Steak-tastic

Stepping and winding into the restaurant, we find its ceiling-floor teeming with the photos of the celebrities, witnessing the history of Moon’s Steakhouse. The subtle and soothing setting with art décor allows diners to revel in the intimacy. Even if you don’t tend to be a diner, you could choose the bar area (closing at 11pm), with racks of bottles covering an entire wall. The private function room upstairs can also be used for corporate dinners or for entertainment purposes.

There is no other reason to enter a steakhouse of long-year history than to order steak. To truly appreciate the signature steak, we must reflect on the background of steak culture. It’s more than a good fresh supply of imported cuts or asking for rare, medium or well-done. The chef here will also offer you various choices in dry-aged rib-eyes, slow roasted prime ribs, succulent sirloins, tender filet mignon, or rumps. Meanwhile along the lobby is its on-site “Custom Dry Aging” exhibition room, where the quality-imported rib-eye roasted will be aged for 15 days under the highly-controlled temperature and humidity to intensify and tenderize its flavours before being offered to customers. Next to it is the on-site operation room, where you’ll find this kind of slow roasting preparation cannot be done at home, making your order all the more worthy. Other steaks are also prepared on their specially designed grill, which ensures a thorough dry grilling effect.

Among the choices we tried include the grilled dry-aged USDA rib-eyes (10 ounces), impressing us with the seasoned home-made red wine sauce. From the first bite, the subtle grilled taste and the ratio of fat to meat fused to create lip-smackingly tender meat befitting only to a well made rib-eye. And for the ladies, the chef offers a more considerate cut of 6 ounces.

Moon’s appetizer set compromises heavy entrees with a healthy selection of salads and soups: Classic Caesar Salad, Buffalo Mozzarella Salad, Foie Gras Sampler, Tuna Carpaccio, Tiger Prawn Cocktail and innovative Cappuccino of Wild Mushrooms Soup which would be better if the chef could top it with some latte art, especially with Valentine’s Day approaching.

Essentially, the menu is straightforward with the focus on choosing the steaks and pairing up with our favorite side dishes, ranging from Sautéed Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Garlic Mushrooms, Creamy Spinach, French Fries.

It is a premier dining experience, complete with its enticing dessert list, from Chocolate Lava Cake to Fresh Fruit Pavlova. And no one can turn down sinking the teeth into this sophisticated dessert and fruit. It is just pure bliss.

As we’re warned against the cold front this winter, there is nothing like a bite of genuine steak to keep us warmer. But with an extensive menu, you might just find yourself coming back not only for the steak.

Hours of operation:

SWISSÔTEL GRAND
11.30am – 2.30pm (Monday – Friday)
5pm – 11pm (everyday)
1 Yuyuan Lu (near Changde Lu), Jing’an District
Tel: 21-6288 9984

XINTIANDI
11.30am – 2.30pm (Monday - Friday)
5pm – 11pm (everyday)
1/F, No.2, South Block, Xintiandi, Madang Lu (near Zizhong Lu)
Tel: 21-6336 5683