“Listen, I love food, but in Shenzhen it’s just too hard to find a decent steak,” says Luna co-owner Kim Lee. Sensing a shift in local tastes, Lee believes high-quality beef will follow wine and coffee as China’s next acquired taste – and he is doing his part by leading the charge.
“The beef is good, so good you don’t need sauce,” Lee says before pausing. “I will not serve it with sauce.” Serving the meat on Luna’s carcass-heavy menu well done is another thing on Lee’s list of ‘will nots.’
In fact, Lee is treating his meat like a business secret by not revealing the specific beef supplier, saying he plans to benefit from his culinary crusade through months of unsatisfactory cuts before settling on a source of Australian wagyu beef.
With so much emphasis on the meat, does the steak stack up? Yes, yes it does.
The rib-eye (RMB320) is where Luna shines brightest, with a soft, almost buttery feeling when chewed. Lee is right in saying it’s a quality of meat difficult to find in Shenzhen. It’s a quality of meat difficult to find in many places.
The flavorful chuck steak (RMB195) comes in thin slices as part of Luna’s meat platter (RMB550 to RMB650), but despite a narrow cut, the seasoning isn’t lost.
The oven-cooked ribs are sticky and on the sweet side, a nod to local preferences. Our serving is a bit low in the meat department, making them a great – if steeply priced – snack for two at RMB120.
The drink menu is extensive, including whiskeys and other classics like the bloody mary and Long Island iced tea. Both are RMB50, as is the house special, the dragon’s breath, made with a mixture of dragon fruit, lime, soda, pomegranate syrup and vodka. The alcohol is masked by a sweet and sour balance, though the edible seeds tend to clog the straw.
It needs to be said: the quality of the food, and attentiveness Lee invests in its preparation, is at odds with Luna’s atmosphere as a nightlife hotspot. An intoxicated college student won’t be dancing their way into your meal, but it’s hard to square chewing on such fine fare as billiard balls clack in the background.
In the end, Lee’s foray into fine cuts is a success, but the bigger question remains: if he cooks it, will they come?
Price: RMB300
Who’s going: Steak lovers, Shekou foodies
Good for: Getting your drink on while eating fine beef
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