THERE were oohs and aahs in my weekly planning meeting when I mentioned the subject of my latest restaurant review. No matter how sophisticated we tell ourselves we have become in our tastes, blokes simply cannot resist a good steak.

And it seems the men in our office are no exception, as they eagerly asked me how my meal at the appropriately-named Meet had gone.

It opened just over a month ago on Brunswick Street, bringing the city its first Argentinian steak house.

The brainchild of Liverpool-based business partners Gary Hincks and Alan Jones, all the beef is imported from Argentina and the staff are mainly South American and Hispanic.

Our midweek visit took place early evening but the restaurant wasn't as quiet as one would expect - more than 25 people passed through its doors between 6pm and 7.30pm.

The exterior has had a major overhaul with a chrome-effect entrance. Inside, the interior is traditional steak house meets trendy bar.

The dining area is made-up of chunky wooden tables and comfy leather seats, the main windows fold back for al fresco summer dining and the bar area is a chic design next to an open kitchen.

But there are fake Tudor-style wooden beams on the ceiling (I suspect a remnant from a former tenant of the building) and the far wall is stone-cladded, although a giant cow-hide covers most of this.

As for the service, it's right on the mark. Only too often in Liverpool restaurants, you are greeted by the word "Whaderyerwant" by a surly waiter or waitress and, at the other end of the spectrum, there are those places where the staff 's fawning and painted-on smiles parody the Americans. Meet gets the balance just right, with warm, friendly and professional staff.

The menu has a lot more points of interest than I expected, although it is not really one for vegetarians with a smattering of token choices.