Ordering steak off the menu has always been a bit hit and miss with me. Let me just say one thing – I love steak. Whether it’s a Sirloin steak slathered with peppercorn sauce or a Filet Mignon topped with moreish mushrooms, I’m far from a vegetarian. I’ve always been a medium-rare person and I’ve never understood how anyone can order a well-done steak – as my mum always says, “you may as well order a burger!”. As much as I enjoy eating out, you never really know if the chef will cook your steak how you like it (3 minutes on each side, please), or if they will hand you a brick disguised as a piece of meat. Unfortunately, it’s usually the latter. So, you’ll understand my happiness when I got a fantastic steak at Miller & Carter Steak House.
Located on London Road, Patcham, it’s easily accessible with ample amounts of parking and easy bus routes (the number 5 if you’re wondering). Upon entering, you’re welcomed by an expensive looking interior with a recurring theme of a deep red. Red chairs, red carpet, red lights, which charmingly pairs with the black tables and long black sofa. The visible brick wall gives the place a modern look with an authentic American steakhouse vibe about it.
Whether you’re 6 or 60, Miller and Carter is suitable for all from being on that crucial first date to dining with your family celebrating your mum’s 50th – even if you don’t eat meat! The wide variety of the menu offers meals such as a range of steak (obviously) and burgers, but also offers other things such as fish and pasta dishes and superfood salads, not to mention a range of starters and desserts. They also have a children’s menu for the teeny tots to enjoy.
After browsing through the 12 different types of steak, I ended up choosing the T-Bone steak with creamy baked cheddar mushrooms (£5.75) to start, whilst my dining partner of choice ordered the sirloin steak with perfectly crisp salt and pepper calamari (£6.75) to start. “How would you like your steak cooked?” Both medium-rare of course. The mammoth 16OZ T-Bone (£25.95) and the award-winning 12OZ Sirloin (£22.95) were both delicious. The prices are extremely reasonable, as Miller & Carter only sell the very best cuts of 30-day aged meat and I cannot stress enough how flavoursome our steaks were. The cattle, hand-picked for the restaurant, are all grass and grain fed on British and Irish farms, later being cooked by specially trained chefs who say that steak “is our profession, but it’s also our obsession”.
The Miller & Carter staff were just as sweet as the Raspberry Crème Brulee (£5.25) we left dessert space for (also delicious). Our waitress, Amy Bending, was extremely polite and knowledgeable, helping us choose the best white wine to compliment our meals. The service was terrific and not too intrusive – you were left to enjoy your meal without a massive amount of interruption. The only downfall with the meal was the ‘lettuce wedge’ that comes with every steak, which, in my opinion, was a little unnecessary. It’s essentially just a large chunk of ice berg lettuce with a choice of 4 dressings to drizzle on top. However, Amy, our waitress, informed us it was adopted from American steakhouses and is much-loved by other diners.
If you get to the end of your meal and you simply cannot move from the colossal amount of food you’ve consumed, you can crash at the Miller & Carter hotel. Whether it’s a short over-night stay or more, the accommodation is comfortable and relaxing, much like the restaurant. Miller & Carter is definitely one place in Brighton to check out and feel satisfyingly full!
