Steak & Co. on Soi Lengkee (updated May 29, 2015)

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

MM, another friend and I had dinner Thursday night at Steak & Co, a new steak house on Soi Lengkee, about halfway between Soi Bukhao ad 3rd Road.

To cut to the chase, we'd give the meal we had a 6 out of 10. We all had steak and in each case we got quality Australian beef cooked as we had ordered it. In terms of the "main event," the steak itself, the restaurant got it right, at least for me. However, some misses regarding starters, side dishes and service pulled the overall score down several notches.

Steak & Co. operates on the same premises as the fomer China Garden and has the same owner. According to what he has written elsewhere, the owner hopes to povide a "viable alternative" to Beefeater (Soi Diana), which he says is "widely accepted" as the "best steak house in Pattaya."Basically, he intends Steak & Co. to become the best steak house in town and that's the hypothetical standard against which it should be judged.

The positive news first: I thought the steak I got was good in terms of of the quality of the meat and the grilling. The 250-gram Australian sirloin for 595 baht had nice char stripes outside (which are important for flavor) and was a perfect medium rare inside.

That indicates to me that the grill surface was hot enough, the chef kept the steak on the grill the right amount of time and the steak was rested before serving. A major failing at a lot of restaurants in Thailand that serve steak is that the grill isn't set at a sufficiently high temperature to char the steak's surface quickly while leaving the inside pink and juicy.

 

 

However, the big miss was that the sauce for steak au poivre had been poured over part of my steak; I had ordered the sherry-blue cheese sauce which I understood would be served in a boat.

So not only did I get sauce poured on my steak when I wanted it on the side, it was the wrong sauce! This was brought to the chef's attention and he said my steak had left the kitchen as ordered, but one of the serving girls had added the sauce by mistake.

In reality, this wasn't a huge problem for me. A swipe or two of the my knife removed most of the unwanted sauce from the surface of the steak. However, for a restaurant that aspires to place among the best, it's a pretty serious miss. And there are certainly diners who are less easy-going than I am.

Some other points:

1) Stale generic French bread and a weird butter spread sure aren't going make a good first impression on the customer. Steak & Co.'s owner has responded to this complaint in a reply on another board, so no need go into detail about it. He has promised improvement.

2) my goat cheese and beetroot tart (240 baht) did not taste of goat cheese or beetroot.

The pastry was nice, the egg custard had a good consistency, but the flavor just wasn't there.

Perhaps the answer is simply to add more goat cheese?

It's certainly an attractive starter, but it should taste as good as it looks.

3) the chef brought us six sauces to taste. The sherry-blue cheese and steak au poivre sauces were good, the other four weren't. To me, those four tasted almost the same and way too salty. When I commented to the chef that some of the sauces were too salty, he answered that no salt had been added! If that's the case, then the only reason for the Dead-Sea taste would have to be the stock or demi-glace from which the sauce was made.

4) one of us ordered creamed spinach as his side and it was totally wrong. The spinach should have be blanched quickly, the excess water squeezed out and then chopped roughly before the ceam sauce is added. The spinach in the side your friend got hadn't been chopped, which made it very difficult to eat.

On the positive side, the restaurant is done up very well inside and out. The ventilation/cooling system functioned well even though the night was hot and humid. The furnishings/tableware were first-rate, which is always a nice touch. A small dish of sherbet (sorbet) was served to cleanse the palate between the stater and main course, also a very nice and highly professional touch.

Bottom line: Steak & Co. has the potential to challenge Beefeater at the upper end of the market, but it has to sort out some problems regarding its starters, sauces and service before it can considered a serious challenger.

Evil

Some other pics:

MM's crab and avocado starter:

A friend's Norwegian smoked salmon starter:

MM's 250-gram Australian rib eye with sherry-blue cheese sauce:

The grilled tomato and vegetables that came with our steaks:

Edited May 29, 2015 by Evil Penevil

[Bushcraft 2,581]

Good review, thanks for that. I'll try the place out soon, nothing there that can't be rectified and it looks good.

[short 215]

There is a bakery nearby. No reason for stale bread.

[jacko 8,815]

I had not realised that the China Garden was no more.

[yorta2 693]

Good review again. I certainly wondered what this place was like, after seeing what it was intended to be, and so, am very happy to visit there on my next trip. It won't be until after Anzac Day in April, as I am spending a week out in Sisakit in 2 weeks or so....

