"What's your favourite restaurant?" is a question food writers are asked regularly. We'll reveal our top 100 here on Friday, November 12th. But what about our favourite dishes? We're answering that question in this series. Today: steaks. Here are the ones that Lisa Cope, Ali Dunworth and I will travel for, and will order regardless of what else is on the menu.
Côte de boeuf at Etto
€72 for two people; 18 Merrion Row, Dublin 2; 01-6788872; etto.ie
It is, I'd imagine, little surprise that the dry-aged côte de boeuf at Etto tops the list for me when it comes to steak. Grilled on the bone, then carved into slices – charred on the outside and cooked to just the right level of rareness inside – all it needs is the Bordelaise sauce, crispy garlic potatoes and watercress salad. Corinna Hardgrave
Rib-eye at Featherblade
€20; 51B Dawson Street, Dublin 2; 01-6798814; featherblade.ie
When I fancy steak I want all the trimmings, too, and Featherblade delivers that and more. First, choose from a concise menu of well-priced, well-sourced meat. I usually go for the rib-eye, which comes from JJ Youngs in Kildare and is dry-aged in a salt chamber. Then add from the enticing sides menu, including béarnaise, truffle mac and cheese, creamed spinach, and beef-dripping chips, and you're fit for a feast. Ali Dunworth
West Cork Angus rib-eye with whatever's seasonal at Pilgrim's
€26; 6 South Square, Roscarbery, Co Cork; 023-8831796, pilgrims.ie
Pilgrim's in west Cork might be better known for doing beautiful things with vegetables, but for most of the year you'll find local Angus rib-eye treated with respect, served with wild and wonderful things from nearby. The first time it was slow-cooked courgettes, cherry tomato, capers and a garlic-nasturtium smoked butter I can still taste 18 months later. The last it was calabrese broccoli and Caherberg black pudding sesame rayu. I try to eat less meat of better quality, and this is somewhere I save my steak tokens for. Lisa Cope
