The Pit Grill

The Pit Grill has always intrigued me. Being the first steak house in Dhanmondi, I felt a small piece of high-end Gulshan had made its way here, and I was eager to try. Thus, I made the journey one fine, winter night, but returned disappointed.

Immediately upon walking in, I was in quiet awe – the interior was dimly lit and spacious. There also sat a terrace bathed in diffused lighting for those who preferred eating outside. The décor and the atmosphere were tastefully arranged, and I felt the night promised me beautiful food.  

This was one instance in which I was tragically wrong. 

For starters, as soon as I took my seat, the hanging light above my table started to flicker. I wondered if this was why each table necessitated a small candle in the middle. Furthermore, I felt rushed by the service staff, which asked me for my order twice within my first five minutes of entering. The page-long menu did not have too many options, so I hurriedly ordered two of their items.

Among the appetisers, I ordered their Signature Wings at BDT 400, which contained 12 pieces of chicken wings and a sauce on the side. The Pit Grill also allows you to customise the flavours, so I decided upon "hot". It arrived soon after, and the whole dish worked relatively well. The marinade on the chicken was intense and zingy, and the meat itself was tender. The sauce was not as "signature" but it was good complement to the chicken. All in all, it was a satisfying dish, but nothing great.

The Sirloin Steak (BDT 1050) that I ordered, which came with an option of two sides: I chose their mashed potatoes and French fries. It took over 45 minutes to reach our table, and no complimentary drink or item was offered to make up for this delay. Furthermore, those who arrived much after me received their orders before I did. I have always maintained that you should not allow your customers to feel second rate by allowing such things to happen.

When the plate was finally before me, I enjoyed its delicious aroma and aesthetic appealing – it looked good. Cutting into the steak however, I realized the meat was not cooked according to my preference. I had asked for a well done steak, but instead I received a chunk of rare meat that was much too chewy – I almost choked on a piece at one point. Also, they had apparently run out of mashed potatoes, a staple for steak houses and replaced it with grilled vegetables. The fries and the vegetables were both underwhelming, in texture and in terms of flavour. Given what I had paid, this was not a good value meal. 

I initially planned to order their Oreo cheesecake but given how long I had to wait for my steak, I was not going to brave another order.
All in all, The Pit Grill hints at a lavish culinary experience with its excellent ambience, but fails to live up to this expectation.  It is not equipped to handle a full house, given how soon it ran out of many key ingredients, and the restaurant wasn't even full that day. The food is at best satisfactory but the service is awful, and the staff made no attempts to redeem themselves. 

Address -- House 105, Road 9/A, Dhanmondi.
Timing -- 6:30pm-11pm

Ambience: 8/10
Food: 5/10
Service: 2.5/10