Need meat, go find meat. Prime Society was supposedly one of the premium steakhouse in Singapore. Their choices of cuts were the longest according to a friend, and the few times I was there, I was not disappointed. This time, I try to see if the place would fare with non-beef eaters in tow.
Mayura is a variety of Wagyu from Australia http://www.mayurastation.com. Technically speaking, Waygu should all be Japanese, like Champagne must be French (the rest are all sparkling wine). But due to the demand of this style of meat, every Beef producing countries like Australia and US are all rearing Wagyu bovines and using the Wagyu technic of providing the calf an expensive life before slaughtering it. However, all non-Japanese Waygu still does not have the same marbling as the Japanese variety.
The 200g Mayura Sirloin was done perfectly – well charred on the outside (exactly the way I liked), and moist and red in the core. The only fault was the cut we had was across the vein so there were some chewy bits that we have to challenge during the meal. The meat was tasty and rich, and the marbling was not as much as the Japanese (this is a A5 grade so medium marbling) so it was still meaty. I personally don’t really fancy too much of the Japanese varieties as they were too fatty.
The sampler plate was made up of 4 different type of meat and enough to be shared for up to 4 small eaters, although it was marked for 2. You get different cuts from different sources every time, and with a little extra, you get one Wagyu in this selection. So you have from left to right, a Wagyu tenderloin, a normal sirloin, a bit of shoulder and a rib-eye. They were properly done at medium rare, but because we are waiting for every piece to settle before serving, you can see some pieces were getting cooked to the core. And it was quite dry, so you would need the sauces that came with the meat.
Mom does not eat beef, so we ordered a Miso Baked Black Code on a bed of LaoShuFen soup. In a single word – complicated. The chef tried to incorporate too many techniques and ingredients into what could be a delightful dish. A baked piece of fish on a soup does not work. The soup cooked the fish further. The fish became soggy due to the soup. The mushroom was not mentioned in the menu, so that was a bummer as Mom does not like mushrooms as well.
This piece of bone marrow costed $14++. Enough said – just look at the oil oozing at the bottom. Don’t order it.
The Brussels sprout was poached and then roasted. Not flavourful and a bit bitter.
The sautéed mushroom was soggy in the oil it was cooked in.
The sardines were wrapped in lettuce and then coated with tempura flour and then fried. First, the skin was not crispy. Then the dish was cold. And because the sardine was wrapped in lettuce, the fish was not deep fried properly and the bones just stayed soft and horrible to eat.
The ravioli was like a huge prawn dumpling with pasta skin. The soup is a prawn redux in tea and had a piece of foie gras in it. Not a big piece, just a tiny bit.
The pasta was overcooked, and the sauce runny. My daughter rejected it straight away (and she is a true connoisseur of pasta).
The decor is rustic and built around a old army barrack that is more than 50 years old. The barrack has great high ceilings but as all barracks go, it is quite spartan and difficult to ventilate properly (except for opening up all the doors). So at the end of the dinner, you will smell like steak.
The service staff is efficient, but not exactly friendly – we were there for lunch. Obviously, they were not eager to see a family with kids and old folks. The price is on the high side but the quality was not on par exactly for the non-steak items. So if you want steak, this is a good place to go. Else, give it a miss.
The Prime Society @ Dempsey Hill
Tel: 6474 7427
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