The Meat and Wine co., Parramatta

The weather is starting to get cooler and I've been craving red meat. I recently found out that The Meat and Wine Co. is now open in Parramatta so I meet up with some of my foodies with my Food Critics Bloggers Association (FCBA) crew.

The Meat and Wine Co. is located just off Church St, near the Riverside theatre. It's actually quite busy on this particular Wednesday night. I think it's time for a wine to celebrate getting through hump day. Luckily there's meat and wine here lol. I sit down with my foodie friend Ed and we cheers to good food and wine. We start chatting all things in life including property, work and wine. Matt relaxes and chats to the famishedduo our other foodie friends that sit with us.

There's some new entrees on the menu that are raw style. Matt and I taste the Wagyu Tartare ($16)  with smoked yolk, green dressing and lavosh, Octopus ($16) with chive, peri and lemon and the Salmon ($15) that is whiskey cured with roe, cauliflower and custard cream.

The Wagyu Tartare comes out looking beautifully presented and particularly green. I break a piece of the lavosh off and scoop some of the wagyu. It's Matt that eats a substantial amount of the wagyu as he enjoys the raw meat.

I go for the Octopus which was thinly sliced, it's quite a light texture compared to your usual calamari or octopus. As the octopus is so thin, you can really taste the light lemon.

My favourite of the raw entrees is the salmon. The best part is the refreshing salmon flesh which contrasts with that creamy, light sauce. The sauce really brings the dish to life and is very tasty. This would be my pick of the three. I know Matt prefers the Wagyu Tartare of the three as he always loves tartare.

I also sample the Pork Belly ($16)  which is a chilli lime pork belly with adzuki bean, cos, puffed crackling, kim chi crumb and ponzu dressing. That pork belly is so fatty and tasty with that glaze. The glaze is slightly sweet. It is very much melt in your mouth. I'd definitely recommend this entree.

There's also the crumbed szechaun calamari ($15). It's lightly crumbed so you can still taste the actual calamari and texture. Matt's initial view that it was it looked quite small but the calamari pieces are curled up and look bigger than first impression. It's quite pleasant to eat although I prefer the pork belly. The portion might be on the smaller side for the price point but it's definitely a better quality crumbed calamari compared to most cafes.

Now it's time for the meat. I've had a really good steak at Meat and Wine Co. in Circular Quay but it's been some time and I'm eager to get into the mains. Matt orders the Shorthorn 150D 350g Rib Eye MB2+ ($52) with a side of chips. So if you're looking forward to a high quality steak then be ready, it's a decent size and it's mighty juicy. It's perfectly cooked and is at a higher price point but sometimes you just need to treat yourself.

I go for the Monte-Grain Fed 200g Fillet 120D ($39) with a side of chips. I'm glad I go for a small steak as I've really enjoyed the entrees and am starting to get full.  The steak looks small but it's quite thick. It's very satisfying and I feel like I'm getting a nice injection of iron. The glaze is slightly sweet and very much melt in your mouth. What a quality piece of meat. Delicious!

For dessert, Matt takes the lead and orders the creme brulee ($13) is a classic with biscuit. I crack that sugary layer and get into the smooth creme brulee. The creme brulee is really tasty and consistent with the ones I have had in Darling Harbour Meat and Wine Co (now closed) and Circular Quay. The biscuit is a nice touch and makes for textural contrast. 

I order the Apple Pie ($14) which is a fried apple pastry with apple toffee cream, sour apple gel, mascarpone ice cream and smoked maple syrup. The Apple Pie has the sugary coating and hot apples within. As I'm quite full, I had the apple pie over to Matt who happily finishes this dish off.

Summary: Overall I had a really nice meal at Meat and Wine Co. My favourite dishes were the Raw Salmon, Pork Belly and you can't go wrong at Meat and Wine co. with a steak. I also recommend the creme brulee as my fave dessert.

The decore is really nice and intimate so it's great for a date night or dinner with friends.

Price: Mains vary from $24-$69 (Good for those who want to spend $20-30 on a main and higher quality options who are willing to pay $69)

Location: 330 Church St, Parramatta

Opening Hours: 
12pm to 10pm Daily

Weekend Food Escapes dined as guests of the venue or their representatives. All photos, opinions and words are my own.