{"id":550367,"date":"2026-03-19T10:38:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T10:38:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/550367\/"},"modified":"2026-03-19T10:38:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T10:38:10","slug":"a-former-kisume-chef-opens-cbd-steak-restaurant-common-cuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/550367\/","title":{"rendered":"A Former Kisume Chef Opens CBD Steak Restaurant Common Cuts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Melbourne is experiencing a steakhouse revival. There\u2019s the Rockpool team\u2019s 7 Alfred<\/a>, The Kent Hotel<\/a>\u2019s refreshed grill, Victor Churchill\u2019s forthcoming steak restaurant<\/a> at Crown, and the CBD\u2019s Common Cuts. The latter is from former Kisume<\/a> head chef Reki Reinantha of Atsu<\/a>, Andzero<\/a> and Sachi<\/a>. It combines Reinantha\u2019s nostalgia for visiting bistros for straightforward, comforting steak as a kid in Indonesia with what he says is an exploration of \u201caffordable luxury\u201d. Reinantha interprets the term to mean dishes that feel premium but are enjoyed in a relaxed and accessible way.<\/p>\n

Steak frites anchors the offering. There\u2019s scotch fillet, sirloin and a $395 two-kilogram Margaret River tomahawk, but the menu also includes secondary cuts such as Wagyu flank and Angus rostbiff (from the centre of the rump), both $28.50. \u201cPeople usually under-appreciate those cuts,\u201d Reinantha says, even though they\u2019re full of flavour and treated by executive chef Hafiz Nasir (Trattoria Emilia<\/a>) and head chef Anita Hermanto (Society, Kisume) with as much reverence as more expensive cuts. \u201cWe try to cook it the way we cook expensive steak.\u201d A reverse-sear for consistency, followed by a kiss of Japanese charcoal for smoke and texture.<\/p>\n

Steak accoutrements \u2013\u00a0all house-made \u2013 include classics such as chimichurri and mushroom and peppercorn sauce, but also push past the usual suspects. Try warmly spiced \u2019nduja butter, or Common Cuts\u2019 take on steak sauce. Built using a Japanese technique, the restaurant\u2019s signature starts with an aged-soy tare<\/a> that\u2019s then folded with cream and spices. The cooking method \u201cgives a deeper, more layered flavour compared to a traditional steak sauce,\u201d Reinantha says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The vast menu also includes a Wagyu brisket lasagne served with bone marrow on the side, and a playful cheeseburger where a Wagyu patty and slices of A5 Wagyu are both encased inside a coconut bun. And, like many classic steakhouses, the offering stretches well beyond meat. Starters, including spanner crab croquettes topped with salmon roe, and grilled scallops served in the shell and bathed in seaweed butter, draw on Reinantha\u2019s seafood expertise \u2013 skills he honed at Kisume<\/a> and continues to flex at Sachi.<\/p>\n

Venue manager Will Lozen curated the Japanese-leaning drinks list, where non-alcs and cocktails shine. Standouts are the Hojicha Tiramisu Milk Punch, made with dark rum, cacao and fortified wine, and Double Popcorn Please, a whisky-based cocktail with a dash of bitters and a \u201ccorn-driven flavour profile that\u2019s familiar, but a bit playful,\u201d Reinantha says.<\/p>\n

Music is part of the experience too. Vinyls, ranging from Pink Floyd\u2019s The Dark Side of the Moon to the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack, line the walls and play through a vintage Kenwood speaker, the mix of steak and music giving double meaning to the name Common Cuts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Common Cuts
Ground Floor\/380 Russell Street, Melbourne<\/a>
0435 168 521<\/p>\n

Hours:
Mon to Wed 5pm\u20139pm
Thu to Sun 11.30am\u20133pm; 5pm\u20139pm<\/p>\n

commoncuts.com.au<\/a>
@commoncuts.melb<\/a><\/p>\n