[short 215]

I had not realized that the China Garden was no more.

 

 

I had my doubts that a Brit trying to do Britishised Chinese food in Thailand would work out well.

 

The Asians wouldn't like it because it wasn't Authentic Chinese food.

 

The American's wouldn't like it because it wasn't a huge buffet of American food labeled to be Chinese the way its done in the USA.

 

And the Brits left England to get away from British food.

 

 

Glad to see that the owner was able to regroup with a new plan.

[jacko 8,815]

 

 

I had my doubts that a Brit trying to do Britishised Chinese food in Thailand would work out well.

 

Although the Wok and Rock is getting good reviews.

[MM 6,562]

I think that your review covers the experience quite well, Evil.

 

My ribeye, requested rare, was fine, although they did typically splash half of it with sauce, but at least, it was the sauce I had ordered (bleu cheese and wine).

 

Perhaps putting sauce on half is seen as a compromise for those who like their steaks covered in sauce and those who prefer to add their own. It doesnt work, and just puts off both camps.

 

The big disappointment for me was the creamed spinach though. I was really looking forward to that, but without cutting the spinach into small pieces, I got long strings of spinach that I had to wind around my fork to eat.

 

 

[MM 6,562]

The American's wouldn't like it because it wasn't a huge buffet of American food labeled to be Chinese the way its done in the USA.

That may be the way it's presented in the deep South and hillbilly country, but if you tried Chinese food in a metropolitan area with a large population of Chinese, such as San Francisco, you'd not say that.

 

San Francisco has a variety of Chinese food styles, Hunan, Szechuan, Cantonese to name a few, that provide a wide spectrum of choices.

[Patna 3,802]

 

 

The American's wouldn't like it

 

 

And I was crucified once for writing who's instead of whose....

[MM 6,562]

 

And the Brits left England to get away from British food.

 

 

Have you ever been to Pattaya? Maybe you didn't notice the huge number of English restaurants serving English food in the town?

 

Who do you think eats there mostly? The French?

[Nightrider 340]

Another good review Evil , those steaks looked tasty.........

[BigDUSA 71]

That may be the way it's presented in the deep South and hillbilly country, but if you tried Chinese food in a metropolitan area with a large population of Chinese, such as San Francisco, you'd not say that.

 

San Francisco has a variety of Chinese food styles, Hunan, Szechuan, Cantonese to name a few, that provide a wide spectrum of choices.

Same can be said for Philadelphia. We have a large population of Chinese and the food is varied and excellent.

[MM 6,562]

Yes, and New York, Los Angeles, and other metro areas.

[brotherbuzz 3,206]

Yes, and New York, Los Angeles, and other metro areas.

Heck, I've eaten great Chinese food in Salinas. Maybe add '3Slices' to his name............

[jacko 8,815]

That may be the way it's presented in the deep South and hillbilly country, but if you tried Chinese food in a metropolitan area with a large population of Chinese, such as San Francisco, you'd not say that.

 

San Francisco has a variety of Chinese food styles, Hunan, Szechuan, Cantonese to name a few, that provide a wide spectrum of choices.

San Francisco is rather special in the USA wrt Chinese food.

As is the variety in NYC.

But I have tried it in many other cities, Houston, Phoenix, Rochester, Pittsburgh, Orlando (are they deep south Hillbilly places?), and they were often huge buffets of rather unhealthy fare. Actually mostly my fault for stopping at that particular style of place on the main St heading back late from work, having skipped lunch!

I just scrubbed Philly from my list though!

Edited August 24, 2014 by jacko

[VPI78 11,516]

San Francisco is rather special in the USA wrt Chinese food.

As is the variety in NYC.

But I have tried it in many other cities, Houston, Phoenix, Rochester, Pittsburgh, Orlando (are they deep south Hillbilly places?), and they were often huge buffets of rather unhealthy fare. Actually mostly my fault for stopping at that particular style of place on the main St heading back late from work, having skipped lunch!

I just scrubbed Philly from my list though!

 

It can be that way in many/most US cities, i.e., it is sometimes described as the BMI Buffet Syndrome.

 

These days we are fortunate to have a wealth of authentic, i.e., not just Chinese buffet places in drag, Vietnamese restaurants in the US Gulf Coast region. I imagine it is one of the effects/consequences of the Vietnam era. Regardless, it is a welcome option to BBQ, Mexican ... or Chinese.

