Darwins - The Origin of the Steak
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| Steak |
If you’re on the prowl in Dublin and looking for steak, then head to Darwins Restaurant in Aungier Street. While you’re waiting for your order, take a peak at those big guys on the wall, your ancestors, the origin of the species.
When that steak comes, you’ll straighten up immediately as the aromas waft up from that fillet. Indeed, you’ll have a good choice of cuts here: Dry-aged Strip loin (14oz); New York Strip loin steak (14oz); Rib eye steak on the bone (20oz); Rib eye off the bone (12oz - it was a big bone!); that Premium eye Fillet steak (10oz); and Centre cut T-bone steak (20oz).
Darwins have something of an advantage in that their steaks are sourced from their own in house butchers. “Before it’s delivered to you it is hand selected, aged to perfection and hand trimmed. It is then seasoned, seared and cooked to order over a very hot grill to seal in the flavour.”
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| Lamb |
All the steaks are served with a potato mash and there is a choice of sides including House Chips, skinny or chunky. And no shortage of sauces either. The usual suspects such as Pepper sauce, blue cheese sauce, garlic butter, Sauce béarnaise, and mushroom sauce are on the list but you’ll also see one or two rarer ones such as Barolo jus.
I had all that to pick as I went through the menu and my final combination was that Premium Eye Fillet with that excellent Barolo jus along with a side of the chunky chips. Steak heaven!
Steak is not the only meat they do well here. Wicklow Lamb is another speciality. You won't have as much choice as with the beef but do look out for this one: the Assiette of Wicklow lamb, half rack and eye fillet cuts, buttered mashed potato.
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Deconstructed cherry cheesecake,
definitely destructed a few minutes later.
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This, their award winning lamb dish, is served with a Barolo and dark chocolate jus and it is served pink “but if you would like to alter the temperature just let us know”.
In fairness, they let you know in advance and you’ll see this temperature chart on the menu so do have a look and then you’ll know exactly what is coming up.
Blue: slowly warmed through, takes the longest to prepare
Rare: 52 °C very red cool centre
Medium rare: 55 °C very red, warm centre
Medium: 60 °C middle of the steak red, pink surrounding the centre Medium well: 65 °C pink in the centre of the meat, brown towards exterior
Well done: 71 °C cooked through tends to be without moisture.
My steak was medium and was perfect. CL asked for the lamb to be medium as well. Both were as ordered and each dish was a delight, washed down with Reserve de L’Aube, a fruity and easy-drinking Syrah/Merlot blend from the Languedoc. But they do have a good choice of wines and also a bunch of craft beers, mainly from O’Hara’s.
Darwins
80 Aungier Street
Dublin 2
Tel: 01-4757511
Fax: 01-4758942
Hours: Dinner: Monday – Saturday, 5pm – Late.
Closed Sundays and Bank Holidays.
