Hawksmoor, Spitalfields

I would undoubtedly consider myself a steak fiend - it's my favourite meat, the perk to every meal involving it and usually the thing I find myself craving most. I've had some incredible steaks; Gaucho, Plum & Spilt Milk, etc - but I'd never tried Hawksmoor. For those of you in London you would have heard about Hawksmoor - famous for it's incredible steaks, a specialty, and intriguing decor. 

Friends, knowing how much I love steak, have been recommending heading here for months but it was only recently I got the chance to head there. I visited the Spitalfields one with work colleagues on a lunchtime. Considering it was a Wednesday lunch it was absolutely packed - and so it began. 

The menu is Hawksmoor is simple; steak, either individual or sharing, or about 5 other options which aren't steak. If you're heading to Hawksmoor and not ordering steak - it's really quite silly. Go for the red meat. 

That being said - the starters are always a nice way to sample something else on the menu. In this case I opted for the Roast scallops with white port & garlic to start. The scallops were served in a shell, with the sauce being crunchy and tangy. A strong taste of both garlic and cheese to accompany scallops - which are often a little boring. It was fresh, light and executed well. 

It was then time for the main - a rib-eye 400g steak served medium rare with a side of peppercorn sauce and triple cooked chips. Needless to say, after not eating much in the morning, I was salivating at the thought of it. The steak arrived and I speak no word of a lie when I say it was the same size as my head. A huge portion alongside the additional sides. I immediately tucked in, just about waiting for my friends to start, and immediately fell in love with the flavour. It was tender - yet still had the slightly burnt taste on the outside. The peppercorn sauce was exceptional; creamy yet spicy at the same time.

The triple cooked chips were to die for; fluffy, crunchy and perfectly salty. The portion sizes for all three were ridiculous - it's definitely more aimed at men with these sizes but nonetheless it was too good to not eat. 2000 calories down - my plate was empty. 

Not being one to shy away from dessert - I ordered the sticky toffee sundae. A sweet combination of sticky toffee pudding, ice cream, cream and caramel throughout. It was the right amount of sweet to top off the meal.

Without a shadow of a doubt I would recommend Hawksmoor - though it's definitely on the more expensive side. For one person, for three courses, without alcohol you're looking at around £80 - though it's worth every penny without a shadow of a doubt. 

thehawksmoor.com