Teh Tarik Travels - Pay To Cook Your Food?

Back in the days in Uni, I was required to propose a new idea of a business as part of my final year project so I suggested a restaurant branch that allows a person to grill and BBQ their own food WHILE INSIDE the restaurant itself. A lot dismissed the idea, saying that even if it does appear to be a good idea, it can never be realistically done.

What if I found a restaurant that has done it?

 [Kingston Pub - Cook your Own Food!]

What was before a very old pub and hotel establishment in Kingston, Canberra lies what I honestly believe as one of the town's greatest treasure. The idea behind this restaurant is to epitomize the Australian culture of grill and BBQ into the comfort of indoor dining, which means anyone can grill at anytime, regardless of weather!

So I manage to convince my cousin Richard and Patrick to join me for a dinner here and pretty much get the evidence I needed for this post. So how does the restaurant actually work?

Step 1 : Choose your Beef

[Australian Prime Beef Galore!]

Just like in a normal restaurant, you get a list of cuts for beef to your choosing and your make your choice. Of course in this case, you get yourself a nice cut of UNCOOKED beef on your plate.

Each steak comes with a loaf of bread and a bowl of salad with it for the usual price of AUD15 - AUD25 depending on the quality of the meat itself. Way cheaper than what you usually pay at restaurants for this kind of meat...

Step 2 : Add in Condiments and Pick up your Salad

[This is where your mixing skills come in handy]

[Richard working the Salad Bar]

Before you get to the main business of cooking your steak, best if you add in or modify the meat beforehand. This is where your creativity goes wild as you have a variety of condiments to choose from to slap on that piece of meat before grill time. Be sure to get yourself some greens as well, the last thing you want to do is to have at least some color to your meal!

In the middle of the restaurant is an industrial sized, full powered gas BBQ pit that could literally grill any meat that you slap on the surface, which in a guy's term is pretty awesome!

[Cook that bad boy up!]

The idea of doing this has always been a very male bonding session as the sheer idea of grilling large sized meat has become a rite of passage for most males around the world and the very idea of the Australians glorifying this activity is great. Even if there are those out there who wouldn't know the first thing of grilling, there will always be a helpful Australian here to give a pointer or two when it comes to grilling your meat!

[SPAR... oh wait....STTEEAAAKKKK!!!]

In the end, the different twist of everyday western dining experience is a welcome change for anyone to be honest. Whether you're a grill aficionado or even just looking to have a good dinner, this would definitely be the best place to try out if you are ever here down under!

Nang this post if you like it guys! Thanks!


  1. Wow, another food related post! It makes me feel so hungry! *Drool* XD

  2. u made me hungry!

  3. Definitely not for lazy lad like me...I pay ppl to cook 4 me not the other way around :D

  4. It kinda like steamboat back in m'sia where we cook the food our self?

  5. I think there were many 'grill meat yourself' already in Japan. Actually I don't like to cook my own food in a restaurant because I don't know how to cook..lol..err..grill? Easy job for restaurant worker, they only need to prepare raw meat for customers. Is it practical in Malaysia? I don't know..

  6. seems to be a lot of them these days! XD

  7. hahah fair enough. some may enjoy the grill more i guess

  8. its the trend nowadays...

  9. yup but this time, it MEAT! :D

  10. i guess for our culture here in malaysia I dont think ppl are used to the idea just yet but there is always room for someone to try it out sooner or later! :D

  11. Pepper Lunch has meat... but not steak though. ;-)

  12. Check out Great River Korean BBQ Restaurant on Gouger Street in Adelaide, SA. There is a yum cha buffet as well as mostly a raw buffet including poultry, red meat and seafood. Food is cooked at each table, each table is equipped with a BBQ plate in the middle and a smoke vent above. Fabulous place!