386 Kings Road, Chelsea, SW3 5UZ www.londonsteakhousecompany.com
The London Steakhouse Co in Chelsea is one of only two steakhouses worldwide which are owned by Marco Pierre White – the first being based in the City. Chloe gets out her sharp knife.
The London Steakhouse Co comes with a lot of expectation – any place that comes with such a well-known chef’s name attached to it and calls itself a steakhouse would. Luckily, The London Steakhouse Co did live up to it.
While the setting inside is quite formal – think white tablecloths, nice cutlery – it still has a relaxed vibe. At the front of the restaurant is a large, glass wall that overlooks the streets of Chelsea letting in natural light and the outside world.
Then, as you look back into the split-level space, you can see the bar below, and second half of the restaurant on the mezzanine level. All this creates a good space for having either a nice dinner with friends, or something a little more special.
While of course the steak is at the centre of the menu – quite literally – it’s not all about the steaks and the starters here are delicious.
The cured mackerel is a petite package of little fillets of fish with sharp pickled apple and spicy horseradish, all sitting on top of a crispy slice of bread.
The beetroot salad is fresh with creamy, tangy mouthfuls of goat’s cheese. Both a very good start to the meal.
The restaurant uses only the best grass-fed beef from top butcher Aubrey Allen, all dry-aged for 28 days. Both cuts of steak – the rump and the fillet – were soft and perfectly cooked.
The Café de Paris, which is a complex butter-based sauce, was full of flavour. The only downside was that it was served in a sauce jug – as Café de Paris is, essentially, a round of butter it would have been better served on the steak so it could ooze and melt.
Sadly, by the time it made it onto the meat some of the heat had been lost, so it remained a lump which had to be spread almost like you would on bread.
Then, of course, there were the sides. The House Fries were crunchy on the outside and fluffy in the middle, just as they should be. The seasonal vegetable, on this occasion, was broccoli which was well-cooked. Not too soft, not too al-dente, just right.
The potato croquettes, however, were on another level. Some of the best croquettes I’ve ever eaten. Crisp, round balls of potato which had been deep fried before being topped with rich, earth, deep truffle oil and shavings of parmesan. Bite-sized pieces of heaven.
I could have ordered them over and over again, and been perfectly content all evening.
By that point, we were full, but it would have been rude to leave without desserts. The lemon posset was a great little end to the meal. It was sharp, it was creamy, and it was topped with a raspberry for extra freshness. I
if you’re looking for a small scoop of ice cream, don’t be fooled. The ice cream at The London Steakhouse Co is a big, flamboyant dessert. Expect vanilla ice cream with raspberry coulis, fresh fruit, wafer biscuits, pieces of chocolate honeycomb, and even a glacier cherry on top.
Alongside the food there was, of course, the drinks. The champagne cocktail is a classic – just served with a simple sugar cube, brandy, bitters and, of course, champagne.
The wine that is served at The London Steakhouse Co is all produced for them and only them in a vineyard in Portugal. We tried a carafe of Macon Rouge by Louis Jadot.
Firstly, it was nice that they served the wine by the carafe, rather than just by the bottle. A much easier measure for two people to enjoy when they want to wake up without a headache. This particular one was smooth on the palate.
All in all, The London Steakhouse Co was a wonderful evening. What’s more, the staff are exceptional. Friendly, attentive but with the right level – it never felt like they were in your face or watching you.
The London Steakhouse Co, Chelsea will this year be celebrating its 10th anniversary and it’s not hard to see how it has lasted a decade in what is, let’s be honest, a competitive market full of exceptional eateries.