It’s been described as the purest of pleasures, but there’s more to good steak than lighting a flame under a cow…

That much is understood by Merlinego 5, a classic looking steakhouse that swirls in shadow, brickwork and elegant touches. Settling upstairs, the first of the spring sun sloping through the shutters, we immerse ourselves in an atmosphere that’s all surreptitious conversation and distant clinking glasses.

Unsure of what to choose, our waiter takes the initiative and his team spring into action: within minutes we are inspecting raw hunks of meat as if at the butcher’s: there’s USDA prime beef from New York’s Ottomanelli & Sons and Scottish beef from London’s Smithfield Market. Most visible though is the wagyu ‘kobe’ rib-eye that’s been graded 9+. It feels naughty ordering something so expensive, but opportunities to dine like this don’t present themselves often.

It doesn’t disappoint. The flavors are savored as if we are tasting fine wine. It is an extraordinary dining experience conducted in silence: words, we decide, are pointless. As our plates are cleared we are both in a daze, as if the meaning of meat has been completely redefined. Already we are conscious that this is a moment that must be cherished, for what we’ve just eaten is the steak of a lifetime…

Merlinego 5
ul. Merliniego 5, merliniego5.pl