Blackhouse, Grill on the Market | Restaurant Review

Smithfield, once the site of the original meat market during the 10th century, is a fitting spot for Blackhouse, Grill on the Market to throw open its doors.

The new restaurant promises 'honest, simple and proper food' with a no nonsense philosophy, focusing on wholesome ingredients and classic flavours.

There is a varied menu featuring seafood and vegetarian options, but the real star of the show is the steak. There is a choice of premium cuts, including 15-year-old English Galician, beer-fed Wagyu and an Australian fillet, and quality classics such as Argentinian ribeye and Scotch sirloin, all aged for at least 28-days to ensure tenderness.

Russell and I were invited to sample their menu last Friday night, and after viewing their offering online couldn't wait to visit.

 

Paying homage to the existing market the interior features exposed brick walls and dark lighting, rich leather booths and natural wood-cladding. The atmosphere is relaxed yet luxe, making it the perfect location for both date night and a catch up with friends.



Russell chose the St. Louis bone in rib with a sticky orange and honey glaze crackling for his starter. Oozing with flavour, the meat simply fell off the bone. Texture was added to the dish with the crackling, whilst the sharp citrus orange glaze contrasted beautiful against the sweet and smokey meat.



I enjoyed the Salmon Tartare, which surprised me with a hidden quails egg centre. Featuring a subtle heat of mustard seeds, herbaceous dill and peppery radish, the fresh salmon was elevated by the rich yolk of the quails egg. What a way to start our meal!



After an extensive explanation of the menu from our well informed waiter we decided we simply HAD to order a steak for our main course. We opted for the ‘Butchers Block’, Himalayan rock salt dry-aged steak stored in a salt chamber fridge.



After selecting the ribeye (we love the cut's juicy balance of meat and fat) it was bought table-side so we could watch it be hand cut and weighed.

 

The steaks were then grilled and served with fat cut chips and vine tomatoes. They were both cooked perfectly pink (as we requested) whilst the outside was charred thanks to the salt chamber and intense heat of the grill. The meat had a distinct and overbearing chargrill taste, which was enjoyable, but we did wonder if it would be worth indulging in more experience cuts.



We were extremely full by the time it came to desserts but managed to fit it in.

I indulged in a rich chocolate and salted caramel pot served with cornflake Florentines. To say it was decadent is an understatement! The addition of the salted caramel didn't make the dish too sickly sweet, whilst the cornflakes gave much needed texture.



Meanwhile Russell demolished a sticky toffee pudding topped with vanilla ice cream. It's his favourite dessert choice so I expected it so go down well; it was light, surprisingly not stodgy and had just the right about of toffee sauce.

We had a wonderful experience at Blackhouse, Grill on the Market, and would recommend to anyone looking for an evening meal that offers something a little extra special.

Orange Elephant Steak | Restaurant Review

Last week Russell and I went in search of succulent steak - and we found it.

Upon enetering, the new Orange Elephant steak restaurant on Fulham Road presented exposed brickwork, wood floors, pewter table tops and a framed theatre kitchen in full view ready to searve us seared steak - a reather impressive entrance.

The resturant has no menu, and instead invites guests to come for one thing and one thing only – delicious 12oz sirloin steak served with a special house sauce, a side salad and portion of hand cut chips for a very reasonable £20.





The veggies amongst you will be pleased to hear the restaurant also serves a pretty addictive truffle Mac n’ Cheese, and the serious meat eaters will be able to share a huge 1.3kg Tomahawk steak, served on the bone and packed with a sweet and rich flavour, for £80.

Named after the breed of South Devonshire cow from which the delicious steaks are sourced, Orange Elephants are the largest of the native British cattle, with their nickname deriving from their wide faces, big ears and rust coloured coats.

The steak is carefully sourced from independent British farms and has been aged for minimum of 32 days. Cooked on the innovative Big Green Egg barbeque's which uses charcoal fuel and is capable of generating an intense controlled heat, the cooking technique sears the meat while roasting and smoking at the same time.





We found this gives the steak a very unique flavour, unlike anything we've eaten before, with crisp charred edges, a smokey aftertaste and that all-important juicy flavour.

Paired with a good bottle of red, this was Thursday night perfection. Would we return? Absolutely, we just wish it was closer to home.