A year ago, you couldn't drag people into a steakhouse. Now, beef is back in vogue, largely due to the reappearance of US beef on menus and the perception that red meat isn't as unhealthy as nutritionists say.

We believe the health experts. But what's life without a little pleasure?

And this seems to be the mantra at Madison, the steakhouse in the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok. It recently added US beef to its menu, appointed a new head chef and jetted in a new restaurant manager from leading steakhouse in Dubai.

The changes are subtle, and have largely been overlooked by Bangkok foodies, who rush to whatever is hip and new (in this case Prime in the Millennium Hilton, which poached numerous staffers from the New York Steakhouse in the JW Marriott).

What's overlooked at the Madison are:

l Reasonable prices for food and wine;

l A change in locale (from a Paris brassiere to a New York steakhouse); and

l A hipper, more laid-back attitude.

The Four Seasons, which discovered Ian Chalermkittichai (now of Kittichai restaurant of New York's fame), has put Anchalee Phonrungsit in charge of Madison's kitchen. Anchalee came to the hotel 14 years ago without any formal cooking background and worked her way up from bakery trainee through the ranks at Biscotti and then from bottom to top at Madison.

The hotel teamed her up with Reza Jafari, a British-born restaurant manager who has worked in Britain, China and Dubai, and who's allergic to seafood, making him the perfect steakhouse manager.

The pair tweaked Madison's menu, adding US boneless beef - tenderloin, sirloin, rib eye and prime rib (without the rib) - and cutting Argentinean beef. With the departure of Madison's French-born chef, they changed the nomenclature - tenderloin rather than filet mignon; prime rib instead of cotes de bouef and American fries in place of French fries - and loosened up the restaurant's approach, making one of Bangkok's best steakhouses even better.

So, the only question remains - American, Australian or Japanese beef? This writer recently attended a dinner at Madison where all three were served and the merits of each were debated.

I like US grain-fed beef, which is rich without being overpowering, versus the less powerful, grass-fed Australian Wagyu beef, and the over-the-top Kobe sirloin from Japan, which is almost too rich to eat.

"Grain-fed beef [from the US] has more flavour and intensity. It goes really well with a glass of red wine," Jafari notes. "Grass-fed beef [from Australia] is a bit softer on the palate. It doesn't have that diversity or that explosion of taste in the mouth. But it's healthier.

"Kobe [from Japan] really is an acquired taste. Because of its fat, it's juicier and tender. It's buttery tender, sort of melts in the mouth," says Jafari, adding that the hype factor of cows being massaged while being fed beer has helped promote this stratospherically-priced indulgence (Bt4,000 for a 10-ounce sirloin, versus Bt1,850 for US sirloin or Bt1,650 from Australia).

Jafari notes that Madison offers surf as well as turf, since many women want seafood or lamb rather than beef.

Madison's rack of lamb and chops come from Australia, its sea bass from the Mediterranean, lobster from Phuket and its grilled salmon from Scotland.

"People argue Norwegian or Scottish salmon," Jafari says. "But Scottish salmon is the Kobe of fish."

Off the menu, but still available, are Madison's legendary onion rings, thinly sliced morsels dusted with flour and paprika and flash fried.

Anchalee says she loves all types of beef. "There are so many differences that I can't settle on just one," she explains.

"Australian beef is more subtle and tender; US beef is more flavourful, with more texture; and Japanese beef is more intense."

Jafari is more pragmatic.

"It's what you've grown up with. They're all very good."

Madison is open from 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6 to 10.30pm daily. Most steaks are priced between Bt1,300 and Bt2,000. Seafood ranges between Bt720 and Bt1,500.

The Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok is located at 155 Rajadamri Road and reservations

can be made at (02) 250 1000, extension 1231-2.

Hal Lipper

The Nation