato, 220gms of steak, two Brussel sprouts and 1/4 bag of mixed leaf salad there.

With a runny sauce.

Probably €7 in produce there, if we're being generous.

[u/94727204038]

How much is 9oz in g? Are they using oz to bamboozle us?

[u/batch-91]

They gave you 2 sprouts to make up for the lack of meat. Seems fair.

[u/Indiego672]

Ok the 2 chips are just them fucking with you

[u/missrubytuesday]

What's it swimming in?! Very unapatising 🤢

[u/harrrru]

Of all the places i've lived in in Europe, the restaurant scene in Dublin is the shittest. Always overpriced, almost always underwhelming.

[u/elsaqo]

Even by American standards that’s insane

[u/JigenMamo]

You got fleeced.

Welcome to modern restaurant food. There's absolutely no difference in the quality of what's being served vs what you can buy in tesco but you're still paying a 500% markup per plate.

System is fucked. Thank the greedy owners and suppliers for normalizing this insane business model.

[u/HenryF00L]

Looks like a bowl of soup, the presentation is diabolical.

[u/Ok_Personality_9662]

42 euros is nothing compared to the time wasted looking forward to it, and subsequently regretting everything

[u/MTCPodcast]

Why did they serve it in a swamp?

[u/ceybriar]

That is a crime.

[u/Outrageous_Echo_8723]

Nope.

[u/dmgvdg]

Did you know how much it cost before ordering it?

[u/IshotJR6969]

Did they cut it for you? And had the audacity to provide you with a quarter of a potato? Better servings were got during the famine

[u/BenderRodriguez14]

Only about an 800-900% mark up. 

[u/ReluctantWorker]

Steak restaurant CEOs better watch their backs

[u/paul128712]

Did the restaurant place the leaves in the pepper sauce?

[u/Free_Individual_420]

That's 60% peppered sauce.

[u/Agile_Rent_3568]

"LESS is MORE" - the (George) Orwell Restaurant, est. 1984

[u/Odd_Mulberry1660]

Comes with soup by the looks of it.

[u/cyberwicklow]

Did they cut it for you too? Name and shame that restaurant, that's brutal.

[u/irishplonker]

2 wedges

[u/insomnium2020]

Bastards

[u/ConorPMc]

Never mind the portion size, that looks absolutely awful.

[u/No-Tax3156]

“999 what’s your emergency?” “I need to report a robbery in Rathgar,Dublin!”

[u/apocolypselater]

The 9oz includes the plate

[u/WoollenMills]

Presentation is pretty bad

[u/oscarsowner]

Hope the steak learned how to swim …

[u/zascar]

I live in Dubai. The other day I had an unbelievable steak, sitting on a beach on the Palm Islands, it cost €24. And I pay no tax. What happened in Ireland?

[u/dancecatz76]

They could have at least cooked it for that,

[u/Thebag2787]

Did they shite all over the steak as well 👀💩😂

[u/eightinthecorner]

The dog that crapped on the meat should see a vet too

[u/LoudCommunication877]

Dublin sap tax. I wonder was the nonce from lovindublin near you smelling his own farts.

[u/Various_Alfalfa_1078]

I got 2 sirloin steaks in Aldi for €5.99. Delicious.

[u/Dangerous-Shirt-7384]

Looks great but thats about 6oz of beef, and anything over €30 is outrageous for a sirloin. Exception being a dry aged steak.

Usually restaurants have the sirloin at 10/12oz then the Ribeye will be 9/10oz and the Filet will be 7/8oz.

[u/WillieWasher1]

You could feed that to a vegetarian and they wouldn't cop it.

No disrespect to vegetarians intended.

[u/Virtual-Silver4369]

Looks like you were charged for how much it cost to house and feed that cow before it was slaughtered, in my opinion it should be double that.

[u/bulluckthebadass]

Bijou?

[u/Odd-Internal-3983]

And the hospitality sector is asking for a tax cut.

[u/GeeBeePeePee]

F**k me, that's an obscene price for what's on that plate.

[u/One-Ad7456]

Why is the turf surfing in gravy?