Profiled by de Groots Media Situated on a shopping strip in Balwyn, Stefan's is nice, but definitely old-fashioned, with carpeted floors, pink walls, Victorian reproduction chairs, and a menu that devotes itself to meat and not much else. Steak's the thing here. It comes as porterhouse, scotch fillet or fillet and is cut and cooked to order. There are a few further choices: grass-fed or grain-fed, Murray Grey, Angus or Wagyu. Somewhere on the menu there's pork and chicken, but that's not why anyone comes here.
The meat is cooked by Stefan himself, enclosed in a glass cooking area. First course is limited to vegetable soup or cebapcici: meaty skinless sausages. The steak is accompanied by a plain mixed salad and unexciting mustard, with the possibility of grilled red peppers for an extra charge. Bread is served with pats of wrapped butter and desserts are limited - lemon pancakes are the best choice. One of the advantages here is that you can bring your own wine for a small corkage charge, so it's a chance to drink fine big reds with fine big steak. There's a small wine list should you run out.
Rita Erlich