steak and chips | cheriecity.co.uk

A Great Dinner at Hawksmoor Knightsbridge

December 14, 2015 by cheriecity

With so many renowned London institutions to strike off the list, it’s likely that a few will slip through the net. After visiting this weekend, I’m now kicking myself that I didn’t experience the beauty that is Hawksmoor much earlier!

When I first started blogging in 2009, Will Beckett and Huw Gott’s British steakhouse Hawksmoor was on the lips (and keyboards) of London foodies, who raved about its superior steaks and burgers punctuated with small nuggets of bone marrow. It’s fair to say that this grassroots acclaim has paved the way for Hawksmoor to expand to six locations across London and one in Manchester. The original restaurant is based in Spitalfields, appropriately named after Nicholas Hawksmoor, the architect of nearby Christ Church.

After a leisurely afternoon of Christmas shopping, we arrived at Hawksmoor Knightsbridge for an early dinner. The subterranean restaurant is discreetly tucked away on Yeoman’s Row, just a short walk from Harrods, V&A and Hyde Park. Designed by Macaulay Sinclair, it has a retro clubhouse feel with reclaimed walnut panelling, brass lamps, touches of grey marble and stunning amber-hued Art Deco windows.

It’s a slick, polished operation yet the ambiance cultivated is unpretentious with a cool indie soundtrack and friendly staff mostly dressed in plaid shirts and glasses. There’s also an intimate cocktail bar away from the main dining room where you can graze on burgers, steak sandwiches and lobster rolls.

Dining at the pre-theatre time of 5pm may seem early, but since Hawksmoor Knightsbridge is a popular restaurant, it was already buzzing and filled up quickly. The set lunch or dinner is an excellent way to get a taste of Hawksmoor’s signature dishes at a very reasonable price – two course for £24 or three courses for £27.

I started with a very generous portion of Tamworth belly ribs with vinegar slaw. The pork was so tender and flaky, with lean meat packed between layers of melt-in-the-mouth fat. They were nicely charred on the outside and coated in a punchy dry rub with aromatic flavors of cumin, star anise and chipotle chilli.

The paper-thin ribbons of red cabbage doused in a tangy vinegar added freshness and helped offset the unexpected spiciness – my mouth was left tingling after I finished.

Steven tried the Potted smoked mackerel, which was a simple classic done well. The mackerel had a bold, clean flavour with a layer of clarified butter on top and served with dill cucumbers and crispy toasts. The other dish on the set menu was Roast beetroot salad with goat’s cheese, which looked colourful, fresh and inviting.

For the main course, I was happy to find two steak options, avoiding any potential squabbles over who would order the meat. For a £5 supplement I enjoyed the most heavenly, medium-cooked Fillet tail (200g). The presentation was minimal without any leaves, herbs or garnish in sight, but that didn’t really matter, as the steak certainly impressed.

Fillet is my favourite cut of steak and this one was excellent with a pink, succulent centre graduating to smoky, chargrilled edges and with a pure, natural flavour. I always ask for my steak medium, but with this thick cut, you could easy go down to medium-rare for a little more juiciness.

The set dinner also includes one side and I highly recommend the Baked sweet potato. The potato flesh is so soft and tender, it simply falls off the buttery skin and is the perfect accompaniment for the steak. The only thing missing is a choice of sauce, but you can order a side of Béarnaise, peppercorn or Stilton Hollandaise for an additional £3.

Steven’s Rib-eye (250g) was just as tasty and beautifully-cooked with a mature, aged flavour. The layer of fat and softness of the meat gave it richness – well-suited to those who prefer a more complex taste. The thick-cut Triple cooked chips were golden, hot and crispy and served with a delicious home-made tomato ketchup that had a sweet hint of cinnamon. Other options are Hake or Ricotta dumplings with autumn vegetables, but really, it’s all about the meat.

We found the steaks to be just the right size for a filling, satisfying meal, however the steaks on the main menu go up to a whopping 500g! You’ll need to loosen your purse strings a little more, but then again the quality is undisputed, with steaks from ethically-reared traditional British breeds.

For dessert, I went all out with the indulgent Peanut butter shortbread, which was even better than I expected. A freshly-baked pastry star was filled with molten dark chocolate sauce and velvety peanut butter, finished with salted caramel ice cream and crushed peanuts. It was simply heaven on a plate, ending my meal on the sweetest note.

Steven’s Lemon and yoghurt cheesecake was zingy and refreshing, but I found it too creamy. The whipped cheesecake filling was a bit overwhelming and lacked the tartness that a cheesecake should have, plus the biscuit base was mixed in so there was no crunch. Go for the Peanut butter shortbread (or perhaps the other option of Passionfruit pavlova) instead.

