Hawksmoor
Spitalfields
157 Commercial Street
London, E1 6BJ
http://thehawksmoor.com/locations/spitalfields
So the first quarterly 'Dinner Club by Team *&^%' kicked off, and the turnout was, to put simply, biblical. Joining me at Hawksmoor was Rob, naturally, and Adam, intoxicated (by the end).
Hawksmoor is a steak house with three locations in London. Our chosen venue was in Spitalfields and such was the popularity that the only tables available were 6pm and 9:30pm. We went for the early option, which allowed time to soak up the venue, which we neglected.
First off, Hawskmoor has a more relaxed attitude than you would imagine of a high class (expensive) restaurant. However, service was top notch. Our waiter was very friendly, informative, and struck the right balance between being attentive and interrupting our evening. This might have something to do with our early arrival, so while we dithered over our order he was on hand to explain and direct, and as the evening wore on and we ploughed through the steaks and wine, the arrival of more customers kept the waiter busy. But I'd rather not be cynical and say he was just a nice chap doing a nice job.
Rob kicked things off with a Bloody Mary, which I still find bizarre. Encouraged by Rob, or not wanting him to feel the odd one out, Ad and I also ordered aperitifs - The Dandy for Ad, Brigadoon for myself. Then crab starters all round. Here Hawksmoor took a blow, as the crab had what felt like shell pieces in it.
Rob was in charge of the wine and a white, probably from Italy, accompanied the crab while we turned onto red for the main and dessert. For the main, we requested a selection of cuts that could be shared, and the waiter suggested sirloin, fillet and rib eye steaks, which were simply outstanding. The charcoal-grilled meat gave off a smokey taste, and we ultimately agreed that the portions were ideal. Sides including chips, as standard, mac and cheese, mash and gravy, and mushrooms. The steak is the attraction here though and the sides merely serve to offer the palate a change in sensations if only to appreciate the beef more.
Rob and Ad went for Sticky Toffee pudding, which was met with four thumbs up, and I plumped for the Peanut butter shortbread with caramel ice cream. It was hard to work out who made the right choice; in a way we were all winners.
To finish off the night Ad and I enjoyed a whiskey while Rob ruined his night with an Apple Brandy.
Overall, Hawksmoor in Spitalfields is a fine restaurant. If you like steak, check it out. If you want a very posh restaurant, there are better places to applaud your snobbery.
My Review: 8
Rob's : 8
Adam's: 9
Overall rating: 25/3 = 8.3 (3 ratings)
