MEAT DISTRICT CO., Sydney

MEAT DISTRICT CO. has thrown down the gauntlet,
joining Sydney’s burgeoning burger warfare with ten different burgers on its menu.

A hefty cheeseburger with bacon and aged cheddar costs just twelve bucks.
It comes with caramelized onions, pickles, house sauce
and a huge serve of King Street Wharf’s water views.

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Following a stellar debut in Los Angeles and rated by food writers as one of the hottest new restaurants to hit Pasadena district this year, MEAT DISTRICT CO. is bringing its brand of sizzling BBQ ribs, meaty burgers and steaks to Sydney’s King Street Wharf.

The restaurant at this waterfront drinking location will be boosted by a menu that showcases high quality meat at prices so competitive they defy business sense.

And with a kind invitation from Polkadot PR, Mysaucepan and I are here to check out MDC‘s menu that promises to deliver maximum taste and minimum pain to the hip pocket.

MEAT DISTRICT CO., King Street Wharf, Sydney

You know summer is here when the vibe in this iconic location is upbeat yet with a laidback feel that spells Sydney.

Can anyone go past a cured meat platter ($18 for 2 pax, $34 for 4 pax on the menu) with summer fast approaching?

MDC‘s charcuterie is a generous selection of premium cold cuts, red grapes, pickled gherkin, radish, artichoke and crisp lavosh accompanied by creamy Greek skordalia.

There is little cooking involved but the chef passes the creative test with a good mix on this platter. Gazing out onto water views and rocking sailboats as I chew on prosciutto, I would have liked some French camembert and olives on this platter to time-capsule me to the Amalfi coast in the heart of the Mediterranean.

A beetroot salad ($9.50 on the menu) is dressed with goat curd, roasted apple, radish discs, watercress and walnut pesto.

This is Sydney summer right here on a plate!

Watermelon takes on a texture more akin to roasted capsicum after being grilled.

Paired with goat cheese, sumac and sprinkled with crunchy hazelnut, it’s another salad that’s made for the BBQ this summer.

MDC‘s wine list is short with just a dozen predominantly Australian white and red wines.

With a venue so close to the water in Sydney, a extensive cocktail menu is a given. A colourful tasting of exciting cocktails is paraded to tempt the ladies.

With the burger craze sweeping Sydney, grilled corn ($7.50 on the menu) has become an inseparable side-kick.

Melted butter on grilled corn is now officially out of fashion. The in-thing is a sprinkle of chilli flakes, lime juice and truffle-scented parmesan.

MDC has thrown down the gauntlet and joins Sydney’s burgeoning burger warfare with ten different burgers on its menu.

Prices cannot be more competitive, starting at $12 for a burger with bacon, aged cheddar, caramelized onions, pickles and house sauce.

Other choices in the burger stakes are exciting  – truffle parmesan, crumbed chicken, grilled chicken, double cream brie priced up to $14. If you decide to splurge, surf & turf, soft shell crab, vegetarian and even a roo burger with Jack Daniel glaze is setting you back a hefty $16.

Weight watchers and health nuts can opt for carb-free in a ‘naked’ burger.

Roasted bone marrow ($8.50 on the menu) is topped with a slather of garlic, parsley, mustard seeds and chilli.

The marrow is soft, creamy, rich and unctuous. I had five of these delicious bad boys and could have had more.

Racks of American style BBQ pork ribs (Half $31 Full $41 on the menu) have been sliced up since it’s sample tasting this evening.

The meat is tender and succulent though flavours can take on a lot more of the BBQ marinade.

BBQ beef ribs (Half $29 Full $39 on the menu) fare a little better in the taste category but needs more cooking time to match the tenderness of the pork ribs.

It’s launch night though and there is a fair bit of tweaking needed for the pork and beef ribs to rival the best in Sydney.

Not to be outdone by the heat from the grills, cocktail bar action is hotting up with mixologist Mirko Cacciola tossing a vodka bottle while mixing up some lethal concoctions.

MDC is the latest venture of the Platinum Restaurant Group which also operates Bluewater Cafe and Whitewater restaurant in Manly, Blackbird in Cockle Bay Wharf, CASA Italian & Woodfire pizzas in King Street Wharf and Cafe Birkenhead in Drummoyne.

Partners and brothers Coco & Garry Simonian have collaborated with interior designers DS17 to create a contemporary space to showcase traditional American-style ribs and burgers.

Spreading across two storeys, MDC features a spiral staircase that takes diners down to an al fresco dining area with head-on views of King Street Wharf and theatrics of an open plan kitchen.

On the upper deck, diners can choose high-stool dining while sipping on cocktails and craft beers.

“This is an awesome place for cocktails with my girlfriends!” Mysaucepan says as she thinks about a girls’ night out in town.

Soft shell crab slider is crisp with a Brasserie Bread brioche bun while slices of sirloin steak is smoky, tender and succulent with a chilli and red wine gravy.

Mysaucepan reckons it’s a great place for her and the girls to chill out with cocktails but I find MDC’s menu to be built for the carnivore in the boys.

With its specially designed cool room where huge chunks of beef and ribs are hanging out to age and dry, Friday night drinks can gradually morph into hearty burgers and steaks, slow-roasted lamb and pork stuffed into hotdogs and buns.

Now, I reckon that’s an even more tempting proposition for the boys.

Russel Rasheduzzaman is executive chef of Platinum Restaurant Group and has spent the last 15 years in various roles in the kitchen.

His skills will be put to the test with MDC‘s ‘paddock to plate’ inspired menu.

Dessert this evening is salted caramel tart and popcorn where savoury sweet toffee with a super crisp shortbread base is paired with banana sorbet.

It’s a perfect time for a meat and burger restaurant to launch its debut going into the Sydney summer.

It’s good news for Sydney food lovers. We already know good restaurant food in this city is right up there with some of the best in the world.

MDC will add to the already huge array of choices for good quality food at prices that rival food courts around town.  But what food courts do not have is table service, let alone bloody awesome water views.

So dear readers, which is your favourite ribs, burgers and steak restaurant in Sydney?

ChopinandMysaucepan dined courtesy of Polkadot PR and MEAT DISTRICT CO. and received complimentary gifts. All views and opinions are our own on the day of attendance.

MEAT DISTRICT CO.
11 Lime street, King Street Wharf
Sydney, New South Wales

Tel: +61 2 9279 4115

Opening hours: Monday 11am to 12am

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