I can safely say I’ve been initiated into the cult of Hawksmoor and am already planning our next steak jaunt, perhaps to the Spitalfields restaurant closer to home. The set dinner is excellent value with a great selection of winning dishes and you’re sure to leave feeling happy and well-fed.

For more information and booking, visit: www.thehawksmoor.com

Chérie City was a guest of Bookatable

Photos by Chérie City and Hawksmoor Knightsbridge

London, Restaurants

Dinner At The Rosendale, West Dulwich

October 18, 2011 by cheriecity

West Dulwich is an area I’ve always planned to explore and as usual, the thing that lured me out of my central or east London comfort zone was the prospect of a good, hearty dinner at posh gastro-pub, The Rosendale.

My first experience of West Dulwich got off to a troubled start. I was promised a leafy, picturesque suburb and yet one wrong turn from the station and I was lost in rural blackness on a particularly chilly night, got splashed with swamp water by a sadistic driver and encountered a rather sinister-looking fox. It was like being a reluctant player in a Lars Von Trier film (I’ll be Charlotte Gainsbourg, please)!

This minorly traumatic episode melted from my memory as soon as we reached the warmth haven of The Rosendale. Part of the petite Renaissance pub group, The Rosendale serves traditional pub classics but with an interesting foodie twist.

The Rosendale is very spacious for a pub but has a homely, cosy feel and the owners have made a huge effort with the decor. A butterfly collection takes pride of place above the fireplace, the walls are covered with a vintage photo print and the plush seating lends to making yourself completely at home for hours on end.

The staff at The Rosendale are warm and friendly and really made us feel welcome. To warm up after the treacherous journey, I started with Ham Hock and Chicken Croquettes (£5.50).

They were without a doubt the best croquettes I’ve ever tasted! Usually croquettes are puffed up with lots of potato and cheese, but these ones were purely honey-roasted, juicy meat, coated in light and crispy breadcrumbs, served with a rocket salad and home-made piccalilli.

Steven ordered the Mackerel and Dried Tomato Sourdough Bruschetta (£5.50), which was succulent and delicious.

I followed with the 250g Orkney Sirloin Steak (£16) with hand cut chips, rocket salad and béarnaise sauce, as I’d heard good things about the steak at The Rosendale.

The steak had a lovely chargrilled taste and was tender, well-seasoned and high quality. The hand cut chips were thick, golden and extremely tasty – just like home-cooked chips. The creamy béarnaise sauce with little pieces of shallot topped it all off – just delicious!

Steven ordered the Pork Belly with salsa verde and crushed jersey royals (£13). The pork belly was juicy and succulent and rolled with sage and parsley, covered with fine, crispy crackling.

The crushed jersey royals were buttery and soft and it was all topped off with a rich red wine gravy.

As that evening felt like an abrupt fast-forward to winter, I went into comfort food overdrive and ordered the Sticky Toffee Pudding (£4.50).

The pudding was dense and moist with tiny bits of oats and dates and was swimming in a a thick, buttery toffee sauce and topped with fine vanilla ice cream.

When we arrived, the table next to us ordered the massive Banoffie Pie (£4.50), so we knew it would be epic! It came as a huge wedge packed with cream, sliced banana, thick caramel and a crunchy biscuit base.

Dinner at The Rosendale was one of the best pub meals I’ve ever had and I’m now a little bit jealous that West Dulwich residents can call it their local!

The Rosendale has a huge outdoor terrace at the back of the pub for lazy summer drinks and the Sunday Roasts are apparently incredibly popular and book up weeks in advance (I can see why).

Prices are very reasonable, given the exceptional quality and generous portion sizes, and the staff are so lovely, you feel like you’ve been a local for years.

Now that the Autumn chill is on the way, The Rosendale is the place to get toasty and warm and indulge in some delicious comfort food. Just remember to turn LEFT when you come out the rail station!

All photos by Chérie City.

Chérie City was a guest of The Rosendale.

Hotels, Hotels - Budget, Hotels - Design, London, Restaurants

Hotel Review: The Hoxton Hotel

August 2, 2010 by cheriecity

How many times I’ve strolled past the Hoxton Hotel while out and about in Shoreditch and have always wondered what it would be like to stay at this ‘luxury budget urban lodge’.

The Hoxton Hotel has enlisted three designers to each give one of the rooms a cool new East End-inspired make-over and I was invited to come down and try out one of the rooms for myself.

Launched in 2006, the Hoxton Hotel is known for its young, buzzing atmosphere and its ‘anti-hotel’ philosophy. The Hoxton has a no-bull approach that offers guests the most comfortable and affordable stay – no hidden extras, overpriced mini bar or extortionate late check-out fee.

