A southern suburbs pub is enjoying the sweet taste of success after its “TNT” sarnie was crowned Perth’s best steak sandwich.
Carrington’s Bar and Grill took home the prestigious title after a mammoth cook-off against three other finalists at the Australian Hotels Association’s steak sandwich competition last week.
The three other metropolitan finalists were The Last Local in Canning Vale, CY O’Connor Village Pub in Piara Waters and Hillary’s Beach Club.
Treendale Farm Hotel in Australind was crowned home to WA’s best regional steak sandwich.
A fair bit goes into the sanwich construction and judging, with presentation, originality, chips, sauces, flavour, value for money, and most importantly, the meat’s tenderness all factors.
“There are some real key components to what makes a good steak sandwich,” Carrington’s Bar and Grill owner Ashley Cranenburgh told PerthNow.
“The bread has to be spot on; golden and crunchy … then there’s the steak itself; we use a Scotch fillet because it’s lovely, flavoursome and tender.”
Carrington’s TNT sarnie is packed with a juicy Scotch fillet steak, bacon, cheese, house-made Spanish Romesco sauce, bourbon and toffee-infused onions, rocket, tomato and aioli.
“Our customer feedback was unanimously, ‘this is amazing’ and ‘it just melts in my mouth,’” Mr Cranenburgh said.
“They would say things like ‘I can’t believe I ate the whole sandwich’ and ‘once you start, you can’t stop’.
“There’s a great marriage of flavours and a lot of ingredients jam-packed into it, nothing really is too overpowering and nothing is too light.”
The victor of WA’s best steak sarnie — which will be decided between Carrington’s Bar and Grill and Treendale Farm Hotel — will be announced at the AHA Awards of Excellence in November.
“We’ve got this award for the next 12 months, irrespective of who’s crowned WA’s best steak sandwich because we are WA’s best steak sandwich winner in the metro area,” Mr Cranenburgh said.
The win is further proof of a pub on the rise, having gone one better after being finalists in last year’s steak sandwich competition.
The family-owned business has exploded in popularity after Mr Cranenburgh and his wife Lorene, took over the pub in 2022.
“It was on it’s knees, no one was coming in here,” Mr Cranenburgh said.
“It was run down terribly; everything from the presentation of the venue, to the stock levels, to the calibre of the staff working.
“We’ve literally done an extreme makeover to transform and change it … we’re proud to say it’s a good, strong community pub that people of all different ages come to and feel really comfortable about coming to.”