The Rare Grill

When you're part of a monthly steak club, you look forward to that dedicated evening of carnivorous delight. We're always on the hunt for hidden gems, and this month, our quest led us back to The Rare Grill, a small, local steakhouse – and our visit definitely left us feeling a little… rare-fied.

First Impressions & Starters
From the outside, The Rare Grill has a cosy, unassuming charm that hints at a neighbourhood favourite. Inside, the ambiance is pleasant enough, if a bit unremarkable. It felt like a standard local eatery, without much to truly distinguish it.

We kicked things off with a couple of starters. The boerewors was genuinely good – flavourful and cooked just right, offering a promising start to the meal. The biltong was delicious, but the calamari was a let-down. It lacked crispness and tasted a bit rubbery, failing to inspire much confidence for the main event.

The Main Event: The Steak
Now, for the moment of truth: the steak. This is, after all, a steakhouse, and our club is all about the beef. Sadly, The Rare Grill's steak offering was a bit hit and miss. We ordered various cuts, and overall the steak quality was below par. Many of us found our steaks to be tough, lacking in the rich, beefy flavour we crave, and inconsistent in their doneness.

The Supporting Cast: Sides & Service
A great steak can be elevated by its accompanying sides, and here The Rare Grill delivered well. Our chips were good, and the onion rings excellent. Our waitress provided competent service, with our orders arriving correctly and in good time. While there wasn't a moment that truly stood out or made the service exceptional, she was solid.

The Verdict: Value & Overall Impression
Considering the quality of the food, especially the steak, the value for money at The Rare Grill was poor. We felt that we had paid a premium for a meal that simply didn't deliver. While the boerewors starter offered a fleeting moment of enjoyment, the core offering – the steak – was a let-down. Coupled with an unremarkable ambiance, it made for a rather forgettable steak club outing.

Steak           5.5 / 10
Sides            2.4 / 5
Value           2.7 / 5
Service       2.6 / 5
Ambiance 2.6 / 5
Total             53%
 
Rare Grill
166 2nd Ave, Kenilworth, Cape Town
076 460 0423
www.raregrill.co.za