As a guest, you will be treated to a litre of mineral water, half a pint of milk, one hour for free phone calls to most countries, free super-fast WIFI and a complimentary lite Pret breakfast consisting of Pret orange juice, a Pret granola yogurt pot and a banana. Why Pret, you ask? Well, the man behind the Hoxton Hotel is the hospitality savvy co-founder of Pret, Sinclair Beecham.

Inspired by his own frustrating hotel experiences and a distaste for being exploited while travelling, Mr Beecham has considered every possible way to help guests save money on the small things so they can enjoy their stay. That’s arguably great business sense, as guests are more likely to treat themselves to a night-cap at the bar and leave with a good memory of the hotel.

On arrival, I found the open-plan reception area buzzing with a mixture of hotel guests coming and going, business people having meetings and locals having an afternoon drink at the Hoxton Grill bar. The check-in was easy and unpretentious and overseen by friendly European staff in cool, laid back Lee plaid shirts and jeans.

My room was on the sixth floor and was designed by Adrian Kilby, the Hoxton’s original brand consultant. It really was an explosion of colour and street style with illustrated murals, lime green furnishing, exposed brickwork, an image of Grace Jones etched on the window and the coolest bed I’ve ever seen!

The modern Chesterfield-style bed with luxurious Frette linen and duck down pillows allows you to sleep in either direction, so you can watch the large wall-mounted LCD TV in bed and then switch sides to change the ‘energy’ of the room.

There were so many discoveries to make, such as hidden cupboards, a complex lighting system and quirky design motifs dotted around the room. It seemed like quite a small room as compared to the standard Hoxton room, which I viewed during a tour of the hotel, but as I discovered later, this was due to the unusually enormous bed.

Best of all, the room is fully functional – there are a number of electrical sockets, three mirrors, a proper hairdryer, lighting that you can customise and an iHome alarm clock with an iPod dock.

There is also a well-stocked drinks area, where you can use wine glasses or long glasses and make a cup of Twinings breakfast or peppermint tea and fresh Lyons coffee. The minibar is empty but you can stock it with your own treats from the affordable shop at reception.

The Hoxton even takes a bit of inspiration from American hotels with a retro ironing room with an ice dispenser and sink on every floor.

The only thing lacking was enough hanging space, as the wardrobe was awkwardly shaped and I had to strategically place my dresses halfway outside the wardrobe to avoid creasing, especially my jersey maxi dress.

The bathroom was incredibly stylish, with deep red tiles, a walk-in shower with rainfall head and slate floors that gave an irridescent shimmer when lit. Toiletries were supplied by Aveda and there was a large bar of Pears soap, which the hotel encourages guests to box up and take home.

Throughout the room and bathroom, there are frank signs from the hotel reminding guests to make themselves feel completely at home. Free WIFI, Keep Cool and No Rip Offs slogans are emblazoned on the cushions like Love Hearts, which could potentially irk some guests, but the Hoxton Hotel is clearly just playing to its strengths.

In the other new designer rooms, Project Orange brings a New England homeliness with a patchwork quilt, distressed furniture and autumnal colours, while Suzy Hoodless goes minimal with a geometric statement wall, an illustrated little black dress and signature orange cushions and lamps.

The Hoxton Hotel also has an impressive business suite, with a range of comfortable meetings rooms and a larder, which delegates can raid all day. At night, the Hoxton really comes alive, as locals and hotel guests flock to the Hoxton Grill for dinner or meet for drinks in the stylish garden.

Hoxton Grill is a part of the Soho House Group and the menu includes its signature dishes and their 3 small plates for £15 deal. We ordered Steak and chips (£10 from 12-7pm), which was succulent, juicy and excellent quality. It came with a pot of béarnaise sauce and yummy skin-on thin chips and fresh sourdough bread with French butter.

Service was friendly and polite, everything you’d expect from a Soho House outpost. Hoxton grill room service is also available, at a reasonable price, if you’re having a lazy night or have to grab food on the go.

I really had no idea just how sociable and vibrant the Hoxton Hotel really is and the room really exceeded my expectations. I enj0yed a relaxed dinner, wonderful night’s sleep (it was so quiet), a healthy breakfast and refreshing, energising shower, all in the city’s most exciting neighbourhood. What more could you ask for in a hotel?

The Hoxton Hotel has an average nightly price of anything from £49 to £199 per night, with Sunday night stays being the most affordable. You can scoop a bargain if you book on a weekend or far in advance, but the higher price band takes the hotel out of the luxury budget category.

The Hoxton Hotel also offer their legendary £1 sale on rooms at selected times of the year, so join the Hox Fan Club to hear the news first.

The three designers rooms are available to book online from September 2010.

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More pictures of the Hoxton Hotel, here.

* Chérie City was a guest of The Hoxton Hotel.