I have never been a big eater. My eyes are not bigger than my belly, and it has always taken a rather special meal for me to consume anywhere close to my limits. However, after hearing rave reviews from frequent diners with tales of elaborate cocktail creations and the best steak in London, I was more than a little curious as to what kind of dining experience awaited me at Hawksmoor Air Street for an important business dinner.

Hawksmoor's Air Street location represents the newest and largest opening to date for owners Will Beckett and Huw Gott, teaming up with seafood chef Mitch Tonks, proprietor of The Seahorse restaurant in Dartmouth (recent Observer Food Monthly restaurant of the year winner) to assist with the creation of a new menu, balancing high quality seafood with their already renowned steak.

We arrived a little early and were seated at the bar area, guided through the extensive cocktail menu by a knowledgeable bartender.

Browsing the extensive cocktail list gave us a chance to take in the art deco surroundings. Hawksmoor Air Street's mostly reclaimed interior is perfectly befitting of its location, from the stained and etched glass windows overlooking Regent Street, to the 1920s style green upholstery. On the advice of the bartender I opted for a cocktail named The Dandy, listed under the Pre-Prandials menu. It is a variation of a punch from the 1930s served at the Waldorf-Astoria, transformed into a refreshing champagne cocktail. My companion opted for the Hawksmoor Collins, a twist on the classic Tom Collins with a sharp edge provided by a dash of Campari, both setting us up nicely for our meal.

Seated on a spacious table near the window, to start, I went for the lobster cocktail, a generously meaty serving of lobster with a light and fresh Mary Rose sauce on a bed of crisp lettuce. My client chose scallops to start, served in the shell with a garlic and white port sauce, which was superb.

On to the mains: to sample their culinary skills to best effect, we opted to share a porterhouse steak, and monkfish grilled over charcoal, accompanied by "Mac ‘n' Cheese", creamed spinach, and shaved fennel and watercress sides. Both were big hits, although the shaved fennel and watercress were perhaps a little overshadowed by some of the stronger flavours on offer. 

The porterhouse steak was medium rare and cooked to perfection, accompanied by stilton hollandaise, a creamy sauce subtly blended, the stilton not overpowering the hollandaise base.

A gentleman on a neighbouring table was so impressed with the taste of the bone marrow gravy that accompanied his meal he suggested we try it. As it turns out, both of us are glad we obliged, as it was a rich and complementary addition to the steak.

Since seafood was such a major aspect of Hawksmoor Air Street, we were very keen to get started on the Monkfish. The seasoning was well suited, the fish itself moist and satisfying, and we were both delighted with the choices made.

The Hawksmoor Air Street is an experience you will certainly pay for but, in our opinion, you would be hard pushed to find better steak and seafood in London.

 

Ian Westcott