The Chophouse

A restaurant review to be found in 3D World magazine on Monday.

Chophouse Restaurant and Bar
25 Bligh St, Sydney

Kingsley Smith’s new restaurant has no windows. This is an unusual design decision for the restaurateur, whose successful Kingsleys Steak and Crabhouse in Woolloomooloo overlooks the wharf with sprawling city views. But then again, the Chophouse is re-inventing many restaurant rules.
Set in the heart of the CBD, the Chophouse is a modern steakhouse with a health conscious focus. As we learn from Executive Chef David Clarke (formerly of Quay Restaurant), the purpose of no windows inside the restaurant is to offer customers a break from their day-to-day high-rise surroundings.
“You can come here to eat fast, healthy, food and get away from the bustle of the city,” Clarke said.

The effect is immediate—the stained and crumbling walls of the Chophouse with its high ceilings contrast perfectly with the immaculate tables and mood lighting, like you’re about to embark on a fine dining experience in the midst of an abattoir. Even the stainless steel sculptures hanging from the ceiling look remarkably like the ribs of a cow.
The menu is also not what you’d expect from a typical steakhouse—half of it is dedicated to salads.
“A lot of people are health-conscious these days, and we’ve made that the focus of the Chophouse,” Clarke said. “We make everything ourselves right here, including growing our own herbs and getting the best seasonal produce from local growers.”
This, Clarke says, is also to attract more women clientele, who traditionally steer clear of ‘giant steak and pint of beer’ steakhouses.



As we sit down to dinner we can’t help noticing the extensive wine list. I didn’t count, but it’s safe to say more than 100 were on offer, ranging in price from $34 to over $800 a bottle. We chose a modest $41 bottle of 2006 Grant Burge ‘Hillcot’ Merlot. For starters I know I must try one of the salads and so opt for the crisp pork belly and sea scallop salad ($18.90) while my dining partner goes for the spinach and tallegio risotto ($18.50). For mains we choose the glazed beef short rib with house made BBQ sauce ($28.90) and the T-bone with chutney and jus ($46.50). The mains don’t come with any sides, so we get shoestring fries ($6.90) and a salad called The Wedge (iceberg lettuce, bacon, blue cheese, salad onions, basil and dried tomatoes, $12.90). When the entrees arrive, my partner swoons over his risotto which melts in his mouth, and I dig into my pork belly and sea scallop salad, still warm, and have a similar reaction: I’m glad someone thought of mixing these two foods together, because they taste amazing.



The mains come in huge portions, but we’re not put off—my partner’s steak glistens on his plate while my ribs are so tender they practically fall off the bone. The house made BBQ sauce is great, but the salad left me a bit disappointed—it tasted good, but there was just too much lettuce. We could barely fit in dessert but we did our best, with the gooey goodness and candied almonds of a Peach Melba ($12) and an opulent flourless chocolate cake ($14.50). So delicious was the whole ordeal that I looked longingly at my unfinished beef ribs and was almost tempted to ask for a doggy-bag. As a woman, I can say with certainty that I’ll definitely be joining the regular clientele of the Chophouse.