Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse

A friend who knows Sydney better than I do put Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse at the top of a list of three. He was right, as he often is.

The room is exactly what you want it to be: York Street basement with terracotta walls. We were seated near the back, given menus we hardly needed, and brought a small bowl of olives without being asked.

We started with a single chuleta of cured pork to set the mood, which set the tone — generous, unfussy, and confident enough not to crowd what was coming. With it we ordered a Napa cabernet old enough to drink itself, and were glad of both.

Then the main event: bistecca on the bone, the dish that puts Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse on every short list. It was, frankly, the best version of this cut I have had this year. The signature touch — the dry-aged Cape Grim — is not a gimmick; it is the reason to come.

For sides we asked for grilled radicchio with anchovy butter and thick-cut onion rings, stacked. Both arrived hot, both arrived early, both were exactly large enough to overdo it. We overdid it.

Dessert was a slab of New York cheesecake, mostly because the waiter raised an eyebrow when we hesitated. He was right to.

If you are passing through Sydney, do not pass Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse by.