A new addition to the Joburg steakhouse scene, George's Grill House comes out on top

In a world where it's more PC to follow a plant-based lifestyle, I unashameably have those moments when nothing other than a fine steak will satisfy the hunger pangs, and recently the stress and physical workout of moving house spurred one of those moments, calling for a good piece of meat.

A perfect steak has a different meaning for individual carnivores and my definition of a good one is as follows:

It must be a thick piece of quality well-aged tender meat with a good piece of juicy fat. Cooked medium rare and served straight from the grill or pan, I like an even sprinkling of coarse sea salt and generous grinding of black pepper over the top. There must be no hint of a commercial marinade which kills the natural flavour of the meat. Served on the side, I like the essential steak partner, a bundle of hand-cut chips, soft on the inside and crisp on the outside. No frozen impersonators will do.

A relatively new addition to the steakhouse scene in Johannesburg's northern suburbs is George's Grill House which has opened a branch at Hyde Park Corner. The Greek owner George Kutra knows a thing or two about top-quality meat and steaks having been in the restaurant business for many years. Meat is his passion — and you can taste it. He is said to personally oversee all the cuts of meat served in his restaurants — there's a George's Grill House in Bedford Square and Neighbourhood Square in Linksfield — and together with the specialised in-house butcher Costa Athanasias, each perfectly matured cut of meat served in their restaurants must get their prime cut approval. 

On a Saturday night the place was packed with happy eaters and as steaks are the name of their game, my husband and I were like kids in a sweet shop trying to make up our minds what to choose from the large selection of different cuts, offering dry and wet aged options.

Being greedy I went big and selected a Tomahawk rib-eye on the bone, a 600g portion (R325) and Peter a 300g fillet (R265) — both wet-aged and deliciously tender. We weren’t disappointed. The charcoal-grilled sizzling steaks arrived with a mountain of delicious hand-cut chips just as we like them and a mound of crispy onion rings. A feast. The top quality meat cooked to perfection, the star of the show.

And what is the expert restaurateur George's favourite steak on the menu? Without hesitation he said it is the wet-aged 600g sliced T-bone steak, encrusted in pepper and served with a mushroom and truffle sauce. 

This man knows his oats.

MEET GEORGE, THE MAN BEHIND THE GEORGE'S GRILL HOUSE

Can’t live without item?

My wife ... and my cellphone

Pet hate?

Poor or average performance

What might (someone) be surprised to know about you?

That I am actually a nice guy

Books or movies?

Movies

My happy place is ...

My homeland, Greece

Top of my bucket list is ...

To enjoy my happy place

• George's Grill House is located in Hyde Park Corner, Jan Smuts Ave, Hyde Park. It’s open Monday to Tuesday from 11am-9pm, Wednesday to Thursday from 11am-9:30pm, Friday and Saturday from 11am-10pm and Sunday and public holidays from 11am-8:30pm. Reservations can be made by phoning 010-065-1618 .

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