We went to Botswana Butchery to celebrate Kurt’s Birthday with friends as we’d been super keen to try it since it opened here in Australia. Botswana Butchery comes to us from New Zealand and it’s an upscale meat restaurant with plenty of indulgent sides, and an extensive wine menu.
It is a beautifully designed tiered 300-seat restaurant covering three levels, complete with a lower casual bar, a rooftop bar and sophisticated restaurant that looks out over the new development that was once the old “MLC” building.
We went to the rooftop first and began with a drink during happy hour. We ordered an Aperol spritz and negroni for $10 each, enjoying the drink, great view and fun playlist.
We then headed to the main restaurant and admired the interiors with its luxurious feel; velvety armchairs and couches and fine dining set tables. That said, the space is comfortable and casual.
We start off with some Sonoma bakery bread with a miso butter while we have a drink and peruse the menu.
As we’re in a group, and meal prices are on the pricy side, we opt for dishes to share. Although the entree dishes sound fabulous, we move straight for the mains, keen to order a few of the meat cuts.
There’s a wide range of Australian steak and lamb cuts from a Black Opal Wagyu sirloin to Rangers Valley Tomahawk MB3, lamb cutlets and a lamb shoulder.
We order the Reserve Angus 4 week Dry-Aged Rib-eye from Cape Grim, served on the bone.
The Black Opal F1 Wagyu Rump Cap, (mb6) is a delicate cut and we have this one medium. Charred out the outside, pink inside, cooked to perfection. We also have the Reserve Angus Scotch Fillet (mb3), another from Cape Grim, Tassie. The meats really needed no sauces at all, for the flavour of the meats shone. However you can order sauces at $6 a dish, from a menu of 9. We tried the salsa verde, and jus but prefer the steak as is.
In addition to the steaks, we really loved the Dry-Aged Aylesbury Duck, a decent sized piece, served with Quince jang, cime di rapa, sherry vinegar sauce. If duck isn’t your thing, the menu also has pork chop and beef cheek and even a pasta. There is also a seafood menu, with snapper, market fish, lsalmon fillet, and yellowfin tuna.
As your protein comes standalone, with just a lemon segment, you’ll need to order sides. We opted for their crispy Duck fat potatoes, seasoned with thyme & sea salt as well as the creamy Macaroni and cheese, flavoured with smoked bacon.
Also needing some healthy stuff, we opted for the charred greens and Botswana slaw. Everything paired well together and as a good range of dishes to share amongst the six of us, whilst leaving room for dessert.
The dessert menu is great and we again try a few of the options, a stunning Quince Tarte Tatin with Spelt pastry, Tasmanian truffle ice cream, caramel sauce. The truffle on this one is quite strong, so truffle lovers will delight!
The Tonka Bean Crème Brûlée is simply beautiful, with their Tonka bean scented crème brûlée server with a mascarpone ice cream and coffee snap or leave atop for decoration and eating!
Two of our dining party select the Warm Valrhona Chocolate Tartlet that comes with a scoop of ice cream that is flavoured by Blueberries, banana miso. A really nice delicate flavour to it.
The venue was also kind enough to provide a slice of carrot cake as a signal that it was a dining members birthday. What a lovely gesture.
Drink wise, they have beers and cocktails as well as a wine list of over 1,000 wines in their extensive menu, focussing on Australian and New Zealand varietals. You can also get coffee and dessert wine to enjoy with your sweets.
We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner, but given the price, we would be only visiting on special occasions. It’s also an ideal spot for a business lunch or dinner and we’re sure staff and clients would be suitably impressed.
25 Martin Place Sydney
Hours
Mon_Sat: 12noon-11pm daily
Sunday closed