As eye-catching as the place itself, the Hawaiian Beef Steak from The Boulevard was served in a hot plate (definitely a plus!), covered liberally in a delicious, mushroom sauce spread over cheddar cheese and pineapple tidbits. With sautéed vegetables and mashed potatoes on the side, the plate made for a colorful, picturesque dish looking nothing less than mouthwatering!
It is probably my Libran streak for balance that makes me want my steaks cooked at a medium temperature, yet I’ve been disappointed by the lack of attention to detail at a number of restaurants. Though the medallion proved hard to cut through and the strands of meat remained intent on sticking together, the meaty morsel was surprisingly chewable and did not require to be washed down with a drink. The light dusting of pink on the inside confirmed the right temperature and the bite was softened further owing to the creamy sauce smeared copiously over it.
Velvety smooth and cheesy, the sauce was a shot of heaven to my picky taste buds and though it was heavily salted, I absolutely loved it. However, I’d recommend for its salt content to be toned down if the restaurant wishes to cater to a wider audience.
The pineapple infused the dish with the sugary zing needed to neutralize the more savory aspect of the dish but it would have been preferable to have thin slices placed over the meat (as is stated on the menu) instead of the tidbits, so that the flavor would have been equally distributed and thus remained consistent.
On the downside, the mashed potatoes were dry and bland, not the creamy edible delights one expects while seeing them on the menu and felt especially insipid in comparison to the beautiful, buttery sauce. The sautéed veggies fared better than the potatoes, however even they bordered on tasteless and overall, both the veggies and the potatoes did not complement the main dish.
In conclusion, even though there is room for improvement the dish has proven to be a favorite and I would definitely go back for more!
Contributed by Syeda Tehniat Hashmi, a student of Journalism and an avid foodie. She blogs at blingblitz.wordpress.com and tweets at @syedatehniat.
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