My perfect steak ever at Hippo Creek African Grill, Hillarys

Hippo Creek African Grill, Hillarys Boat Harbour

Upon hearing the words 'African Grill', nothing really comes to mind quite as quickly as meat. Glorious meat. Hippo Creek African Grill has quite the connotations of delicious cuts of steaks and other exotic meats flame grilled to glistening, juicy perfection. I've come to satisfy my permanent meat craving and have taken advantage of their 50% off Dimmi deal for dinner.

As we are directed to our seats we walk past multiple tables with the restaurant's signature dish; the Hunters Assaghai - a massive hanging skewer of marinated and chargrilled beef literally dripping with jus and butter. Not only is this such a novelty, it is a spectacular masterpiece of a dish. I make a note to order their famous camel, emu, buffalo and crocodile meat skewers, but was surprised to see this is no longer on their standard menu.

Woodgrilled Field Mushrooms - $18

The restaurant now has a seasonal menu, which diners can order from alongside their standard restaurant menu. Dishes like crocodile curry with cornbread definitely stood out and appealed to my curiosity, but I remember my indifference towards the white meat which tasted like a drier version of chicken breast meat and ordered the mushrooms as entree instead. It doesn't look like much, especially when I wrongly assumed they would be thickly stuffed mushrooms.

The size of the mushrooms leave you craving for more, as their natural flavour and texture pair so perfectly with a slightly zesty and crisp lemon crumb and a blood plum vinegar sauce. It's such an interesting and surprising place to find a refreshing sour flavour in the fine crumb layer beneath the mushrooms. Adding to the crisp and chewy texture is the creamy crumbs of goats cheese scattered over the dish alongside some beautifully soft roasted peppadews. Resembling mini capsicums, these peppers are sweet and add bright pops of colour to the dish. After this spectacular entree I'm preparing myself to be wowed.

Garlic Bread - $9

If we had only ordered the garlic bread as a starter, I wouldn't have been so enthusiastic or optimistic about the rest of the meal. The garlic bread is sliced into thick portions but unfortunately the all important garlic component of garlic bread is missing. It is warm and buttery on the bread's fluffy inside and the loaf is toasted enough to give a crunchy crust, however does not satisfy as much as a fragrant and garlicky piece of golden garlic bread.

The Braai - $75

Our waitress for the night looks after us very well and was great at recommending some must-try plates. Her pick involves The Braai, which already had me salivating with its multiple mentions of different proteins in this extravagant meat platter. Intended for sharing between two, it involves a 300g Angus rump cap, 200g of boerewors, 200g marinated chicken thigh, 200g pork ribs, grilled corn on the cob and is served with either fries or mash and a choice of a sauce.

Overall this dish is a winner; the meats are all marinated well and have a great smoky and barbequed flavour coming through. The chicken thigh is succulent and not at all dry - I've yet to come across a juicy breast! I'm a big fan of sausages so I do enjoy the boerewors; it is heavily seasoned and has a strong spice flavour. Not everyone was a fan, so I finished this one off. In comparison to the other steak we had ordered, the Angus rump cap really couldn't compare but on its own was cooked to a nice medium rare.

Monkeygland sauce

Some dishes come with a choice of sauce, which can be chosen from a house BBQ, monkeygland, peppercorn, onion jam, mushroom, peri peri, blue cheese, garlic and peri butter. Intrigued purely by the name, I opt for the monkeygland sauce and discover it is a ketchup and bbq sauce concoction - reminiscent of chutney in many ways with a tangy flavour.

Pork Ribs (500g) - $40 (Also available as 1kg for $75)

Following the initial feeling of foolishness for ordering another serving of ribs when it was already included in the Braai platter, was a bigger feeling of relief and wisdom because it was just SO DAMN GOOD! (200g would have been enough to satisfy one person, and probably as a snack only). The pork ribs are glazed in the restaurant's own basting; a sticky film of sweet, tasty sauce that fully coats the rack of ribs and is served with a side of mash or fries.

