Lately I’ve been loving eating meat which isn’t necessarily good in copious amounts, for your body but I’ve become so partial to good meat and a glass of red wine and I simply cant help myself. This all started after my trip to The Meat Co – a South African dining experience situated just outside of Westfield, Shepherds Bush.
The Meat Co launched in London in 2008, providing a unique and exceptionally enjoyable steakhouse dining experience and was established a little earlier much further from London, in 2000 in South Africa.
The Meat Co caters for meat lovers in a sophisticated yet relaxed environment and strives to create an esteemed dedication to its African roots, which is reflected in its unique decorative surroundings. If you are ever in the area, pop in and basque in its glorious fittings, warm coloured surroundings and definitely take a look at their stunning range of wines kept in vast glass racks beside the top floor dining area and in front of their luxuriously designed bathrooms.
Starter
I’m generally quite a slow diner and tend to take a little long to decide what I’m ordering when eating out, especially when dining somewhere for the first time, but luckily for me and my guest, Blogger Michaela of Cardiffornia Gurl, the staff at The Meat Co were literally all hands on deck and fully versed in the great options on the menu – our waiter (as well as all of the other staff at The Meat Co) was so very friendly and approachable which made me feel instantly at ease.
At the recommendation of our waiter, we started our meal with Chocolate & Beetroot bread (which tasted sublime and looked so Instagram worthy) and Salt & Pepper Calamari which again was cooked to perfection. As Michaela so appropriately described it, the Chocolate & Beetroot bread was “sweet where needed and salty where
is wasn’t. Both flavours worked and the texture was amazing. I could
eat it
happily over and over again, just with some
nice ,salty butter, layered on top.”
In between the starters and whilst we sipped on our alcoholic beverages of cocktails and red wine, we were also brought a small dish of mixed olives which were marinated in Olive Oil and Pimento as well as a dish of Beef Jerky, however the meat here is always the finest South African sourced produce which could be defined very quickly as the taste was literally so fresh and the meat was marinated well (although dry as Beef Jerky usually is). I loved that it didn’t feel like you had to break your jaw to chew on these tender jerky flakes. If you dine here, do not turn this away as you will regret it.
Main
After the first course (above) it’s needless to say, but we were so excited for the next course of the meal – simply because the starter was so light yet delicious and extremely satisfying. For our mains again, we were walked through the menu with the help of our awesome waiter and both decided on sampling the Wagyu Rib-Eye Steak (which of course I ordered well done) which came with a handpicked side of whichever sauce you fancied. Not sure if it would compliment the stunningly glazed steak, I took a leap of faith and order the Peppercorn sauce which wasn’t in the slightest a disappointment. It was an amazingly thick texture, a warm colouring and oh so creamy – no change of getting a peppercorn stuck in the back of your throat here, because the pepper was grounded profusely and just enough to let out enough flavour. Be aware
diners, the price of the Wagyu meat (like most
restaurants) varies here so there is no set price for this cut of meat. If this
is a concern, do ask the waiter/ess who will happily advise you on the cuts and
their prices.
The Wagyu Steak, which I mentioned previously, has to be
discussed again because it was literally that good!
Funnily enough, on the run up to this meal, I was introduced to Wagyu Meat by
another foodie who gave me the run-through of why this much hyped meat was
making waves in Europe.
Wagyu Cattle were originally bred in Japan,
and are renowned for producing beef of a superior
eating quality, however this practise has now been introduced to produce around
the world and can now be authentically served in exquisite restaurants like The
Meat Co. The unique taste and unctuous, buttery texture of Wagyu Meat are
mainly due to the marbling of fat within the meat – fat which will begin to
melt at room temperature and is also magically low in mono-unsaturates, which means
you can relax and enjoy it without worrying about your health!
And just as if The Meat Co had planned it, we were suddenly surrounded by even more food! Yes, more food! Our waiter brought to our table steamed fresh Tender Stem Broccoli sprinkled with subtle chili flakes, a side dish of creamy spinach which was utterly delicious and accompanied our Steak & Chips perfectly and to top it off, two humongous, giant prawns which was fresh with a garlic and butter sauce and very easy to devour.
My only unsatisfactory remark for the evening, had to
be the prawns were slightly a little over cooked and had more of a mushy
texture, which is not a huge concern, however I prefer my fish meat a little
sturdier, especially when cooked in a buttery/ garlic sauce.
Dessert
By this point, both my guest and I were literally busted by the vast amounts of food, that we were seriously contemplating skipping dessert to instead enjoy the cocktails and beautiful South African wine however, based on the amazing quality of the starters and main dishes before, I figured it would be rude not to round off the meal with something sweet, so we share The Chef’s Dessert Tasting Platter, which was a selection of miniature helpings of each of their lustful dessert dishes. I loved the swiveling plate it was served on as it meant we could skillfully manoeuvre to the dish we loved most without diverting from our conversation.
The best way to describe the dessert selection is six amazingly exotic mini delights with flavours that you could tell were totally fresh and sponges baked perfectly – there was nothing burnt or over cooked here. If you managed to overdo the sauces and tastes in your main course, this dessert is the ideal option to cool down and rest your heavy palette. I absolutely loved them, especially the ice cream, delectable chocolate sponges and mango/ passion fruit sorbet flavours.
Overall, the food quality and presentation at The Meat
Co was truly incredible! Every dish from start to finish was cooked to
perfection and the taste was out of this world. We both
really struggled to eat it all but just couldn’t leave it –
each dish was screaming at us to taste it with its glazed and often oozing
inner and external surprises. It’s really no wonder that The Meat & Co was
included in the ‘Book a Table Awards’ list of Top 10 Best Steak
Restaurants in London.
This traditional South African Steakhouse has really lifted the bar on flame-grilled dining experiences (it even has a Loyalty Program which I need in my life asap) without being too expensive (which is what you’d initially suspect). Dishes start from just £3.50 and has me almost desperate to go back and basque in its vibrant ambiance, luxury interiors and staff with an actual passion for both food and service. The Meat Co also prides itself on offering approved Halal menus, so there is literally something here for everyone. You’ll see for yourself when you dine here, as diners range from young professionals, to millennial shoppers and family groups.
Looking for a good Steakhouse in London? I cannot recommend The Meat Co enough!
CP xo
*Photos taken on HTC One Mini 8*
