RAWALPINDI: It is perhaps not surprising that American style beef steaks regularly feature on the menus of restaurants in the garrison city. The pure pleasure of biting into a thick, juicy and tender piece of undercut meat sits well with the carnivorous Pakistani palate.

Steak technically refers to a cut of any meat sliced perpendicular to the fibers and may include the bone but colloquially refers to beef-steak. In the garrison city, a number of restaurants offer the all-American beef experience along with spicier local variations.

The undercut slice of meat may be marinated with a paste of garlic, ginger, papaya, red chillies, mustard and other spices. Some restaurants grill the steak and allow guests to choose how cooked they want their steak to be.

However, since most local guests prefer well-done meat, the steak is fried after being grilled.

The steak may be served with a side of creamy mashed potatoes, French fries, salad, grilled vegetables or sautéed onions. The restaurants also vary in the kind of sauces they serve the steak with, which can redefine the entire steak experience.

The name of the restaurant most commonly associated with steak in Rawalpindi is Texas Steakhouse which after making a name in Rawalpindi has also expanded to Islamabad.

The restaurant’s western themed interior in leather and wood with guns hanging on the walls takes one back to the days of the cowboys.

Altaf Ahmed, the manager at Texas Steakhouse, said steak is the restaurant’s specialty. “We have been running the outlet since 2003 and try to offer the original taste of steak,” he said.

Mr Ahmed said the interior of the restaurant had been designed to add to the experience of eating a Texan-style steak. He said that the owner of the restaurant spent many years in Texas and brought back the best recipe to share with the people of Rawalpindi.

The best quality beef in the city is handpicked for the steak served at this restaurant. The beef is cooked over a low flame until it is tender yet juicy.

The steak is served on a cast-iron plate and both the meat and the sauces sizzle on the plate as it is served to guests. The meat is always cooked to perfection and the accompanying side dishes compliment the meat well.

Raja Nasir, a visitor at Texas Steakhouse, said after spending many years abroad, he had acquired a taste for beef-steak but could not find steak here which could compare in taste and texture.

“However, since this restaurant has opened, I don’t miss the steak abroad as much,” he said.

He said he always prefers his steak grilled served on a sizzling plate.

Kamran Butt said his family always eats out one day of the week and while he prefers Nihari, his children prefer restaurants where they can eat steak and burgers.

Moen Khan said: “It is hard to get steak right because at some restaurants, it is not tender while at others it is not juicy,” he said.

Published in Dawn March 9th , 2015

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