In Short: Who would have thought to put a meat butcher and smokehouse & grill diner in the midst of the Sydney Fish Markets? Vic’s Meats did, and it is a worthy addition! Now you can get your premium surf’n’turf ingredients in one convenient location, just a stone’s throw from the Sydney CBD. DO NOT leave Vic’s without sampling the Wagyu Scotch Fillet. It’s the best meat we’ve sampled in 2018!
Usually when people go to the Sydney Fish Market, their thoughts are centered around where they can grab the thickest, freshest prawns in the country. But tucked away in the corner of the Sydney Fish Market, is a premium butcher that sells, and cooks, some of the best meats available in, well, anywhere!
Vic’s Meats has been around since 1996. They are a premium butcher shop, established by father and son, Victor and Anthony Puharich. To say that these people know their meats, would be an understatement. Coming from a long line of butchers in the family, dad Victor has over 40 years of experience in the meat industry, while son Anthony provides the business acumen knowledge with his degree in Finance and Economics.
Vic’s Meats started off as distributors of premium quality meat and used to mainly service the restaurant and food service industry. But, they decided to expand their business and started preparing, packing, and dispatching meat products to customers as well, which is good news for home cooks like myself, as that means that we finally have access to a fantastic array of restaurant quality meats at wholesale prices. In 2014, they decided to open a diner at Sydney’s Fish Market, which allowed customers to not just buy their meats but also have a meal there that is expertly cooked on the spot.
Their location within the fish market precinct means that there is lots of parking available. If you are a meat lover like us, stepping into the shop is like stepping into meat heaven! The smells and aromas of meat cooking fills the space. The diner itself is decorated with lots of warm brown tones, casual wood counter top furniture and benches. There are windows mounted around the restaurant where you can see what’s going on inside the kitchen. In fact, the grill area is open concept so you can even watch Chef Dane cook your order.
The first thing you notice with Vic’s Meats menu is the wide array of dishes available, like burgers, ribs, meat platters, steak, and lots of sides to choose from. In terms of meat types, there is pork, chicken and, of course, beef. From scotch fillets to sirloin and wagyu, this place is just a homage to good meats.
We started with some sides, while we decided on our mains. Many people think that Macaroni and Cheese is a kids dish that is usually gloopy, sloppy pasta with melted cheese. But I, for one, think of it as comfort food and have tasted many adult versions that would make a convert out of anyone. Mac ‘n’ Cheese chips is a play on the traditional dish, and it is one of those dishes where you would try and never want to forget. Instead of serving it as a saucy, cheesy pasta in a bowl, they have managed to infuse the cheese flavours into the pasta, shape it so that it holds a perfect oval shape while cooking, and turned it into a delicious, finger-licking-good croquette. The outside is crumbed and deep fried ’til golden brown, while the inside is soft pasta with a cheesy flavour that’s not too overpowering. It is served freshly cooked, topped with a generous shaving of Parmesan cheese, and it is the perfect side dish to go with your meal. I would highly recommend it as a must-try side dish at Vic’s Meats.
Because we missed out on the Ribs (let this be a warning that if you are after their famous ribs, go early as they do sell out!), we decided to try another side from the menu. Burnt Ends are actually made with off-cuts of brisket that used to be thrown away or treated as scraps, once considered too fatty to be served. But the same fatty meat is now considered a prize cut, perfect for barbecues as the fat ensures that a beautiful crust is created around the meat. It takes someone who understands and loves meat like the people at Vic’s Meats, to decide to come up with a stellar side dish that also conserves wastage. Smothered in a thick , sweet and sticky barbecue sauce, each piece of meat is oh-so-melt-in-your-mouth tender, and encased in a burnt charcoal crust (hence the name Burnt Ends!) The intense sweet smoky flavours that emanates from each bite is unbelievable. The best part? There are no bones to deal with and so easy to eat as each piece is cut to bite size and served with a wooden pick. Priced at $10 for a bowl, it a bargain and easily one of my favourite item on the menu.
Living in Australia, a country whose farmers produce some of the best beef in the world, it’s no wonder that we at Coco and Vine love our steaks. In fact, one of little Coco and Viner Sammi’s favourite meals is steak and potato mash. Out of all the different cuts of beef available, my favourite cut for steak is the Wagyu Scotch Fillet. Vic’s Meats Wagyu is sourced from Ranger Valley in New South Wales, who produce some of the best Australian Wagyu beef in the world. The steaks have a different score to suit your preferred marbling ratio. This evening, we went with the Wagyu Scotch Fillet Marbling Score BMS 5+. Usually, when we go out as team, it’s hard to get Coco and Viner Steven to sit down. He’s always off looking for the perfect angle to grab a great food shot, or just taking one more photo. One bite of the steak ensured he would be anchored for the rest of the meal. It gave us great joy to see him tuck into, and loving the steak; a rarity for us, and testament to how well Chef Dane had treated and cooked the meat. It’s presented on a plate with the fillet neatly sliced and exhibiting a perfectly cooked medium-rare centre. The melt-in-your-mouth texture combined with the rich, smoky, meaty flavours, is just incredible. It is definitely a must-try for any meat lover.
We could not depart Vic’s Meats without trying one of their burgers. They have grilled chicken, pulled pork and, of course, the classic beef burger. We decided to try something different and went for the Brisket Sandwich. Instead of the normal ground beef patty, we got pieces of tender brisket cooked to perfection and topped with a refreshing slaw to cut through the richness of the meat. It was a good satisfying burger and would definitely satisfy any beef burger craving.
Being able to watch Chef Dane cook the steak is quite a treat as well, as you can see how seriously he takes his craft and skill, treating each piece of meat with love and respect and making sure to cook each piece of meat to perfection.
Vic’s Meats is not just the destination to buy your meats. With it classic smokehouse grill and steak dishes, it is in our minds now as also one of Sydney’s coolest and casual dining destinations as well.
Essentials
Name: Vic’s Meats Smokehouse & Grill Pyrmont
Address: Sydney Fish Market, 50-60 Bank Street, Pyrmont
Google Maps : Map
Hours: Sun-Wed: 10:00am-4:00pm, Thur-Sat: 10:00am-9:00pm
Website: vicsmeatmarket.com.au
Leave a Reply