THE genuine taste of South African beef has come to Toowoomba in what could possibly be an Australian first for the restaurant and food service trade.
Enterprising stud breeder and beef producer Richard Gill is turning the garden city's Park Inn Motel Carousel restaurant into the Nguni Steakhouse in a concept called a "pop-up" restaurant.
The pop-up marketing idea, used extensively in the retail trade, borrows selling space on a short-term or casual basis, usually to promote niche or start-up products.
Mr Gill says his Nguni beef from cattle produced on his Hampton property near Crow's Nest fit the bill perfectly for the pop-up concept - the breed is not widely produced nor is beef from the animal readily available at retail or food service level in Australia.
However once people taste the flavour of Nguni, Mr Gill says, they're often quickly hooked.
Mr Gill launched his concept to a select number of diners at the restaurant last Friday night and he hopes to continue more Nguni Steakhouse dinners at the venue at least two nights a month depending on demand.
The next Nguni Steakhouse will operate on Friday, July 27.
Among diners at the opening were State Member for Condamine Ray Hopper and Federal Member for Groom and Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources Ian Macfarlane.
Mr Mcfarlane said the selection of beef dishes supplied early in the evening in a buffet style for diners was among some of the best beef he had ever tasted.
"This has been a wonderful eating experience and I congratulate Richard on his initiative and wish him well," Mr Macfarlane said.
Originally from a UK dairy farm, Mr Gill began breeding Ngunis six years ago after importing the first embryos into Australia from South Africa.
Mr Gill said South Africa's foot and mouth disease status now means the embyro supply has stopped, so he is trialing different crosses such as Nguni-Brahman and Nguni bulls over Lowline females to both infuse more tenderness in the meat and breed the horns off the progeny.
Nguni cattle descend from both Bos Taurus and Bos Indicus lines and remain South Africa's indigenous breed and a mainstay of Zulu culture. They are characterised by their unique, multi-coloured and decorative hides.
However Mr Gill maintains they are well suited to Australian conditions and can handle temperature extremes, have high resistance to pest pressure and exhibit exceptional fertility regardless of conditions.
"They also taste great and their meat is very healthy, with lower levels of cholesterol and saturated fats," he said.
