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The meaning and origin of the expression: Beef and reef

Beef and reef

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What's the meaning of the phrase 'Beef and reef'?

A type of cuisine that combines both meat and seafood (especially lobster and steak), or restaurants that serve such cuisine.

See also, surf and turf.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Beef and reef'?

Beef and reefThe term began to appear in print in the late 1960s. Here's a reference from the Syracuse Herald Journal, 1967, in an editorial review of 'The Fabulous Fireside Inn'.

"Another speciality is the Beef and Reef platter of broiled Alaska king crab a filet mignon with drawn butter."

'Beef and reef' and 'surf and turf' emerged around the same time. Whichever was first must have influenced the other and whoever coined the second must have been delighted to find another rhyme that fitted the meaning so precisely. 'Surf and turf' is the more commonly used, especially in the USA, with 'beef and reef' best known in Australia.

Gary Martin - the author of the phrases.org.uk website.

By Gary Martin

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

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