Deb Carr
2 min
Everyone has a Sydney Fish Market memory – usually involving sunny weekends, friends, wine, and seafood, of course.
But Vic’s Meat Market brings red meat waterside, with the butchery supplying all the best cuts by day, complemented by the restaurant both day and night.
The offerings include pork and beef ribs; meat tasting plates to share; steaks, burgers and sides; as well as a mega rib-eye for two that looks like it would keep Fred Flintstone (and Wilma) happy.
The menu itself is in a funky diner placemat style with pictures, and the seasonal sides and sauces are detailed on the changing menu boards. Burger combos with chips and a tinnie are a great move (only $22). The chips were golden and rustic, keeping those potato skins, and the burger was juicy and pink. The butcher-shop credentials really shined through with the Scotch steak – a nice grill, perfectly medium, and juicy and tender. I chose pasture-fed rather than grain fed, which I think really made a difference to the taste. (Blind tasting challenges gladly accepted!)
The steak is really fresh too, with what you eat tonight having come through the butchery today. Because it’s fresh and on demand, some of the cuts can run out - the beef ribs were all gone - so you need to get in early!
The restaurant channels the comfy vibe of a country/industrial grill-house, with American registration plates on the walls, big factory drop lights and pit smokers, and an eighties soundtrack. Being able to see through into the butcher shop is novel, though you’ll see more action there during the day. Soon you’ll be able to choose a steak in the butcher shop and cook it yourself on site.
So next time you’re looking for dinner in Pyrmont or Glebe, and fancy a switch from fish, chips and chardonnay, remember Vic’s can help you boost your iron intake. It’s smokin’ good.