[Dungheap 243]

I think that your review covers the experience quite well, Evil.

 

My ribeye, requested rare, was fine, although they did typically splash half of it with sauce, but at least, it was the sauce I had ordered (bleu cheese and wine).

 

Perhaps putting sauce on half is seen as a compromise for those who like their steaks covered in sauce and those who prefer to add their own. It doesnt work, and just puts off both camps.

 

 

 

 

 

Best solution with the sauce, IMHO, is to serve it seperate so the diner can chose how much or little they want to use.

 

Good review Evil. The place looks like it has potential.

[aussiechic 209]

You guys wouldn't like steak severed in Australian you either have it smothered in sauce/gravy or none. Next time I go to the club on T bone Tuesday ($12.95) I will ask for the sauce on the side and then listen to the noise while they look for something to put it in.

[jacko 8,815]

You guys wouldn't like steak severed in Australian you either have it smothered in sauce/gravy or none. Next time I go to the club on T bone Tuesday ($12.95) I will ask for the sauce on the side and then listen to the noise while they look for something to put it in.

A beer mug perhaps, nobody drinks beer any more at restaurants.

[VPI78 11,516]

You guys wouldn't like steak severed in Australian you either have it smothered in sauce/gravy or none. Next time I go to the club on T bone Tuesday ($12.95) I will ask for the sauce on the side and then listen to the noise while they look for something to put it in.

 

Sounds a bit extreme ... almost jihadist.

[Patna 3,802]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Patna 3,802]

 

 

 

 

 

[MM 6,562]

Patna, it seems they took one of our comments to heart and put in real butter (or margarine..can't really tell) rather than the strange whipped concoctions they were putting out when we went there.

Also, no sauce on the steak....and no mixed up sauces either. Improvements are already happening

 

[Patna 3,802]

Patna, it seems they took one of our comments to heart and put in real butter (or margarine..can't really tell) rather than the strange whipped concoctions they were putting out when we went there.

Also, no sauce on the steak....and no mixed up sauces either. Improvements are already happening

 

 

 

Seems like they're very keen on listening to the crowd. Also the staff is so eager to please you, I wonder if they introduced penalties in case someone fucks up .Everything was stellar - well, except for the butter. It just doesn't taste that good. I don't care for the salty or not issue, though.

 

"OK, I finally made it today, arrived little after 18:00 to beat the dinner crowd, sadly there was no crowd to beat, however a fair number of customers showed up by 19:00 but far from full house. Low season, I guess but as more people will be aware of the place, the numbers will improve. I decided to sit outside despite the heat, I like to watch the street, since I was alone. I ordered the smoked salmon starter and the rib-eye steak (medium rare) with peppercorn sauce and baked potato and a half carafe of red house wine. The staff is very attentive, refreshing to see this being in Thailand.

The smoked salmon starter - delicious, as expected, nothing wrong with the dill sauce, a little rich for my taste but I took care of that with a drop of lemon and some balsamic vinegar. In fact I could use some more fresh dill in the sauce but some people would surely protest that. Smoked salmon could be eaten alone with some bread an butter and capers, if you don't like dill, just don't touch it. There's a little cut onion/tomato on the side - a perfect combination.

Gerry came out to greet me, then Ian and finally Yuri, all great guys, eager to hear what you have to say about the place. I am in heaven but my steak didn't come yet and I haven't had a good steak in a very long time.

Smoked salmon is asking for dry champagne but let's not get carried away - I ordered red wine for the steak that was coming just as my stomach started to settle, the timing was perfect. The house wine is excellent considering the price/value aspect. The bodegas cabernet merlot is no mouton-rothschild but an excellent wine for the price, in fact a bargain at 400/half liter.

My steak has arrived, baked potato and sauce on the side. I am not a great fan of steak sauce for it tends to take away the taste but each to his own. I have friends who drown their steak in sauce - it's good to have a choice. It is a good sauce, so I pour some on my potato while looking around if anyone sees me, being a pig.

The steak is simply the best I've had in a very long time. Tender, pink in the inside and nicely charred on the outside, just as I like it. The meat practically melts in your mouth and I feel like a fucking pervert - which I am but in a totally different context. I didn't eat all day, because there's no other way I can have both a starter and a steak dish at the same time. Still, there's no room for dessert so I order an espresso as a perfect way to end this dining experience. Will be back."