Hidden away in a cobbled alley in Covent Garden, London, the
entrance to Hawksmoor Seven Dials makes you feel as if you are entering
somewhere special.
Go down the stairs and you find yourself in a buzzy chic yet
laid-back bar and restaurant. Once the home of Watney Combe brewery, a
vaulted ceiling supported by cast iron columns exposed brick walls, oak
panelling combined with reclaimed fittings create a warm and welcoming feel.
The cocktail list is impressive and there is also a great
wine list. You can also eat in the bar, but we headed for the restaurant.
To start, I plumped for scallops followed by grilled
lobster and my companion for the lobster cocktail and a rib-eye. Hawksmoor
restaurants, deservedly, have gained
a reputation as a carnivore’s paradise serving the best steaks in town. My
friend, kindly, gave me a taste of his. Succulent and juicy, what more could
you ask for?
The wine waiter suggested wines to go with the meal and
brought us a couple to taste so we could decide which ones to go for. We choose
a ruby-red Pulenta Estate, Gran Malbec 2010 from Argentina, that was
velvety-smooth and bursting with plenty of robust tannins. It actually worked
as well with the lobster as with the steak.
For dessert, I had a mix of mouth-watering lemon and
blackcurrant sorbet, while my companion went for cornflake ice cream.
I love this place! It is so unpretentious. The food is
amazing and the service is excellent – the waiters seem to know when you need them
and when you don’t –and although not cheap, what you get is quality and a
special dining experience.
By Daralyn Danns
Tips on pairing wine with steak from Hawksmoor’s Liam
Davy
Fatty cuts of meat or steak such as rib-eye work well with
wines of high acidity. Try a wine from Chianti or a Brunello di
Montalcino.
Fillet steaks
work well with light-bodied pinot noirs. New World pinots are designed to be
drunk while young. Another option is
a grand cru red burgundy.
Malbecs from Argentina work with most cuts of meat as they
are full of fruit and tannins which break down with the protein in the steak.
Want to drink white wine? Choose a wine such as a chardonnay
which is full-bodied and rich, or a white from the Southern Rhône.
For more info visit thehawksmoor.com
