Born and Bred

Some rooms tell you exactly what to order the moment you sit down. Born and Bred, in Seoul, is one of them.

The room is exactly what you want it to be: second-generation butcher's pride. 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 half-dozen oysters from the raw bar, which set the tone — generous, unfussy, and confident enough not to crowd what was coming. With it we ordered Rioja gran reserva, decanted at the table, and were glad of both.

Then the main event: hanwoo selection, the dish that puts Born and Bred on every short list. Was it the very best steak I have ever eaten? No. Was it among the dozen I think about most? Yes. The signature touch — the tasting flight of three grades — is not a gimmick; it is the reason to come.

For sides we asked for fried okra and a dab of remoulade and hash browns the size of a hubcap. Both arrived hot, both arrived early, both were exactly large enough to overdo it. We overdid it.

Dessert was panna cotta with stewed cherries, mostly because the waiter raised an eyebrow when we hesitated. He was right to.

A perfect Sunday lunch, which is what I came for.