When you think steak dinner, you think special occasion, crisp tablecloths and no-phones-at-the-table ground rules. You don't usually think viral Tiktoks and bottomless fries.
So naturally, we were a bit sceptical as we made our way to Crow Street for Boeuf & Frites, the newest addition to the ever-growing
Boeuf Dublin family.
Managers Paul and Justin - the Bouef Boys, or beefy Jedward if you will - are the faces of the operation, and their viral videos ahead of the new opening have certainly caused a stir on Foodtok and beyond.
Addressing everything from perceived over-saturation of steakhouses in Dublin to harsh messages from blank profile picture accounts, Paul and Jordan's videos are far-reaching with some boasting upwards of 150,000 views, and usually end with them inviting faceless TikTok users who've dubbed them as "worse than the Happy Pear twins" in for a drink on the house.
On the off-chance you haven't come across these controversial clips outlining the concept of Boeuf & Frites, we'll quickly explain what's on offer at the restaurant here: A choice of 7oz fillet, 10oz striploin or half a chargrilled chicken, a side salad, bottomless fries, your choice of sauce, garlic bread and profiteroles for dessert for €29.95. There's no additional charge for the bigger steak, no sneaky extra costs - just the option to fork out an extra €2 for a second sauce should the spirit move you. The deal is loosely inspired by the likes of L'Entrecote in London where you get
two servings of steak frites for £29, but it's not a direct copy. Any new restaurant does their research, and the Boeuf boys visited steakhouses across the UK, France and the US before perfecting their model.
Set the scene
When we arrive at Boeuf & Frites, the dining room is teeming and charismatic Paul is at the door to welcome us in. When you actually meet beefy Jedward, you really do get swept up in the allure. It's easy to dole out shady comments and stick from the safety of your phone but in person, you'll see these are just two enthusiastic lads who are excited about what they're doing, having fun with content that'll spread the word and up for taking the piss out of themselves. It's hard to begrudge that in person, especially whilst tucking into a bowl of bottomless chips.
The interior is warm and Parisian in style, with beaded chandeliers and mounts of bulls gone by adorning the walls. Paul tells us there are 350 covers booked in for tonight alone, and the phone has been ringing almost off the hook since the sub-30 quid deal was announced. Servers deftly weave through tables laden down with bottomless fries and wafty garlic bread, and we're placed at a table in front of the window (perfect for picking up the street lights outside as we vigorously snap and film our fillets and buttery béarnaises - coincidence? We think not).
10oz striploin.
The food
The first few bowls of shoestring fries are deposited to our table, and it feels like a childhood holiday where you're allowed to order extra chips because they cost about 30p. They're lightly seasoned and starchy and I think we won't possibly get through all three bowls, but they're gone in less than five minutes.
While we're munching the garlic bread comes out. It's buttery and nostalgic, evoking memories of the freezer garlic baguettes every Irish household had a stash of in the 90s but with an elevated, break-apart-for-the-gram fresh restaurant quality taste. It comes with a side of extra made in-house garlic butter, which doubles as a dip for our conveyor belt of fries. We also order a round of Boeuf-tails - Boeuf's take on a French martini with vodka, raspberry liqueur and pineapple. They're rich and jammy topped with a creamy foam, a bit like a pre-dinner dessert which I'm very much here for.
Our table's order consists of three fillet steaks and one striploin (the poor coq never got a look in) - mine's medium rare and cooked to perfection. Charred and lightly smoky on the outside and pink and tender on the inside, a worthy vehicle for hoofing up lashings of peppercorn sauce and béarnaise.
Profiteroles follow with a warm pot of melted white and milk chocolate to drizzle atop. They're good, but it's only after we leave that I learn of the secret gluten-free option - crème brûlée - which I definitely would have opted for if given the chance.
7oz fillet.
Overall
When visiting a restaurant like this, you're naturally going to be looking out for cut corners, sceptically questioning whether the hype can possibly be real. We were pleasantly surprised on all accounts. The steak was delicious and cooked beautifully, cocktails were great and the whole experience was easy and fun. There's always something to be said for a restaurant that doesn't give you too many options - one that hones in and does what it does well. There's no ordering anxiety, no food regret, just an invitation to sit back and enjoy a good cut of beef without worrying about the extras you'll be hit with once the bill's rolled out. So far, 2024 has provided nothing but bleakness and despair at every corner - sitting back and not having to think while you're served bottomless comfort need is definitely the order of the day. Perfect if you're looking for an affordable, crowd-pleaser dinner right in the middle of town, that won't leave you feeling shafted in terms of quality.
Header images via Instagram/boeufdublin & Valerie Reid for Lovin
