Overview
Melbourne is set to get its own dedicated steak frites restaurant this October. 7 Alfred will open at, you guessed it, 7 Alfred Place in the CBD, drawing on the traditions of steak frites restaurants globally, which do one thing, and one thing well, creating an efficient, streamlined and fuss-free dining experience.
You won't have to waste time pondering over the menu at 7 Alfred, as you will be there solely for the $48 steak frites showcasing Gippsland's O'Connor scotch fillet. The kitchen trialled many other cuts from various suppliers before concluding that the 220 gram MB2+ O'Connor, grass-fed Black angus beef fillet gave the best flavour and marbling. Santi Aristizabal, the culinary director of Hunter St. Hospitality, explains, "When we were tasting different cuts, O'Connor's beef stood out straight away. It has the balance of fat and flavour that works beautifully on the grill. With a single dish, there's nowhere to hide — every steak has to be spot on, every fry crisp, every sauce just right. That discipline is what makes the format work."
The scotch fillet is served sliced, with its charry crust topped with a complimentary sauce of your choosing. The hardest (and only) decision of the night will be to decide whether you go for the umami butter, chimichurri, peppercorn sauce or veal jus. The accompanying thin-cut fries are cooked in beef tallow, and you can add on a salad to freshen things up.
The new one-dish restaurant is from Hunter St. Hospitality, the group behind some of Australia's most acclaimed restaurants, including Rockpool Bar & Grill, The Cut Bar & Grill, Spice Temple, Saké and Fratelli Fresh. The group launched 24 York in Sydney earlier this year, based around the same concept of serving just one meaty meal. Frank Tucker, the CEO of the group, says, "This is a classic idea that works the world over. Every city interprets it in its own way — 7 Alfred is ours for Melbourne and we're putting a Victorian icon centre stage."
"Melbourne diners know good produce, and they don't want it overcomplicated. With a menu this streamlined, we can put the focus squarely on a standout Victorian beef producer, while still delivering an experience that feels easy, reliable and worth going out for," says Tucker.
The kitchen has its work cut out, as the restaurant has the capacity to seat over 150 diners across two levels — that's a lot of steaks needing to be cooked perfectly per service. However, that is the benefit of keeping things one-dimensional, with the restaurant designed to focus on both efficiency and quality. Diners can supposedly be in and out within 25 minutes, which is sure to see 7 Alfred become a go-to for quick weekday business lunches or pre-theatre meals.
The drinks list and dessert menu follow suit in keeping things concise. There are seven classic cocktails to choose from, and a few house wines and beers on tap. The restaurant doesn't close between lunch and dinner service, so pop in between 4 and 6pm for $7 schooners, house wines and spirits, and $12 cocktails. For dessert, there's only New York cheesecake with vanilla ice cream, so if you're lactose-free, you may have to skip this one.
Images: Steven Woodburn.
7 Alfred Place is set to open on October 22, open 7 days, from lunch through to dinner. If you're craving a meaty meal now, check out the best steaks in Melbourne.