The char we chase: why we grill our steaks over open flame

Australians take their red meat seriously, and it's no small thing for a dining room across the Pacific to honour that. From backyard arvos in Brisbane to long Sunday sessions in Perth, the barbie is woven into the way the country gathers, eats, and unwinds. Beef is on the table in nearly every household, and the smell of flame-licked steak is as familiar as a cold one on a hot day. At South Pacific Cafe & Lounge in Battle Ground, we grew up around that same kind of fire-centred cooking, and we carry it into every steak we plate.

The difference between a steak that simply gets cooked and one that gets a proper char is the difference between a feed and a meal worth remembering. Open flame grilling does something no flat-top or pan sear can fully replicate. It shapes the crust, drives the flavour, and changes the way a cut eats from the first bite to the last. Here's why the char matters to us, and why we keep the coals burning hot for every order that leaves the pass.

The chemistry behind a proper char

When a steak hits live fire at the right temperature, the surface enters a rapid transformation. Amino acids and sugars react under dry heat, producing hundreds of new aroma and flavour compounds through what's known as the Maillard reaction. That same heat drives caramelisation on the exterior, layering sweetness, savouriness, and that unmistakable roasted depth. Together they create the dark, crackling crust that Australians, used to a well-dressed snag on the barbie or a charred chop at a Bunnings sizzle, instinctively trust as a sign the cook has done their job.

A heavy sear also locks in juices far more effectively than a gentle pan finish. The caramelised shell reduces surface moisture loss, keeping the inside tender while the outside develops a deep, almost leathery texture that gives the bite its signature snap. Chefs chasing real char will tell you that temperature control, not just heat, is the secret. A screaming-hot grill briefly kisses the meat, while a cooler flame drags the steak through a slow roast that never quite develops the same crust. At our pit we aim for the brief and bright kind of fire, the sort that leaves ladder marks and a smoky edge without overcooking the centre.

The flavour smoke brings to the plate

Char isn't only about texture, it's about taste. Wood and flame release volatile compounds that cling to the surface of the meat and sink gently into the outer layers. Depending on what's burning, the steak can pick up notes of mesquite sweetness, hickory smoke, or a quieter fruitwood lift. Even with a clean hardwood fire, the kiss of smoke adds a savoury backbone that reads as "barbecue" to anyone who has grown up around an Aussie grill.

That smoky edge is also what makes flame-grilled steak so forgiving with seasoning. A coarse salt and a crack of black pepper can carry the whole plate because the fire has already done the heavy lifting on flavour. In our kitchen, we lean on that truth, finishing with a light flake salt, a brush of rendered fat, and little else. The cut does the talking, the flame provides the punctuation, and a small umami lift from the seared crust ties the whole thing together.

How we set the fire at South Pacific

Cooking over open flame in a commercial kitchen is a different beast to a backyard barbie in St Kilda or a beach setup at Byron Bay. It starts with the right fuel. We use a clean hardwood blend, lit early and managed so the coals reach a steady white-ember heat before a single steak ever touches the grill. The grate sits at a precise height, close enough to sear, far enough to avoid flare-ups from rendered fat.

From there, the work is about rhythm. A ribeye goes on for a tight sear, often with a quarter turn to lay down crosshatch marks that signal the fire's even work. A sirloin or a thicker cut gets a slower approach, with a brief rest off the heat before returning for the final char. We watch the steak the way a good stockman watches the herd, attentive, unhurried, ready to move the moment the crust is set. The same flame-and-rhythm approach carries through to the patty for our steakhouse burger stand out line, which gets the same sear treatment in a hand-held format. The result is a steak that looks like it just came off a campfire in the Kimberley, with a finish only a hot, well-managed flame can leave behind.

Pairing charred steaks with the rest of the menu

A flame-grilled steak can hold the centre of the plate, but it also loves a partner. Our brick-oven pizzas share the same fire-born spirit, and the smoky edge of a charred ribeye sits beautifully next to the blistered crust of a pepperoni or a barbecue chicken pie. We often suggest pairing a steak with one of our tiki cocktails for guests who want the Polynesian side of the menu to show up at the table, and a great starting point is a pizza and tiki match-up from our drink and food list.

For those who want to build a table around the grill, we recommend picking one steak per person, a couple of shared sides, and a tiki drink or two to round out the Polynesian feel. A charred ribeye next to a wood-fired pizza with a smoky pineapple and ham combo brings the same fire-born flavour from two angles. The beauty of an open flame kitchen is that nearly everything on the menu can speak the same language if you order with that in mind.

Keeping the menu in step with the seasons

A live-fire kitchen is a seasonal kitchen by nature. What burns well, what pairs with a heavy char, and what cuts are at their best all shift through the year. We work with suppliers who rotate with the calendar, and our specials board reflects what's coming out of the fields and the waters at that moment. In the cooler months, richer cuts like ribeye and porterhouse take the lead, while the warmer months draw us toward lighter preparations, brighter chimichurris, and side dishes that don't crowd out the smoke.

That same approach shapes how we build out the rest of the menu. A steak might be the headline on a winter evening, but the supporting cast changes as often as the tides off the Gold Coast. Our seasonal special menu is built around the same fire-first thinking, drawing on what's fresh, what's local where we can, and what will play nicely with that open-flame char we chase in every protein that goes near the grill.

What to look for when ordering or cooking charred steak

• Look for visible crosshatch marks and a deep mahogany colour across the crust, signs that the steak saw real radiant heat rather than a flat surface.
• A proper char should crackle slightly when you press it, then give way to a warm, juicy centre that matches your chosen doneness.
• Season simply, with coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper, so the smoke and the meat can lead the flavour.
• Ask how the steak is cooked. Open flame or wood-fired grills produce a noticeably different crust than a flat-top or griddle finish.
• Rest the steak briefly before slicing. Even a flame-seared cut needs a minute to settle so the juices don't flood the plate.
• Pair with something bright or acidic, such as a tiki cocktail with citrus or a chimichurri, to balance the smoky richness of the char.

A well-charred steak is more than a trend, it's a return to the way humans have cooked over fire since the first driftwood pile sparked on a beach. At South Pacific Cafe & Lounge, every steak we serve carries that lineage, paired with the easy warmth of a Polynesian-inspired dining room and a tiki hut lounge that knows its way around a strong pour. The crust is the signature. Press it, smell it, and let the smoke do the rest.