evidence: Peter Hannan is known as the Meat Merchant for a good reason – his life work is all about perfecting his award-winning products that include beef and lamb dry-aged in a Himalayan salt chamber – swoon. We were treated to three courses of endless Hannan meats at Belfast Bar and Grill, with the head chef using some innovative cooking techniques to show them off in all their glory. Cured ox-cheeks were given the sous vide treatment then finished on the grill, sporting an incredible deep ruby colour and gorgeous texture. Then there were sugar pit-cooked beef ribs, and chateaubriand. There was probably enough to generously feed 20; we were but eight. Such is the generosity of the Belfast people, I quickly came to realise. Hannan’s meats can be found in some of Northern Ireland’s top restaurants, as well as further afield – top London chef Mark Hix is a huge fan himself, using the exclusive Glenarm Shorthorn steaks throughout his restaurant group. And Fortnum & Mason’s have just got their hands on the goods too.