WA’s grandmaster of the not-so-humble steak sandwich is out to win a fourth annual title — and this time, it’s personal.
Mickey Phull was once the head chef of Karalee on Preston, where his tasty creations for three years saw the Como establishment take home the Australian Hotel’s Association (WA) award for Best Steak Sandwich three times.
He now owns Canning Vale pub, The Last Local, one of four location finalists competing for this year’s pub classic crown.
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And wouldn’t you know – his former home grill in Como is one of three rivals still standing.
“It’s a battle of the titans now,” joked Mr. Phull.
“I’ve won WA’s best steak sandwich three times, but the award is for Karalee, but now I’m nominating myself and my venue.”
Camera icon Oh yeah. Credit: Simon Santi/The West Australian
The Last Local’s European-inspired dish, served with French onion stock and beer batter chips, is far from your standard steak sanga.
“When I thought of this steak sandwich, I thought, ‘You have to give (customers) an experience where they drive to you because it’s just way too hard to make something like this at home,'” Mr Phull said.
“And so when I was traveling in France and Europe and other parts of the world, I saw a combination of using a soup with bread and meat, and I thought, ‘Let’s make this a steak sandwich’.”
Mr. Phull said the sandwich, which retails for $27.50, contains braised beef cut into chunks, coleslaw, creamy sour cream, and horseradish sauce, all sandwiched between two slices of milky brioche bread.
Then the French onion soup can be eaten on its own or used as a dipping sauce, adding a unique — and he hopes award-winning — element.
“Every time I have one, I dip the corners of the bread in it, soak a little, and then it fills your mouth with all these juices,” Mr. Phull said.
“It’s a fantastic experience that’s hard to miss; it’s one of those signature dishes that I’m very proud of that can’t be found anywhere in Perth or Western Australia.”
Camera icon The French Dip Steak Sandwich at The Last Local. Credit: Simon Santi/The West Australian
The Karalee’s 2022 version features sprig grilled scotch fillet, Margaret River smoked bacon, Dutch Gouda cheese, truffle aioli, mesclun lettuce, vine tomato, Spanish onion, and homemade tomato chutney served on stone-baked Turkish bread.
Other finalists in the metropolitan category include Seven Sins Perth Hills and the Byford Tavern.
Bradley Woods, CEO of AHA (WA), said the competition had once again proved popular, with chefs across WA creating exciting variations on the classic pub meal.
“Despite the ongoing impact of COVID-19, Western Australians have shown the strength to support their local pubs, restaurants, taverns, and hotels,” said Mr Woods.
“Over the past month, WA chefs have once again produced an incredibly impressive number of steak sandwiches, with a focus on innovation and quality.
“A tremendous amount of time, effort, and pride has gone into producing a steak sandwich that makes it to the finals of this epic competition, and it’s clear we’re set for an exciting cook-off this year.”
Finalists will participate in a live cook-off in Crown Perth on June 28 and 29.