You are looking at some seriously delicious pork ribs

This is the type of food to dive in with your bare hands without giving a hoot about what anybody else thinks about your reckless eating ways. The ribs are unbelievably easy to carve into and the meat is so tender that it comes off the bone with a soft bite. This isn't to say it is soft until the point it has no meaty texture though! Cutlery shouldn't even be an option - this is definitely one for the fingers and provides a great kind of messy eating that screams delicious.

F1 Wagyu 400 Day Grain Fed +6 Marble Score Sirloin 300g - $65

Wagyu is famous and loved for its high marbling throughout the beef that gives it a luscious, full flavoured taste. Whilst I have had wagyu beef before, I am certain this is the first time I understand what all the fuss is about for a great steak. As a bold statement, this is quite possibly the best steak I have tasted; it is tender, cooked to a perfect medium rare and the moist, juicy, nearly creamy texture really (for a lack of a better description) melts in the mouth upon chewing. I have eaten wagyu before but did not like the excessively fatty composition - it was so concentrated that it was literally a mound of fat on the steak. This steak's fat content was very evenly distributed and I savour the few decadent mouthfuls with the chunky sauce exploding with mushroom flavour.

Small Greek Salad - $7 and Rocket & Parmesan Salad - $9

Perhaps slightly out of place in a carnivorous feast, the two salads were relatively small in size but were fresh and light.

Curried Cone Bay Barramundi - $40

I had no idea seafood was on the menu at this African steakhouse restaurant and happily order a grilled barramundi as a break from the heavy meat dishes. Fish is one of my favourites and I always find comfort in a piece of well-cooked fish and this one is no different! It rests atop a generous smear of sweetcorn puree, toasted hazelnuts and supposedly some curry crisps which I wasn't sure where they were. The component on the plate which had us intrigued was the brandade - two mounds of what looked like herbed mashed potato but tasted like otherwise. I had no idea what I was eating at the time but I liked it! It tasted strangely familiar but I couldn't state what I was eating; it had a mild salty flavour and the texture of mashed potato, and it is only after some research that I learn it is a salted cod and olive oil emulsion - gasp!

Apple, Pear and Vanilla Compote - $16

It was a pretty firm decision that no desserts were going to be ordered, but sitting around idle for a few minutes after dinner quickly changed that hazy, irrational decision. I felt really bad asking whether we could have the dessert menu since the kitchen was nearly closing, they had started to clean up and we were the last of two tables that were left standing, but the staff were completely accommodating and assured us that it was okay. This was great and consistent service throughout the night!

Going with the recommendations of our waitress, the desserts definitely satisfied and rounded out the end of dinner really well. This warm apple, pear and vanilla dessert is like an open apple crumble; sweet and soft stewed fruit topped with a baked hazelnut crumb that married the softness of the fruit so well with its crunchy texture. The real reason why I agreed to this dessert was the ginger bread ice cream - the intensity of its flavour tasted just like crushed gingerbread biscuits churned into ice cream form. Its warmth makes it such a comforting and homely winter dessert.

Pecan and Walnut Tart - $16

My preferred dessert was this pecan and walnut tart; it was a satisfying portion with a good level of sweetness and richness. The chocolatey tart itself is slightly gooey with a top that crumbles the way a cookie does. I'm such a big sucker for nutty desserts and the crunch of the pecans and walnuts is right up my alley, but those who aren't nuts for nuts might find the texture excessively hard to eat.

The tart is served with a pot of frangelico custard that we fully drench the tart with. The custard has quite a runny liquid consistency to it and the smooth, chocolatey mocha ice cream was a great match because let's be honest - ice cream is the one versatile thing that is a perfect match for anything. This kind of dessert brings me instant gratification because it's everything I love: chocolate, liqueur desserts, nuts and coffee ice creams melded together. This is love at first bite, and every bite after.

