Age: About two months. But the brand itself, with its diminutive Soho restaurants (and a couple of others) is pushing well past the half decade.
Where exactly is it? On the lower stretch of fast-changing Cally Road. Call it the Coal Drops Yard effect.
So what goes on there? Mini cleavers at the ready: steak. And, at this bigger-than-others new branch, there are (shockingly) no modish concessions to the meat-free or plant-based. There’s only steak, and then only three kinds: the eponymous cut, a sirloin and a special (on our visit a Brazilian rump cap).
What should I eat? We shared one of their famous – and to their credit – reasonably priced £11 boards of joyously ruddy flat iron, the well-marbled cut from the shoulder of the cow. The other main was a springy Native breed rib eye, its high fat proportion meaning a fuller flavour: a little small, but forgiveable as it was priced at £16, unimaginable in many steak restaurants nowadays.
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What about sauces? Particularly recommended for weekend Bloody Mary afficionados is Fred’s Sauce, with its combo of tomato, spice and horseradish; but the velvety peppercorn was a winner too, and the béarnaise exactly the right side of too-rich.
Chips? As good as ever, but no need to bother with the wagyu dripping ones (a quid more at £4.50), as the regular skinny fries are the bomb. To create an illusion of health, we also ordered hispi cabbage and purple sprouting broccoli, both drenched in butter.
The interior: Rather stylish – and with 100 covers, more roomy than its West End siblings. Nice touches abound, from the Mediterranean foliage outside – palm trees and olives, no less – to the country-house feel with dark wood panelling, booths and banquettes, all offering chiaroscuro for an intimate rendezvous.
And what do I drink? We guzzled a very decent Salice Salentino, the well-priced Italian primitivo, at £27. With its 14% ABV it’ll have you gliding back across Granary Square. (Speaking of drink, don’t forget a pre-prandial beer at the glorious old boozer the King Charles, opposite but hidden down Northdown Street).
What’s the service like? Flawless. This is a very slick op.
Do say: ‘Steak and chips for £15 in King’s Cross? Wowsers.’
Don’t say: ‘But it’s not Hawksmoor, is it?’
