Flame-grilled steak is 7Cutz’s specialty. Photo: Zachary Griffith, Botanist Creative.
7Cutz Steakhouse opened recently in Civic, taking over the space where Botswana Butchery operated for an ever-so-brief time.
The space has been largely redecorated with a striking tiger-striped carpet in the upstairs dining space, and terracotta-toned curtains lining the walls. It seems like an extravagance, considering Botswana Butchery wasn’t open long enough to cause any wear and tear to their million-dollar fit-out, but perhaps 7Cutz is trying to forge its own identity in the space. And it’s certainly nice to see the beautiful space being used after being vacant for nearly 2 years.
The entrance remains impressive, and your eyes are immediately drawn up to the central staircase. Double-height windows add an airy quality to the downstairs restaurant area, which is about half full on this chilly Tuesday evening. As we discover later in the evening, one table is there celebrating a birthday (we chose not to sing along).
We settle ourselves at a table upstairs, where there are three other groups, and peruse the menu.
The interior has been re-fitted with curtains and a tiger-striped carpet. Photo: Zachary Griffith, Botanist Creative.
Steak is clearly the focus here, with a range of premium, wagyu and specialty cuts available. I’ve also been told the ribs are another special pick, so we reluctantly pass on the 1.3 kg Tomahawk steak (which should really be shared by more than two people anyway) and instead order the 300 gram Little Joe Scotch Fillet.
Our attentive and friendly server tells us he reckons this is the best steak on the menu. And – to break up the beefiness of the affair – we also order a half-rack of pork ribs.
For appetisers, the seared scallops or garlic chilli prawns are recommended, but I am dining with a non-seafood eater, so instead we lean into the carnivorous inclinations of the evening and choose the roasted bone marrow.
A signature dish at 7Cutz, the bone marrow comes nestled on a bed of salt and topped with a mushroom duxelle and vibrant green salsa verde. Toasted bread provides the perfect vehicle for delivering the unctuous marrow and duxelle to our hungry mouths. I’m personally a big fan of marrow, so I find this dish heavier on the duxelle than I’d prefer, but I’m willing to label myself an outlier in this opinion. This particular dish probably has a broader appeal to more diners.
Overall, it’s very nice and whets our appetites for the next course.
Bone marrow with mushroom duxelle is an earthy, meaty starter at 7Cutz. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Obviously, any premium steakhouse must have a premium wine list to match the food.
Tasting notes have been provided for each wine, and a few are noted as particularly good matches for specific menu items. I choose a Western Australian Cabernet Sauvignon, and my friend opts for a South Australian Shiraz: both are big, bold reds (the kind your Dad likes).
The ribs arrived in all their sticky, saucy glory. We were provided with hand wipes in anticipation of a messy meal, but we actually found the meat so tender that it was easy to pull off the bone with a fork, so very little mess was required. I must admit ignorance of how ribs are usually served in South Africa, but the barbecue sauce felt more American-style to me – a little smoky and quite sweet.
7Cutz prides itself on its flame-grilled meats and the scotch fillet arrived rare, as requested. It was wider and thinner than I anticipated – I was expecting a slightly thicker cut – but the meat was tender, and the accompanying red wine jus was tasty. It didn’t quite live up to my luxurious, carnivorous expectations, and with a price tag of $68, I think high expectations are justified.
We chose garlic butter potatoes and house salad for our side dishes. The potatoes were an extra $5, which seemed excessive for what they were, and the less said about the salad, the better.
The desserts at 7Cutz are rich and filling. Photo: Zachary Griffith, Botanist Creative.
Desserts had a slightly retro feel: choco-lava cakes and sticky date puddings were popular when I was an apprentice in the late 2010s, but have fallen out of fashion. Perhaps this is a sign we’re due for a comeback. These house-made puds were rich and satisfying, but I reckon plenty of diners will struggle to finish them after a big steak dinner!
It’s important to note that 7Cutz has only been open for a week in Canberra – although they also have venues in Wollongong and Newcastle – so the team is still likely finding their feet a little in the high-steaks (boom, boom!) world of Canberra steakhouses.
7Cutz Steakhouse is located at 148 Bunda Street, Canberra Centre. They are open from Monday to Thursday from 5 pm to 9 pm, on Friday from 12 to 3 pm, and from 5 to 9 pm. On Saturday, they are open from 12 noon to 10 pm, and on Sundays from 12 noon to 9 pm.
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Original Article published by Lucy Ridge on Region Canberra.
