The Angus steakhouse chain opens its second restaurant in central Israel.
By BUZZY GORDONThe Angus steakhouse chain(photo credit: ANATOLI MICHAELO)
Just over two years since the Galilee-based Angus chain of butcher shops and steakhouses expanded to Tel Aviv (see the Jerusalem Post review of December 1, 2016), the popular restaurant in the big city has now been joined by a new outlet in the suburbs. G Mall in Kfar Saba is a bustling shopping center already boasting its fair share of inviting eateries; but as the owners of the growing meat empire have learned from experience, there is always room for a well-managed restaurant serving premium steaks made from the highest quality beef.Angus has built its reputation on the meat from its own herd – or, as its slogan goes, “from field to fork.” The chain’s beef is delivered fresh to all its restaurants, where it is painstakingly aged on the premises.In the case of the newest restaurant, the premises are brightly lit and furnished with handsome wooden tables and comfortable leather chairs. Additional al fresco seating is rather less appealing, as it fronts a busy parking lot.The alcohol menu lists five specialty cocktails (NIS 38 to 42), crafted from the restaurant’s full bar. The international wine list is not extensive, but there is an adequate selection available by the glass. The names of the specialty cocktails are in English, but the details are in Hebrew – an idiosyncrasy that confuses not only patrons but also apparently our waiter. The Cuban 75 is a blend of rum, cava, lemon and strawberry served neat in a flute glass, while the Angus Colada – two kinds of rum with pineapple, mango and passion fruit – came in a highball glass on the rocks. The former packed quite a punch for a small drink, while the latter was fruity and refreshing – a cut above your regular pina colada.The food menu is in English, thankfully, since it is fairly lengthy. Its seven sections are Starters (NIS 34 to 65), Salads (NIS 28 to 58), Steaks (NIS 100 to 685), Mains (chicken, fish and lamb) (NIS 55 to 72), Burgers (NIS 48 to 86), Sandwiches (NIS 55) and Sides (NIS 14 to 18). Some menu items are marked with helpful icons, symbolizing vegan, recommended by Angus, best when shared, and spicy.Our first course was the tagliata, thin slices of pan-seared flank steak seasoned with Parmesan cheese, olive oil and lemon, and garnished with arugula. Served in a sizzling skillet, the steak had robust flavor that belied the paper-thin slices; we would have been happy to order this as a main course. The tagliata was accompanied by the house bread (NIS 18) – a huge slab of mediocre ciabatta, which was fortunately helped by three great spreads: herbed butter, zesty salsa and smoked tehina.Next was the Angus-style salad: a large bowl heaped with lettuce, roasted tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, kohlrabi, cucumber, medium-boiled egg and croutons, all topped with strips of asado deliberately overcooked to become almost crispy. This was a nice combination of garden vegetables and meat, dressed in an excellent mustard, honey and white wine vinaigrette.While there were some tempting burgers and other main courses, we could not resist ordering steaks, especially after reading the mouthwatering descriptions. One house specialty is the Angus rump steak: 300 grams of beef that was rather chewy, yet still managed to be succulent. The pièce de résistance, meanwhile, was the Porterhouse – nearly a kilo of sirloin and fillet on the bone. The cut was so thick that our expected medium arrived medium-rare, but that was perfectly all right: either way, it was the best steak I have had in recent memory. The steaks came with a tray of condiments, which were acceptable but superfluous. Our side dishes of onion rings and home fries were unremarkable, although the buttery mashed potatoes were better than average. For the separate dessert menu, it is back to Hebrew only, and a list if seven offerings (NIS 36 to 42). There are a number of the usual suspects, such as lemon pie – although this one is made with yogurt, rather than chiffon or meringue, making it a light choice after a heavy meat meal.A bit more substantial – but worth the effort – is the bread pudding à la mode. Made with croissant dough and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this is less dense than many other versions – and superior to most. After experiencing a meal at Angus, it’s hard to disagree with the advice that introduces the menu: “When life throws you a steak, eat it.”The writer was a guest of the restaurant.Angus SteakhouseNot kosherG Mall, Weizman 207, Kfar SabaTel. (09) 979-6655
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