Steak & Co on Charing Cross Road

I think it’s fair to say that most of Leicester Square is pretty grotty, catering for crowds of tourists with overpriced eateries and tacky souvenir stalls. But with so many wonderful London landmarks nearby (National Gallery, Fourth Plinth, Coliseum to name but a few) this area craves a few decent restaurants.

Let me introduce you to Steak & Co, the new steakhouse on Charing Cross Road. The restaurant is located on a corner and has a smart but generic exterior, it looks like it might be one of a chain. Inside I was reminded of an American style diner. The service was impeccable throughout our visit, from the moment we walked in when we were greeted with a lovely smiley welcome to personal and attentive service while we were ordering and eating. We asked for a mid range (£17.50) bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, it was light and crisp and went well with our food.

As you might expect steak features heavily on the menu (!) with all the different cuts and varieties available. But for those who prefer a lighter meal you can enjoy the appealing looking alternatives... classics like Caesar salad as well as chicken and fish mains. There are many starter and sharing ideas too for those of you who are starving enough to manage more than a filling steak. My companion and I shared a portion of Nachos topped with all the garnishes. It came to our table straight from the grill, still warm with the gooey cheese still melting. After five minutes I had to place the bowl at the opposite end of the table, knowing that otherwise I would keep munching leaving no room for anything else (portions are very generous at Steak & Co).

We treated ourselves to the fillet steak that comes in three size options from a more petite 8 oz to a great hunk of meat at 12 oz. I felt quite animalistic making my way through my steak. It was the highest quality meat and was so delicious I just managed to finish my portion. A huge variety of butters and sauces are available – in the name of market research I tried the garlic butter and pepper sauce, both very rich. I found the sauce a little too creamy but with a nice warm flavour. To accompany we ordered the french fries, which tasted beyond amazing, coming in a cute little wire cooking basket, and tomato and red onion salad which was tangy and fresh, a nice addition to the otherwise heavy meal. Needless to say we were too full for dessert, despite almost being persuaded by the tempting choices.

Steak & Co isn’t cheap, and to some extent I’m sure you are paying for the convenient central location. The cheapest steak is £16.95, which seems a little pricey, though I can guarantee service and quality of food will meet the highest expectations.

Find all Steak & Co info here.