Hawksmoor Seven Dials for Best Steak in the U.K.

PRE-THEATRE GEM IN COVENT GARDEN: The Hawksmoor Seven Dials. Photo: Courtesy of Hawksmoor Seven Dials

HAWKSMOOR SEVEN DIALS
11 Langley Street
London, United Kingdom
WC2H 9JG
020 7420 9390, http://thehawksmoor.com/locations/seven-dials/

By Scott Harrah

One doesn’t normally think of London as a city to find great steak, but the pre-theatre crowd need look no further than Hawksmoor Seven Dials in Covent Garden. Located in an old fruit warehouse, the place has the feel of an upscale but casual pub, but there’s nothing “pub like” about the food because here you will find some of the best steak and seafood in London, and possibly, the United Kingdom.

There’s a nice pre-prandials menu, with a fancy gin cocktail, sherry crusta and the Hawksmoor Collins (gin, lemon, Campari, bitters and soda), but a glass of wine also goes well with what you’re about to enjoy.

The Hawksmoor also has excellent service from the moment one walks in the door. James was our waiter, and he was kind enough to explain many of the British specialties on the menu with which we were unfamiliar. His friendliness and professionalism really enhanced our experience at the restaurant.

For starters, choose from Brixham crab on toast, Hawksmoor smoked salmon with soda bread, half a native lobster (from waters around the U.K., such as Cornwall and Scotland) with garlic butter, shrimps on toast, roast scallops with white port and garlic, potted beef and bacon with Yorkshires, Evesham asparagus with duck egg hollandaise, steak tartare, bone marrow with onions, Tamworth belly ribs or salads.

HALF A NATIVE LOBSTER: Served with garlic butter. Native lobster is found in the cold waters off Cornwall & Scotland. Photo: Scott Harrah

We started with the half a native lobster, which was absolutely scrumptious. British lobster tastes similar to Maine or Nova Scotia lobster but has a slightly different consistency, yet is delightful nonetheless. Next, we dug into the light and tasty roast scallops with white port and garlic. It was a great prelude to the steak.

ROAST SCALLOPS: With white port & garlic. Photo: Scott Harrah

The Hawksmoor is famous for its steaks, and you can choose from bone-in prime rib, porterhouse, T-Bone and Chateaubriand (all three of which are big portions, so sharing is recommended). There is also bone-in sirloin (500 grams), rib-eye (400 grams) and D-rump (300 grams), aged 55 days. We each chose the fillet (300 grams) because our waiter, James, said it was the right size for people to eat individually. Having been raised in the American Midwest, I know a thing or two about great steak, but I never thought I’d eat one this tender and succulent in the U.K. It melted in my mouth. James suggested the Jersey Royals potatoes as a side dish and they were also excellent.

FILLET STEAK: 300g & tender & succulent. Photo: Scott Harrah

For a side with the steak, one can choose from grilled bone marrow, two fried eggs or maple bacon.

If you’re not a carnivore, the Hawksmoor also has whole sea bream with chili, rosemary and garlic, and a larger native lobster grilled with garlic butter, as well as ricotta dumplings with spring vegetables.

BEEF DRIPPING FRIES & SAUCES: Choose from Bearnaise, peppercorn, bone marrow gravy, anchovy Hollandaise or stilton Hollandaise. Photo: Scott Harrah

We were curious about the beef dripping fries because the name itself is not something most Americans know. Our waiter insisted that we try them, and it is a good thing he did. The fries were crisp and perfectly cooked, and didn’t taste fatty or greasy at all. We ordered a selection of sauces: Béarnaise, peppercorn, bone marrow gravy, anchovy hollandaise, stilton hollandaise. The steak was so good we didn’t want to put the sauces on the meat, so instead we used the delicious liquid as something in which to dip our fries.

Other sides available are triple-cooked chips, roast field mushrooms, Doddington Caesar salad and English lettuce and herb salad.

To top off this outstanding meal, our waiter suggested the sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream. We had only seen this very British dessert on TV cooking shows but had never tried it. After trying it, we’re fans of the fattening treat. Sticky toffee pudding, James explained, is a steamed sponge cake filled with chopped dates and covered with a toffee sauce. Some British chefs put vanilla ice cream on top, but the Hawksmoor puts a generous scoop of clotted cream on top, which is sinfully delicious. Clotted cream, for those Americans who have never tried it, is sometimes called Devonshire or Cornish cream and is made by heating full cow’s milk cream and then leaving it to cool, and it eventually forms “clots.” After dining at the Hawksmoor, we tried other sticky toffee puddings, but no one else made it as good as we had it here.

The menu is so extraordinary at the Hawksmoor that one could make a full evening of just dining here, especially on a special occasion, but there is also a popular pre-theatre “Express Menu” of 2 courses for 24 pounds or 3 courses for 27 pounds and is served until 6:30pm and from 10pm onwards, Monday to Saturday. The Express Menu includes spring salad with Graceburn, potted mackerel or bone marrow with onions as a started; for mains, Hawksmoor hamburger; D-rump (300 grams) or fillet tail (200 grams, with 5 pound supplement; whole sea bream or ricotta dumplings with spring vegetables. One side of triple-cooked chips, beef dripping fries, sweet potato, spring greens or herb salad is included. Puddings for dessert include sticky toffee pudding or peanut butter shortbread.

If you’re planning to go to London to see West End shows, or simply going to experience everything the British capital has to offer, the Hawksmoor Seven Dials is a gastronomical treat you won’t want to miss.

SINFULLY DELICIOUS: Sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream. Photo: Scott Harrah

THE BAR AT HAWKSMOOR SEVEN DIALS: Perfect place for a cocktail before or after a West End show. Photo: Courtesy of Hawksmoor Seven Dials.

GREAT FOR PRE-THEATRE OR A SPECIAL OCCASION: Hawksmoor Seven Dials in Covent Garden, London. Photo: Courtesy of Hawksmoor Seven Dials

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published July 3, 2015
Reviewed in London on June 17, 2015