No Missed Steaks!

FIRE Restaurant at W Bali - Seminyak | October 2018

It might not be as trendy as in the past, but meat has long been considered man’s fuel. Tartare, roasted or barbecued thick and juicy steaks, all washed down with a glass of red wine or a cold lager. But now there's more nicety when it comes to choosing a steak.

Tooot Toooot Tooooot! Warning warning warning! Before continuing, please be aware this Foodie’s Note might not be suitable for non-meat eater. Now, you’ve been warned out, so up to you to read further… or not.


Fire's Balinese Kecak inspired interior

So! Choosing a steak, I was saying. Some like it as soft as butter, others with a denser texture, with crispy fat or devoid of it, rare, medium-rare or medium, beyond will be a crime... stick to chicken then! Before, ordering a steak was simple. Tenderloin or sirloin for instance. Now, more and more, we see dry-aged beef on menus, be it for steaks or burgers. What is dry-aged? Does it really make a difference in the matter of taste and texture? As the cost is generally higher, is it really worth it?

The secret of great steaks is that chefs not only purchase top-quality meat; they also have it dry-aged specifically to their specs. The process is quite simple. The beef, either carcasses, primal or sub-primal cuts are hung or placed on a rack, without protective packaging, in a temperature-controlled room between 1-3°C, with a humidity level of 50-60%, for 20 to 30 days, sometimes even longer, where the moisture in the meat is allowed to escape. The evaporation shrinks the meat, fortifies the flavours and tenderize the beef. Furthermore, the proteins and fats go through a transformation as well. The outcome is a splendid marbling steak with a magnificent rich flavour and a buttery texture. For the neophyte, the marbling is that webbing of creamy white fat that riddles a cut of beef, and which gives it a spectacular tenderness, juiciness and richness. Although dry ageing provides a unique flavour that no other ageing method can achieve, it results in loss of yield from shrinkage and excessive trim, which explain the higher price I guess.


The "Meat Sommelier" will tell you everything you need to know

Welcome Drink

When it comes to a wide selection of steak, FIRE Restaurant at W Bali-Seminyak, is a reference. Eight singular cuts, aged minimum 21 days in their meat cellar and grilled expertly by Chef Rangga’s specially trained brigade. Presented at your table on a wooden board by a “meat sommelier” as they call it here, explaining each cut, its origin, ageing period and helping select the grail, according to diner’s taste and desire of the moment. Whether is the heady fragrances of the Fire Signature Whiskey Dry Aged Australian Black Angus Tomahawk (dry aged with Jack Daniels Whiskey for 45 days), the Argentinian Rioplatense Grass Fed Aberdeen Black Angus, or also from Australia, the Kiwami Pure Bred Wagyu Striploin with an amazing 9+ marbling (the highest grade by AUS-MEAT), for meat-eater, impossible not to find happiness.


Lightly Cured Hamachi & Javanese Prawn Salad

Organic Quinoa and Vegetable Salad

But don’t worry, there is more than dry-aged beef on the menu. For a refreshing start, ceviche’s fans will love the Lightly Cured Hamachi & Javanese Prawn Salad with Wild Fennel Panna Cotta, Tobiko, Tangerine & Yuzu, sets in a smoking glass recipient. Dig deep in the glass for a complete taster as the fennel adds a fascinating anise flavour to the acidity of the Yuzu. Before your carnivore side takes over, the Organic Quinoa and Vegetable Salad will balance well your meal, or might be just enough for a light lunch. The wood oven roasted vegetables offer a subtle smoky essence while the pumpkin seeds add a rich flavour, crisp texture and nutritional punch to it. On the extreme, the Fire Signature Butchers Board for 2 should calm down your meat crave. Iberico Jamon, Foie Gras Mousse, Pork Terrine, Duck Prosciutto, Wagyu Jerky, Beef Marmalade, served with House Pickles, Tarragon Mustard, Grilled Bread and Crackers. More would be debauchery!


Choose your blade from the amazing knife collection

21-day Dry Aged Homestead Grass Fed Rib Eye Steak

Before the steaks are served, you’ll be presented with a collection of fine blades, each with singular shape, size and source. Laguiole from France, Viper from Italy, Global and Kai from Japan, Deep from the USA, Amefa from The Netherlands, Otto Herder and Heng from Germany. Really liked the concept even if a butter knife would have been sufficient to cut my extremely tender, earthy and nutty, Grass Fed Homestead Rib Eye. I didn’t take any sauce with it, but there is 5 to choose from. From classic Béarnaise to Beetroot Ketchup.


Pepper Crusted Seared Yellowfin Tuna “à la Pascal”.

Outside the steak and fish grill section, we tried the Pepper Crusted Seared Yellowfin Tuna “à la Pascal”. Accompanied with Eggplant Caponata, Tempura Vegetables & Olive Oil Crushed Potatoes, the rare cooked tuna, firm on the outside, melting on the inside, comes to life with the pungent flames of the black pepper, quickly absorbed by the sweet and sour caponata. An amazing combination. In addition to all of the above, there is a vegan-vegetarian menu offering wonderful and creative choices that could even please a butcher!


The wine cellar private dining table

Before your Sugar Fix, if you have some wine left (if not, reorder a glass!), indulge with the cheese selection. All made in Bali by a master Swiss maker, using organic milk. 3 to 5 cheese in one plate for an ecstatic moment. Speaking of wine, the list is one of the most diversified and complete seen on the island. Better than reading it, have a look at the cellar room and its stunning collection. For an intimate dining experience, you can book the 6-seater table, surrounded by Grand Crus and Premium Wines from the best vineyards around the world.

As you can see, you can go for something else than the meat but, unless you have a bloody good excuse, you’d frankly be wrong to pass on the dry aged beef. At FIRE Restaurant , no missed steaks, the best meats for meat lovers, and yes, it’s really worth it.

Experienced October 2018