Hippo Creek is situated right next to the harbour

Skins and animal motifs and patterns adorn the walls

Whilst I embrace the changes of the revised menu of the restaurant, nostalgia hits when memories of devouring huge meaty skewers are a thing of the past. Fortunately I do find the steak is always cooked consistently well here and I've never had one that has not lived up to the grandeur of the Hippo Creek steak reputation. The prices are very dear but do reflect a piece of meat done well but never well done, because then it tastes like dehydrated cardboard.

Ultimately it is your own decision whether you want to justify forking out big bucks for a rack of ribs and some chips. I wouldn't, but the value and happiness that the Dimmi offer brings brought us a satisfying meal. This elegant, tribal themed steakhouse has earned itself the reputation of serving authentic South African style cuisine, and in comparison to parting with my money to some other supposedly high end classy restaurants that tout about serving a mean steak, I prefer this family-friendly, non-pretentious restaurant all the way to the woodfired grill and back. 

Hippo Creek African Grill, Hillarys Boat Harbour

Hippo Creek African Grill Hillarys

Lunch 7 days: 11:30am - 3pm

Dinner 7 nights: 6pm - late

Kitchen closes 9:30pm

(08) 9447 2238

Shop 203, Sorrento Quay Boardwalk, Hillarys Boat Harbour, 58 Southside Drive, Hillarys WA 6052

Hippo Creek African Grill

It was A's dad's birthday when his family decided that the best way to say Happy Birthday! is by stuffing him with as much meat as possible on a sunny, laid-back, serene Sunday morning.

I think that is absolutely perfect. Nothing says it better than meat.

And while I welcome unbearable amounts of meat eating at all times, some may scoff at and can't handle the idea of a few shared kilograms of heavy protein and not much else for a breakfast.

Anything can be handled, if you put your mind (and stomach) to it.

There is no doubt Hippo Creek provides a mean meat feast, and I really can't believe I haven't been here before.
"Excessive" is really just an understatement.

Hot Chocolate - $4

It was a gorgeous morning and just being by the tranquility of the harbour just makes it even gorgeouser. A warm, toasty cup of hot chocolate is a good addition to that equation of sun, sea and the beginning of all the carnivorous activity to come.

Avo Dugout - $19.50

Because I wasn't paying for my own meal, I scouted around for a not-so-dear menu item that didn't make me look like a greedy scoundrel. The other impending reason was I was still waiting for my stomach to open up to its full capacity, since I'm not a morning person.

And neither is my stomach.

A breakfast fit for a king (and humble old me!)

I came across the perfect dish in the entree section of the menu, and not because of the extravagant marron that was included, but probably because of the simple mention of avocado.
Heaven to my ears :)

Half a deliciously creamy and firm avocado accompanies an equally as creamy inclusion of mixed seafood that's been generously tossed through peri-peri aioli. Although the starter size is actually substantial enough a portion for breakfast, the creaminess of the main elements of the dish adds up after a while of eating it.

I've never been as thankful for the included salad (and the half marron of course, even with the tiny amount of meat I forced out of it). Its main purpose was probably to look pretty, which it does a fine job of.

African Safari - $46

The game meat tasting plate for 2 features skewers of a changing selection of game meats, which offputtingly reminds me of a realistic scene of Hangman. It isn't everyday where you will even see crocodile, emu, buffalo and venison meats, let alone eat them.

Served with peri-peri and the hair-raising name of monkey gland sauce, I was much more at ease upon finding out the real ingredients behind this long-time favourite addition to meats. The fruitiness and slight spiciness to the sauce give a nice sweet element that complements the cubes well.
And although it's nice to learn no monkeys were harmed in the making, eating all these non-domesticated animals doesn't provide strong reinforcement :P

You game for some game?

Grilled to a perfect medium rare, the cubes of meat are lean but still succulent and juicy. I am pleased (but also silently disappointed) that it looks and tastes just like beef and chicken. I would wholeheartedly believe these are simply beef/chicken shish kebabs without a notion of doubt.

