Darwin restaurateur Jazz Walia closes Urban Spice Pantry, replaces it with Beef & Bar steakhouse

One of Darwin’s most prominent restaurateurs has made a major move to shake up the city’s dining scene, closing one of his venues in order to rebrand it as a ritzy steakhouse with six cuts of premium grain-fed beef.

The ribeye at new Darwin steakhouse Beef & Bar. Picture: Supplied/ Shah Shoots

A popular Indian restaurant at Darwin Waterfront has been farewelled by its owner, but Top End foodies will not miss out, as the venue has reopened as a ritzy steakhouse that’s proving to be a hit.

On August 22, Urban Spice Pantry, which opened at the start of the decade, was reborn as Beef & Bar, a sleek, modern Australian steakhouse.

Restaurant owner Jaswinder ‘Jazz’ Walia, who alongside business partner Binod Khadka, also owns the Fresh Point Co. brand of cafes, and Bellamack’s Palates of India, said the rebranding decision was taken with one eye on Darwin’s overall culinary mix.

“There are no steakhouses in Darwin [aside from Tim’s Surf & Turf],” Mr Walia said.

Beef and Bar new eatery at waterfront. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“We were actually looking for a steakhouse location around Darwin but didn’t get any.

“We saw an opportunity and a demand for a steakhouse at the Waterfront and it’s been quite successful the last three weeks.”

Darwin hospitality boss Jazz Walia. Picture: Che Chorley

Mr Walia said most of Urban Spice’s front-of-house staff had been redeployed elsewhere in the company, while the Beef & Bar kitchen would be helmed by head chef Rajan Regmi, a Fresh Point Co. Bellamack veteran who worked at a steakhouse in Sydney prior to joining Mr Walia’s hospitality group.

Beef and Bar new eatery at waterfront. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The restaurant’s 120 days grain-fed beef – it offers six cuts, ranging in price from the 250g eye fillet ($48) to the 500g rib-eye ($64), all served with Cafe de Paris butter – is sourced from southern Australia via supplier Thomas Foods International (TFI).

Northern Territory barramundi with pumpkin risotto and Cafe de Paris butter at new Darwin steakhouse Beef & Bar. Picture: Supplied/ Shah Shoots

According to its website, beef sourced by TFI is guaranteed to be fully traceable via DNA technology from producer to consumer, and antibiotic and hormone growth promotant free.

Mr Walia said the Beef & Bar menu has been crafted with an overarching philosophy in mind: premium ingredients cooked and presented simply.

“We just wanted to keep it simple, when it comes to steak, people don’t like a complicated menu,” he said.

Various steaks and sides at new Darwin steakhouse Beef & Bar. Picture: Shah Shoots

“We’ve got a good amount of red meat, good seafood options, a little bit of white meat.”

Other dishes to find their way onto the Beef & Bar menu, aside from prime steak cuts, include Portuguese chicken, eggplant parmigiana, spicy tiger prawn pasta, jewfish ceviche and wagyu tartare.

Not content to rest on his laurels, Mr Walia, a winner of the Small Business Achievement Award at the Northern Territory Young Achiever Awards 2020, said his hospitality group expects to add another cafe in Darwin to its stable by February next year.

He said he would be able to divulge more information the coming months.

Mr Walia has also recently purchased Parap’s Max Car Care, a car wash and vehicle detailing service.