Matu is a dream for meat lovers, with a menu centred entirely around Australian wagyu. Nothing showcases that commitment better than the Matu dinner ($87 per person; minimum 2 persons), a multi-course meal that highlights different cuts of the cow in every single dish.

Things begin with a 24-hour bone broth shooter, looking like a glass of gravy but tasting like concentrated umami. Rich, warm, and deeply comforting, it’s remarkable how delicious it is despite containing only broth.

The steak tartare follows with freshly chopped beef, egg yolk, and what the menu describes as a “Japanese accent,” possibly togarashi. Whatever the seasoning blend is, it works beautifully. The tartare is incredibly flavourful despite its minimalist presentation. Thin, lightly toasted crostini accompany it without overpowering the beef, though I did ask for extra slices just to finish every bite.

The eight-hour braised beef cheek was one of my favourite courses. So tender and moist that you could practically eat it with a spoon, the richness is balanced by a silky celeriac purée that ties everything together beautifully. It’s the kind of dish that immediately makes you want another serving.

Even their ‘47’ salad leans heavily into the restaurant’s beef-first philosophy, featuring more steak than greens. The 3-ounce centre-cut filet was impressively tender for such a lean cut, and although it arrived rarer than I’d typically order, it worked perfectly. At Matu, diners aren’t asked how they’d like their steak cooked. The kitchen prepares it to the chef’s specifications, trusting the quality of the beef and their technique.

As for the romaine leaves underneath, they’re coated in a signature dressing that tastes remarkably similar to Caesar, despite being made without dairy or eggs, then finished with a generous showering of Parmigiano.

After all that beef, you’d think sharing a 12-ounce ribeye would feel excessive. Somehow, it didn’t. The steak is prepared simply, allowing the quality of the wagyu to speak for itself, with crispy grilled broccolini providing a garlicky contrast alongside it. A small dish of salt is presented at the beginning of the meal, though Matu intentionally keeps the seasoning restrained. Personally, I appreciated the lighter touch and never felt the need to add more.

Dessert arrives in the form of Scott’s flourless chocolate cake ($12), dense and rich without being overly sweet beyond a dusting of powdered sugar. After an entire menu devoted to beef, I almost found myself jokingly wondering whether wagyu somehow made its way into dessert too.

With its dark wood interiors, Matu certainly looks like a steakhouse, but the lively playlist and relaxed atmosphere keep it from feeling stuffy. You could comfortably walk in wearing a suit or a T-shirt and feel equally welcome. The staff are friendly and attentive, and the meal unfolds at a well-paced rhythm from start to finish. All hail the wagyu.

Overall mark - 8 out of 10

In high school, when I used to frequent Ashridge’s Bay, no one arrived dressed-to-impress to walk along the boardwalk. That’s all seemed to have changed now that Toronto Beach Club has opened. Walk past the bouncer and you’re transported into a well-healed tropical paradise; where the volleyball courts disappear behind foliage and it seems normal, even essential, to pop some bubbly on the beach.

You can’t go wrong with one of their hot mezze that comes with a grilled pita to start. The bread arrives hot and fresh, puffed to perfection so that it’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, dusted with spices. They accompany the smoked eggplant ($16), a decent portion of warm soft legume that would have been amazing if the walnut and olive relish weren’t so sour that even the pomegranate molasses’ sweetness couldn’t balance it out. Maybe it’s me, but I prefer my eggplant savoury.

Their jamon iberico ($36) was sliced into respectable sized slices, the prized pig’s cured slightly sweet essence bursting on the tongue. Not quite a melt-in-your-mouth as what you’ll find in Spain, these were nonetheless tasty and worth a nibble if you appreciate a good charcuterie.

Of the three starters the sea bream crudo ($21) was my favourite. Thick meaty slices of white fish topped with citrus caviar (segments of finger lime) and chili sitting in what looks like a fiery olive oil but is rather delicate. The crudo was perfectly seasoned and wonderfully tasty, a lovely summery dish to enjoy while sitting outdoors.

Toronto Beach Club’s lamb chops ($45 for the half order shown) were cooked perfectly. So, it’s such a shame that they were too salty and requires some tableside knife skills. The seasoning needs to be toned down as the outer chops made me reach for water and since the marinated yogurt was also salted, together they were way too much. It’d be nice if the kitchen also considers the table size when finishing the dish: our four chops were only cut in half for a 3-top, which means you need to portion them yourself when they arrive. It likely helps the meat retain its heat and juices better, but it’s also a bit difficult to cut through the chops on a big platter with all the yoghurt and garnishes. The age-old joke of “how many people does it take to…?”, let me just say it is not one.

Thank you to Parv for this picture

Where they really excelled was the grilled seafood. Their fileted black sea bass ($36) had such a lovely, charbroiled exterior and was still delicately done inside. While it comes with a choice of sauce (we chose the harissa butter), it’s fantastic by itself.

Sides need to be ordered separately and are more than sufficient to share amongst three. The French fries ($12) are a safe choice – nice and crisp, dusted with oregano and salt and comes with truffle aioli for dipping. Yet, what really caught our attention was the grilled broccolini ($19): cooked until crisp and covered with pecorino-ramano, pangrattato, and calabrain chili creating such a lovely almost creamy sauce with a hit of heat to end. Do get yourself some greens.

Just make sure to save room for dessert as their baklava ($12-$15) is a must. I love that it wasn’t soaked in syrup, rather the perfect amount to add sweetness but still leave the puff pastry crispy and not oily feeling. The two pieces are sandwiched between a frozen cream layer. If this isn’t the ultimate ice cream sandwich, I don’t know what is. The strawberry crostata ($12-$15) paired nicely with it – the pastry a cross between a shortbread and cake and topped with ample sweet strawberries and a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream.

We all agreed that dinner at Toronto Beach Club is probably the most ideal time to visit. The temperature is not overly warm and it’s such a lovely experience to transition from evening into night. There was even a live Spanish band performing during our Wednesday visit, the women’s lovely vocals the perfect addition to the meal.

Thank you to Parv for this image

While the after-meal service can get a little backed up, the entertainment and atmosphere kept us happy while we waited for the verbal dessert menu to be presented. Wait aside, even with the pandemic you won’t feel rushed at the restaurant, the two-and-a-half hour seating times is sufficiently long enough to leisurely enjoy the meal. I certainly won’t be visiting Greece or the equator anytime soon. Until then, Toronto Beach Club will give me the tropical fix I need to transport myself out of Toronto.