Some would agree that a visit to a modern South African restaurant is incomplete without trying their specialty, and I certainly agree to their agreement. Make sure (or make yourself) game enough for an exotic game meat experience.

Just be prepared to face the collective pool of red at the bottom as you slide flesh off its metal skeleton.

Garlic Bread - $7.50

Garlic bread is always a good accessory to get the appetite going and line the stomach. Even if the stingy amount of garlic renders it to be butter bread instead.

Hippo Creek's version features a mini baguette style of this why-so-hard-to-get-right item, cut into a few slices making the loaf. It is certainly well-buttered and soft between the sections, but the crusty bread might not be to everyone's liking.

I liked it though :)

Hunters Assaghai - $44

If dining options had a stand out, attention grabbing centrepiece, this would be it.
I have heard of this too many times to walk into Hippo Creek and NOT try it.
Though if you dislike seeing any pink in your beef, then stay away 'cause the meat isn't going to reach any shades of grey (i.e. no cooking past medium for quality purposes).

Featured on a tremendous structure that looks like it could have killed the cow itself, are fist-sized cubes of marinated beef rump. Perhaps their description of "marinated cubes of rump on a skewer hanging over a bowl of fries with your choice of garlic or chilli butter dripping down, served with a side salad" says it better.
And that butter does indeed slide down the rump ever so seductively.

But really, if the description doesn't entice you, maybe the side of garden salad will.

I'd like my chips served with butter and beef juice, thanks!

For something so extravagant sounding, the chips don't have the extravagance to match.
They're on the dry and not so poppin' hot side, and quite underseasoned despite all the extra help from the beef rump juice above it.

Very surprised to have unfinished chips at the end of the meal, with so many people on the table.

Spare Ribs - $36

Making an entrance are 2 racks of pork spare ribs, arching a bridge over the chips underneath it. The pork rib composed structure features a shiny glaze of Hippo Creek's homemade basting that will make you reduce all the meat to the bone, and suck that bone clean.

Magnificence.
And with all the meat that is already in me, I could do with some more.

Yeah baby!

If you're faced with something beautiful like this, you gotta really pick it up with your hands and eat like no-one is watching.
Unless you don't mind the awkwardness of others watching you lick your fingers furiously.

'Cause this stuff is really mouth staining, finger licking good.

Hello, nice lookin' staircase wine cabinet!

...

If I still haven't been able to project across what Hippo Creek does, I'm not sure what I've been doing. With a custom design dry age cool room to boot, these guys claim to offer some of the highest quality beef around. It's all about the meat, and it's all about how you're more than likely to eat more than your recommended daily intake of protein by about a lot.

Even the men were absolutely satiated. And me? Yeah I was too, after finishing off theirs :)

Eating here is also educational, from the dictionary of beef-related jargon included in the menu that just might help turn diners into steak aficionados. Steakwise, consistency is questionable, but really, everybody's consistency is. I should give mention (and warning!) to their show stopping 2kg rump challenge that could do severe damage to your own rump.

Lunch is so much quieter, seemingly empty without the lunch rush. It's a bit cold and quiet - and I'm actually describing the waitstaff. Just a bit.

Modern South African dining undoubtedly features exotic meat and the surrounds to match. The wooden contemporary design suits the meat's supposedly "wood roasted perfumes" and mixes in some tribal themes, with some Marty and Tigger skins at the forefront to remind you you're in a carnivorous kind of place. Now just missing the liveliness of live animals running around during your dinner.

Make sure you're a Hungry Hungry Hippo before conquering Hippo Creek. Preferably an insanely carnivorous one too.
With all the lovely boats in the harbour, all they need are hippos in the creek to truly live up to their name :)

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(08) 9447 2238
Lunch: 11.30am to 3pm (Specials Mon - Thurs)
Dinner: 6pm to late
Breakfast: 8am Sundays

Kitchen closes 9.30pm
BYO wine $10/bottle
Public holidays: 10% surcharge per head

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