Tomahawk Steak Challenge at The Oaks Hotel, Neutral Bay

The Oaks Hotel is a favourite among locals, offering a true steakhouse experience with an in house butcher, a huge range of steak cuts and even the option to master your own meal at the cook-your-own steak station. They’ve also recently added the Tomahawk Steak to the menu, which is one of the largest steak cuts (averaging 1.8kg per serving). I may have lost my mind today as I decided to step up to the challenge of eating it.

As we entered the courtyard, we eyed three ginormous Tomahawk Steaks sitting on the outdoor grill which were browned off before the rest of the cooking continued in the indoor kitchen oven. After a short wait, we were presented with the steak, which comes complete with duck fat potatoes and green beans. For those who are successful at finishing this enormous plate, you’ll get a Tomahawk trucker cap along with the glory of knowing that you’re one of few who have been able to conquer this beast.

Tomahawk Steak – $75-$95 depending on weight (average 1.8kg)

My tactic was simple – cut small pieces, drink a little bit of water intermittently, and worry about the sides later. The meat was extremely tender and fragrant and went especially well with the mushroom sauce (I wasn’t a bit fan of the other two sauces though). I found my cut had quite a bit of fat hidden throughout which meant there was less for me to eat (hooray!), but halfway through I was already feeling quite full. This steak could easily feed three people! The duck fat potatoes didn’t help either as they were crispy and so tasty, but oh so filling. The green beans provided a nice bland alternative to chewing so much meat.

Approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes later, I admitted defeat, having finished about over 95% of my steak (excluding the pile of fat I trimmed off). I made hardly a dent in the sides and my jaw was sore from all the continuous chewing, but it was definitely a fun experience and challenge! There was a small group of us all attempting the Tomahawk and none of us managed to finish the whole plate, but all polished off most of the meat and left the sides. It’s definitely not for the faint hearted and if you’re not up for the challenge, it might actually be better to just share the steak with a small group.

Thankfully for those not feeling like leaving more than a kilo heavier, the menu also offers a nice selection of bar snacks, pub classics, burgers, pizzas and more. Yvn opted for the Fried Buttermilk Chicken off their bar snacks menu and was not disappointed at all by the crispy batter encasing juicy chicken and the addictive aioli on the side. Best of all, the fried chicken at The Oaks isn’t too oily despite the crunchy exterior. 

If you’re feeling up for a challenge, why not pop by The Oaks Hotel and give it a go? You’ll never know until you try, and at least if you don’t finish it, you can always doggy bag the rest of the steak home and have your next two days worth of meals covered off!

Excuse Me Waiter dined as guests of The Oaks Hotel

The Oaks Hotel
118 Military Rd, Neutral Bay NSW 2089
Ph: (02) 9953 5515