– Minimal Design, Maximum Flavour.
Overall rating: 4/5
So, having been well-hyped ever since our return from China, we had heard “Cau-this” “Cau-that” and thought we should probably do something about it. This popular new restaurant with its bold modern façade has popped up right nearby the market square in Cambridge. Stark white and black design makes Cau look quite pretentious and made me pause at first. Once inside however, all stuffiness dissipated (aside from the stuffiness of the 30 degree day!). The staff were unbelievably friendly and welcoming, even catering for our inebriation at the time, joking and bringing us a massive pitcher of water. We were seated close to the window (well, more of an open-front) which have a really pleasant view down the Cambridge streets… Not that we really took advantage of that, we only had eyes for the menu.
The Order
- Corn on the Cob
- Causlaw
- Triple-cooked Chunky Chips
- 2 x 10oz. Rib Eye Steaks (Rare) with Side-Salad and Peppercorn Sauce
So, firstly the sides. The corn on the cob was weirdly enough the most expensive side on the menu. Whilst still over-priced it was drizzled with a generous slathering of blue cheese (or some such garnish). Since I don’t actually like cheese, this was scraped off, and although the corn was grilled to perfection, it was still just corn for £3.50.
The chunky-chips are something pretty special. Triple-cooked really does add an extra thick layer of crunch, and these are huge slabs of potato in the first place. They also came presented in a miniature deep-fat fryer basket which was an awesome touch.
Now, the Causlaw. Jeeeeez, the waiter warned us that some people said it was the best coleslaw they’d ever had, and I’m finding myself hard pushed to disagree. Essentially red-cabbage slaw with just enough mayo to bind it (but no excess) and little shavings of carrot thrown in. Considering there were steaks ordered, it makes it even more astounding that this was the best part of our meal, and it ended up being wolfed down pretty much instantly.
The steaks: A generous 10 oz., with not too much fat to boot either. Most of the fat that there was crisped up well, although some bits were still slightly too chewy / bloody. Although the quality of the meat was excellent, I have one bit of advice for ordering here: ask for it done rarer than you would like. And if you want rare, really stress to the waiter rare. Ours reached us medium-rare, which to be honest, we didn’t mind one bit due to the quality of the meat, but if you’re one that wants a lot of blood from your steak you may be slightly disappointed.
Overall, Cau was a slightly expensive punt (our order came to just over £45 with no alcohol), but you do get what you pay for. And it is a steak restaurant of course, so there were no big surprises when the bill came! However, my only slight niggle is that when you’re paying this much, you probably do want your steak cooked to order correctly. However, the sides were both fantastic and inventive, and the overall ambience and staff-attitude were great. All in all, well worth it as a treat, just make sure you book in advance as it is certainly a happening spot at the moment!
Raspberry Media 