Tasting Britain
TastingBritain.co.uk - Meat Co, Westfield, Shepherdâs Bush, London
The Meat Co. arrived in the UK back in 2008, opening inside and at the same time as the then brand-new Westfield, in Shepherdâs Bush (and back when Shepherdâs Bush was a bit more... âedgy' than it is now). Designed by New Yorkâs Jorge Castillo, the interior is various well chosen combinations of wooden and fiery tones, dark shades of crimson, amber and rusty orange - which works for me (but does it work for you?). This atmosphere is surprisingly warm and snug for a restaurant that essentially lives inside one of the largest shopping centres in London. Truly an oasis of food and drink amidst all the clothing retailers.
Whatâs The Meat Coâs shtick then? Steakhouse dining, South African perspective. And this is what makes them memorable in a city already so very full of excellent steakhouses. They donât push the South African thing to its logical/illogical limits, however - so whilst you'll find kangaroo on the menu, you wonât see the likes of zebra, wildebeest or crocodile (yet). You might, however, get a biltong aperitif before dinner (and how great is that?!)
Originally founded in 2000 by one of South Africaâs most prolific restauranteurs, Costa Tomazos, Meat Co went international a long time ago. Youâll find them in various parts of our wonderful planet, including the Middle East and Africa. Which is probably the reason they serve a full Halal menu, alongside their regular menu (diners are asked which theyâd like to pick from, before being seated). This seems to be working for them, as, in my recent trip there I saw quite a few Muslims (and Muslim families) dotted about the place. And whilst I am talking about families, this place is surprisingly family friendly, one of the families next to us brought their (well behaved) toddlers to dinner and as far as I can tell everything went just great for them
Like most London steakhouses, this place can get very pricey indeed. Start eyeing up a chateaubriand (£20 per 100g) or Wagyu (they donât even list how much thatâs going to cost on the menuâ¦itâs at âmarket rateâ), and you could soon see your portion of the bill creeping up into the three figures. However, like most fine-wine-and-carnivore oases dotted about the Big Smoke, this is to be EXPECTED (*sigh*) and by God, if you want to burn the money this is a fucking delicious way to do it. And another thong about that menu, it is pretty huge. If youâre the kind of person that spends 15 minutes plus salivatingover steak and meat selections, that can and probably will happen here. The âsteak tasting menuâ is a good bed for the undecided amongst us.
As for the layout of the place, downstairs you shall find the âPuza Barâ - serving bar food and cocktails (I have yet to drink there so I canât tell you if the cocktails or bar food is any good or not). Enter via a giraffe-skin patterned lift or up a stairwell that takes you past a one storey glass fronted wall of (probably) fine wines and you arrive upstairs - the restaurant area proper. Now, this place is a lot bigger than you might expect, and sure makes an impression. Stretching out in front of you is seating for around 260, an open kitchen, more walls of (again, probably) fine wine, an open fire, and the odd chair that resembles a sofa. Despite the size and openness of this floor, there are plenty of little alcoves, cloisters (can I use that word?) and more secluded spots for those who want a little privacy. Thereâs also a private dining area, hidden behind yet another wall of vino (no photos - it was in use by what looked like a large African family so youâll have to use your imagination as to what it looks like in there). All this fine upholestery and fine wine definitely contributes to what is clearly the atmosphere of a high end steakhouse.
Meat Co. also have a few loyalty schemes, the most interesting is the âPlatinum' (invitation only). Platinum gets you 10% off of your bill indefinitely, your very own steak knife (with your name on it and everything). Another good thing to mention is that The Meat Co supports the Nelson Mandela Childrenâs Fund (UK) - a few of their dishes include a donation to this fund which, in words, "is committed to creating a better future for children in South Africa."
Fuck yeah...
TastingBritain.co.uk - Meat Co, Westfield, Shepherdâs Bush, London
The Meat Co. arrived in the UK back in 2008, opening inside and at the same time as the then brand-new Westfield, in Shepherdâs Bush (and back when Shepherdâs Bush was a bit more... âedgy' than it is now). Designed by New Yorkâs Jorge Castillo, the interior is various well chosen combinations of wooden and fiery tones, dark shades of crimson, amber and rusty orange - which works for me (but does it work for you?). This atmosphere is surprisingly warm and snug for a restaurant that essentially lives inside one of the largest shopping centres in London. Truly an oasis of food and drink amidst all the clothing retailers.
Whatâs The Meat Coâs shtick then? Steakhouse dining, South African perspective. And this is what makes them memorable in a city already so very full of excellent steakhouses. They donât push the South African thing to its logical/illogical limits, however - so whilst you'll find kangaroo on the menu, you wonât see the likes of zebra, wildebeest or crocodile (yet). You might, however, get a biltong aperitif before dinner (and how great is that?!)
Originally founded in 2000 by one of South Africaâs most prolific restauranteurs, Costa Tomazos, Meat Co went international a long time ago. Youâll find them in various parts of our wonderful planet, including the Middle East and Africa. Which is probably the reason they serve a full Halal menu, alongside their regular menu (diners are asked which theyâd like to pick from, before being seated). This seems to be working for them, as, in my recent trip there I saw quite a few Muslims (and Muslim families) dotted about the place. And whilst I am talking about families, this place is surprisingly family friendly, one of the families next to us brought their (well behaved) toddlers to dinner and as far as I can tell everything went just great for them
Like most London steakhouses, this place can get very pricey indeed. Start eyeing up a chateaubriand (£20 per 100g) or Wagyu (they donât even list how much thatâs going to cost on the menuâ¦itâs at âmarket rateâ), and you could soon see your portion of the bill creeping up into the three figures. However, like most fine-wine-and-carnivore oases dotted about the Big Smoke, this is to be EXPECTED (*sigh*) and by God, if you want to burn the money this is a fucking delicious way to do it. And another thong about that menu, it is pretty huge. If youâre the kind of person that spends 15 minutes plus salivatingover steak and meat selections, that can and probably will happen here. The âsteak tasting menuâ is a good bed for the undecided amongst us.
As for the layout of the place, downstairs you shall find the âPuza Barâ - serving bar food and cocktails (I have yet to drink there so I canât tell you if the cocktails or bar food is any good or not). Enter via a giraffe-skin patterned lift or up a stairwell that takes you past a one storey glass fronted wall of (probably) fine wines and you arrive upstairs - the restaurant area proper. Now, this place is a lot bigger than you might expect, and sure makes an impression. Stretching out in front of you is seating for around 260, an open kitchen, more walls of (again, probably) fine wine, an open fire, and the odd chair that resembles a sofa. Despite the size and openness of this floor, there are plenty of little alcoves, cloisters (can I use that word?) and more secluded spots for those who want a little privacy. Thereâs also a private dining area, hidden behind yet another wall of vino (no photos - it was in use by what looked like a large African family so youâll have to use your imagination as to what it looks like in there). All this fine upholestery and fine wine definitely contributes to what is clearly the atmosphere of a high end steakhouse.
Meat Co. also have a few loyalty schemes, the most interesting is the âPlatinum' (invitation only). Platinum gets you 10% off of your bill indefinitely, your very own steak knife (with your name on it and everything). Another good thing to mention is that The Meat Co supports the Nelson Mandela Childrenâs Fund (UK) - a few of their dishes include a donation to this fund which, in words, "is committed to creating a better future for children in South Africa."
Fuck yeah...