There are few places in the world where high end steaks and high end clubbing go hand in hand. In theory, the combination shouldn't really work; steaks are heavy, filling and indulgent whereas clubbing requires a light, energetic approach to see you through. However, at Montauk, the newly opened steak house in the Ushuaïa Tower, Ibiza, this is the key combination that could just reinvent your food and clubbing combo.
Montauk opened with buzz bought by it's ex-Hawksmoor chef Richard Turner, who's menu consists of five cuts of prime beef dishes served with twists on classics like creamed spinach and mac & cheese. While not everyone flocks to Ibiza for it's fine dining, it's fair to say the island host a number of quality restaurants, which until now, have not included steaks. A gap in the market has duly been filled, and everything about it just works.
For a start, the setting. If Mad Men were to build a steak house it would probably look like this. Sit by the window and look out over the luxurious pool of the Ushuaïa Tower, the subtler VIP extension to the Ushuaïa brand which opened for the first time this season next door to the renowned Ushuaïa Hotel and club. As scantily clad Euro stars sip cocktails, you can soak up the atmosphere in the cool, darkened, neon lit dining room, acting for the night like your Bond.
Starters consist of bold and original dishes like roasted sea scallops with manzanilla and garlic - possibly the largest and meatiest scallops I have ever eaten - and hearty pork belly ribs, smoked on site giving them a subtle, woody flavor. If you're worried about saving room for the main course though, which is no bad shout, lighter options like tuna tartar, or a selection of a dozen different oysters, can be slipped back leaving an impression on your mouth but not on your stomach.
Then for the mains... the star steak attraction. If you're in a group I would order one of each cut - they come served on hot platters allowing you to carve up and share. This is the best way to notice the difference in the meats and they way they are cooked. The rib-eye has slabs of marble running through it, the New York strips come juicy and rare, the T bone allows you to carve off the bone itself, while the prime rib and fillet act as the hunky chunks of meat to fall back on - flavoursome, tender and simply delicious.
Puddings are a struggle to eat after two such indulgent courses, but none the less they should at least be attempted, as there are some variations on here that are a surprise from the more traditional mains and starters. Peanut butter chocolate sundae will leave you virtually speechless, while the popcorn sundae will entertain the kid inside you. End on the sticky toffee pudding though - even if it's just one mouthful, that sauce will stay with you for the rest of your night.
And as for that night? Time to get clubbing. 50 yards away is the world renowned Ushuaïa Club, which seven nights a week throughout the season hosts parties like no other. David Guetta's residency F*** Me I'm Famous on a Monday, Luciano on a Tuesday, and others like Pete Tong and Avicii littered throughout the week. Watching five thousand people hit the air with glow sticks while they dance to the synchronized light and firework show is a sight that every Ibiza goer should try and see at least once. Granted, not everyone will be up for the monster steak before hand, but for those in the market for the finer side of Ibiza dining, this is the new place to try.
I flew with Monarch who operate flights to Ibiza from Birmingham, London Gatwick, East Midlands and Manchester during the summer season with fares, including taxes, starting from £47.99 one way & £77.99 return. After researching, these were the best value I could find, plus their late night flights mean you can get an extra bonus night in Ibiza before heading home at 3am in the morning, fresh faced and, ummm, ready to go ;-)