The classic steak house is a basic restaurant concept that when done right is pretty much guaranteed to be a success. There is a steak house formula, a formula that is followed time and again throughout the world for good reason, it works. The ultimate key to the success will of course be the steak and the chef's execution of expensive cuts of beef. It will be the primary reason that people visit and a factor in deciding if they will return on a regular basis. Added to this will be an oyster and seafood bar, a salad bar, and a good wine list, plus a side order of great service, presented in an environment of dark woods and leather.

The recently opened Grand Hyatt Steakhouse ticks all the obvious boxes for steak house success, but how was the execution?

Heaven on a Fork

As expected classic steak house appetisers such as crab cakes, steak tartare and seafood on ice are on the menu, as were our choices of 1/2 Dozen Oysters ($250), Pan-Fried Diver Scallops ($220), and Heirloom Tomato Salad ($130). Plus we had to order the quintessential steakhouse soup, Lobster Bisque ($140).

As expected the Belon oysters were fantastic, as were the diver scallops, served with a tomato and bacon salsa. "Heaven on a fork" say my notes from the meal. Premium scallops cooked to perfection, bursting with flavour, topped with a complementary salsa. There is a certain culinary magic attained when combining the fresh and the cured and this dish was a classic example of that...a must-try.

Also scoring high on the appearance scale was the tomato salad. I counted at least ten tomato varieties in all shapes and sizes...they looked stunning, like edible jewels. Sadly the taste of all but one was disappointing, some were simply flavourless and watery, while others had a floury, mushy texture.

Good but not great would be my conclusion of the soup...for me there was a certain bitterness left on the roof of the mouth after the other flavours had dissipated and I thought it was a tad thin. My friend however really enjoyed the bisque and though it had big lobster notes. We both thought it could have been served hotter and the piece of lobster meat was overcooked.

The Star Player

Having trouble choosing which steak to order we turned to the staff, who have been trained to assist diners in explaining the different cuts and the differences between the three sources of its beef: Canadian Heritage Angus, Nebraska USDA Prime, and Japanese Kumamoto Wagyu. Once we had decided to go Canadian we then had to choose the cut: 32oz Cowboy Chop (for two) 24oz T-Bone, 38oz Porterhouse (for two) - a signature, or short rib. As we wanted to be able to fit in our other main we went for the T-Bone ($800). For reference there are five cuts of USDA and two cuts of Wagyu.

Top marks for execution, and for flavour, it was a superb steak. We ordered the Green Peppercorn and Brandy sauce from the selection of six, it was delicious but unnecessary (the diner is also presented with a selection of mustards). In addition to a big flavour it was also big in size and we were unable to finish it. Not ones to waste great produce we asked the restaurant to box it up for us, as did a number of other diners, something they must be expecting as they already have bags with the restaurant's logo.

For sides (15 choices all priced at $65) we had Duck Fat Fries - only okay as they were not that hot, and Steamed Broccoli with butter and almonds - fantastic.

To balance the beef we also order the Broiled Atlantic Sea Bass ($260), served whole with fresh herbs and capers. Again an impressive looking dish...unfortunately some of it was overcooked...not much, but enough to take away from the texture and the experience. It is not hard to overcook fish, which is why I would order this dish again, the fish is of such great quality that done right it would be a sheer delight to eat.

Ticks All the Boxes

With the ability to always find room for something sweet we went for the signature Dark Rum Baba ($75) with Chantilly cream, which is flambeed table-side. Consisting of small yeast cakes, with citrus notes, saturated in a rum syrup it seems a fitting dessert for a big meal. Would recommend this as a shared dessert.

We had the remaining steak the next day, it was fabulous, surprisingly so for leftovers...after, I gazed into my culinary crystal ball and I saw the Grand Hyatt Steakhouse becoming a place to go for a great steakhouse experience on HK Island.

Ambience, Service, Wine

The restaurant occupies the space that was once JJ's and there are still hints of its former self. Instead of one large space there are a series of labyrinth like smaller rooms, each with a slightly different ambience. There is lots of wood and leather and that masculine steakhouse feel, with some eclectic touches. We were seated in a booth near the salad bar, which I would not recommend as it is a high traffic area and at times we felt a little like we were sitting by a busy street.

The restaurant had only been opened officially for a few days, after a soft opening, and the staff seemed keen to get it right, checking with diners about the experience they were having and their honest thoughts on the food. When the manager asked my dining companion about the fish she picked up on the fact that he wasn't saying all he felt about the dish (he was being polite), eventually teasing from him his comment that it was a tad overdone. I was impressed with this real desire to get constructive comments from diners and it was something I saw her and other staff do with other diners too. Overall I can't fault the service and it is what one would expect when dining at a hotel of this level.

Inline with any great steakhouse the restaurant's wine list has been designed with attention to detail. There are more than 160 labels and over 600 bottles of wine, with sixteen available by the glass.