By Stephanie Clifford-Smith
I've never understood why an animal cheek is considered offal. Being part of the head makes it an extremity, as are ears, tail and feet, but for culinary purposes it's more like chuck steak, breaking down into tender chunks or shreds after braising.
Like other well-exercised cuts, such as the shoulder or the shank, it's full of connective tissue, so long cooking is the key to unlocking its potential. That investment of time is rewarded with butter-soft meat and rich, sticky juices.
1. The Welcome Hotel
It's wise to resist the warm bread brought to table while awaiting chef Alex Watts's mustard-crumbed beef cheeks ($28.50). For this hearty dish, three thick pieces of meat are braised for 12 hours before being lifted from the liquid, coated generously with a mix of seedy and English mustards, then coated in lemon zest-spiked breadcrumbs. Fried until golden, they rest on a pile of sweetish pickled beetroot, which cuts through the meat's richness. Watch out for the nostril-clearing mustard hit - it's good.
2. Himalayan Char Grill
This casual place looks like any other outlet in an uninspiring shopping arcade but stiff competition means standards are high. Although this masala dish would use water buffalo in Nepal, beef cheeks cut into small pieces ($18.90) work a treat. The meat is braised for several hours in a mildly spicy tomato base that includes ground cumin, coriander, garlic and chilli. Lolling in the sauce are cauliflower, beans and handsome wedges of carrot, a final sprinkling with fresh coriander stalks adding crunch and flavour. The Himali tea with ginger and cardamom proves to be a fine accompaniment.
3. The Four in Hand Dining Room
Carnivores' most primal urges are satisfied with this head-to-tail veal dish ($34) presented on a wooden board. The veal cheeks share the limelight with a line-up that includes rare veal fillet and a thumping great roasted bone sliced lengthways to expose the slippery marrow. The cheek is tender enough to make a knife unnecessary but I find it borders on the overcooked, with slightly dry edges. However, it's not a problem that can't be alleviated by swiping the meat through the reduced veal jus. Sweetness and balance come from mandarin puree, grilled spring onions, baby fennel and cherry tomatoes.