Saturday, September 22, 2007

Hog's Breath Cafe - The Real Deal

Have you ever tripped over yourself, just trying to find the perfect steakhouse for a perfect slab of good ol' char-grilled meat?

Well, look no more, that is, if you're in Perth. (Or any aussie state for that matter)

Yesterday, Sam and I had a good opportunity to dine with Uncle Paul and Aunty Lily (friends of my father's), and an earlier decision was made to lunch at Hog's Breath Cafe at Northbridge.



Stepping into the surroundings made me feel like I was back in the 1960s, with cowboys and ranches and Clint Eastwood for that matter. The entrance was one of a vintage entrance to a typical cowboy's pub - very Hog's Breathish and no fuss-like nonsense. Wooden chairs and tables line the premise with old signboards and vintage car plates punctured here and there on yellow-washed walls.

Hog's Breath Cafe's specialities are undoubtedly their prime steaks, slow-cooked for up to 18 hours in a hot oven and char-grilled at the end to seal in maximum flavour. But for those not particularly fond of steaks, they do serve burgers, wraps, sandwiches, and other meat like poultry and fish. However, don't expect any vegeterian options, except for the salads, Hog's Breath is definitely for the carnivorous of appetites.

Whilst Uncle Paul & Aunty Lily opted for the Hickory Smoked Prime Rib, I opted for the Blackened Prime Rib. Sam, not a big fan of steaks that day, went for the Hickory Lamb Shank.

We decided to go for a serve of their garlic and herb bread for the appetizer, and boy, was it fricking good.



I love their garlic bread immensely. The garlic scent wasn't overpowering as compared to other garlic bread I've tasted. I liked how the bread was firm but not overly crispy and tough in texture. Just perfectly soft in the middle. One's definitely not enough for this greedy girl.



Hickory Smoked Prime Rib - I didn't get a taste of this so no views about it, but from how frequently it gets ordered by Uncle Paul & Aunty Lily whenever they patronise Hog's Breath, it must be something good, isn't it? Topped with Hog's Breath own smoked BBQ sauce and an accompaniment of curly fries and fresh veggies.



Sam‘s Hickory Lamb Shank according to her was fall-off-the-bone tender and utterly delicious. Acompanied by side dish of Dianne-amite sauce, mashed potato and fresh veggies.



Oooh, just looking at this picture makes me hungry again. Ordering the Blackened Prime Rib left me with no regrets. Deliciously moist and tender, this steak definitely puts all the other steakhouses to shame. Seasoned with Cajun spice, the salty flavour of the meat just permeates through my tastebuds upon chewing a chunk from my fork. The cut definitely has a good balance of fats and meat, and oh goodness, the fat immediately melts in your mouth with a salty, smoky flavour. Mine was medium-well, and I got what I ordered, so props to that. Accompanied by a special side dish order of mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes and fresh veggies.

I was enormously bloated nearing the end of my dish so we didn't have the chance to order any desserts but apparently, the mud cake is totally wicked as well according to Sam, so I shall be ordering that at my next visit!

One thing to note though, although Hog's Breath Cafe has a few franchise outlets in Singapore, reviews of the food served at the Singapore outlets doesn't look really appetizing and a blow to Hog's Breath Cafe's reputation as Australia's best steakhouse yet. Once again leading to me, shaking my head heavily, and wondering whether steakhouses in Singapore are capable of cooking perfect steaks. No one wants a steak rock-hard on the outside and all red and raw in the middle do they?

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