FLAMING BULL STEAKHOUSE

          BEEF!  Long before we ever set foot on Vanuatu, we had heard about the premium quality beef.  Strolling north out of town just passed the rowdy Anchor Inn, we chanced upon the Flaming Bull Steak House.  There, we met John Kalo, the Ni-Vanuatu manager, whose easy smile and genuine welcome convinced us to try the island’s famous beef here.  He told us the Flaming Bull has been a local landmark for 20 yrs. Saturday nights a string band plays local sounds from 6-8PM.  The atmosphere is open-sided, casual and hardy.  On one wall is a vivid mural caricaturizing Vanuatu’s native culture and volcanic nature.  Along with tables for 1 and 2 couples, there are picnic tables, which that night, were filled with backslapping Australian carnivores raving to sink their teeth into a thick slab of meat.

The bar, with it’s independent entrance, and Pub look is also a fabulous display of local wood carving.  Every pillar, post, and support is richly carved, each with it’s own theme - marine life, tikis, mermaids, birds, etc. The bar’s specialty looks to be draught beer, and a variety of shooters, and showy cocktails. (Mine was “Heaven”!) Our waiter, Saniel, described for us, the 7 different cuts of steaks and other items on the 5-page menu and the numerous Blackboard specials.  For those whose cholesterol consciousness rules out beef, there are plenty of alternatives: Catch of the Day, prawns, chicken, and pastas. There are also Kids Meals.

The kitchen is boldly open to the view of the public. You can watch the all Ni-Vanuatu Chefs and servers as they move with well-coordinated efficiency to turn out thick, tender steaks, and hardy portions of healthy vegetables and accompaniments carefully arranged with an eye for color and proportion.  Coconut Crumbed Prawns and Thai Fishcakes were savory, spicy lead-ins to the grilled steaks.  My bacon-wrapped Filet Mignon was an inch thick, and exquisitely tender, served with a creamy garlic sauce and fresh stir-fried vegetables.  Luc chose the 400gm T-Bone with mushroom sauce, and of course, the Belgian national dish: chips/fries.  The Giant T-Bone is about the size of the Australian Outback! Flaming Bull’s beef supplier is the Boucherie Furet.

          We were too stuffed for dessert until we saw the Tropical Mango Cheesecake!! It’s picture perfect, a light, not heavy cheesecake, and plenty enough to share!  There’s even a dessert of Deep Fried Mars Bars and Ice Cream!!  Wonder how they do it??

The Flaming Bull is open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week. Prices for entrees: 600vt-1100vt. Steaks: 1700vt-1950vt Other Mains: 1400vt-1900vt. Burgers and Snacks: 800vt-1350vt. Desserts: 550vt-750vt. Phone: 27716

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