Black Cow Bistro

Oh my goodness ... if you’re in Launceston and haven’t tried this place then you need to! We’ve been just about all over Tassie in the last two weeks and (besides my sisters cooking �) this is the best meal we’ve had. Indulge! Fantastic experience! Wait staff are so very friendly and accommodating. Oh and the wine - best Shiraz I’ve ever tasted!

Hold.The.Phone. ...the salmon sashimi with daikon radish, red radish, red pearl caviar, toasted wakame & some indescribably delicious dressing is one of the best dishes I have savoured in a very long time - and savour it I did! ...inspired! Take into account the accomplished, welcoming staff of uber professionalism, the espresso martini that is as good as a dessert on its own & my incredible steak & sides were almost an afterthought. This place, their staff, their menu are just that good! Do yourself a favour!

Very nice food and staff. All their foods are really nicely presented and the sauce for the side and steak are exceptional. I feel sorry that I didn't give them a tip when I process the payment because I just pressed the green button on the payment terminal to finalise the bill. They deserve the good tip with their service and food. We will come back for sure..

Had an excellent experience here in December 2021. Staff were professional and efficient and the food and cocktails were simply superb. I had the rib eye on the bone and the knife went through it like it was softened butter. The fondant for dessert was too perfect in capping off the night, oozing molten chocolate as soon as it was sliced open. Highly recommended!

Quite possibly THE BEST eatery that really highlights Tasmanian produce. The service was immaculate as well as attentive. We celebrated a monumentally epic 6 day hike over Cradle mountain with an equally monumentally epic meal. For entrees we had the scallop and the kingfish dishes. The scallops were pure buttery goodness. Wholesome and plump with just enough crumb and garlic to whet the appetite when lightly annointed with lemon juice. The kingfish was a sophistically assembled dish of light flavours, all delicately balanced and dancing with each other. Light and tangy, delicate and strong, clean flavours intermingling with the heady aromas of the nori crisp. Their attention to each cut of beef is with surgical precision. My fiance had a medium rare eye fillet that you could slice with a spoon. I enjoyed the 600g rib eye fillet that was just cooked medium rare and to absolute perfection. It was juicy, tender, fatty and full of flavour that only comes from aging well and cooking with years of honed experience. The potato gallette was a humble reminder of the honest and earthy delights the rich tasmanian soil can provide. Sauced delicately with a dijon cream and chive, it was almost a pallette clenser between each bite of beef. Pick a side or two. They are generous in portion size and compliment the main attraction. We had the carrots and mushrooms. Find a sauce you like on the list. You wont go wrong. I enjoyed the steak with a robust hot english mustard as well as having a little roast garlic demi glaze. You can taste the hours ov vigilance in the demi glaze base. Treat yourself to a dessert if you can fit one in. The lemon tart is a fantastic palette clenser and can be shared if you feel too full. Choose your wines locally. They really compliment the meal.

Had the loveliest meal at The Black Cow Bistro last night. Previously I judged all steaks against one that I had in Florence many years ago… I still talk about it with reverence… “remember that steak? It was sensational…” etc. etc. Well that steak can now be replaced by the one I had at The Black Cow Bistro. The whole evening from start to finish was just lovely… From the welcome we received from the staff when we arrived, the friendly, unobtrusive service throughout the meal, to the subtle lighting and decor within the restaurant itself. The restaurant is small but very atmospheric. We started with some local oysters presented in three different styles, natural, wasabi vinegar dressing and last but not least, the old favorite Kirkpatrick with bacon and Worcester sauce. These were washed down with a lovely Tasmanian sparkling wine, can’t remember which vineyard it came from but it was as nice as any French champagne I’ve ever had. I can never really go past the freshness of the natural oysters, however it was still nice to try the other varieties for a change. Then, the main event… the steaks. I chose a Porterhouse ($55 400g) and my friend decided on an eye fillet ($75 300g). My wife decided on the fish option, Hapuka which she loved (can’t remember the price on this). Our steaks were quite simply, perfect. Generous in size and although meat for me is a luxury item these days I really enjoy it once in a while. With the steaks we had a great bottle of local red recommended by the sommelier and full credit to her she could easily have recommended a much more expensive bottle but the one we ended up with was sensational. The vegetable accompaniments and sauces were also delicious. We did manage to leave room for a ‘little something’ of course and the deserts also were spectacular with a glass of sticky desert wine. All up… I have never enjoyed a nicer meal anywhere, it wasn’t cheap but there is truth in the old saying “you get what you pay for” and sometimes especially, like last night, for birthdays… well you just have to hang the expense. I can’t recommend The Black Cow Bistro highly enough. Thank you for the great evening everyone.