The cold weather has left me with a primal carnivorous streak which just won't go away so steak has featured large in my diet of late. Medium Rare with chips and a glass of wine, it may be one of the best meals of all time. Now despite what you'd imagine, you can go wrong with steak and chips and a little extra money well spent goes a long way. Take Maze Grill for example. Jason Atherton may have gone the way of most Gordon's protege's, sprinting out of the door whilst the Ramsey empire collapses behind them like an ancient temple from an Indiana Jones sequel but I don't think the lack of a name chef will cause too much pain here.
The meat is displayed on a board that is bought to the table and discussed and no-one is upset if you stick to the set, a fine 3 course set lunch for £21 that usually includes onglet and chips with a solid starter (recently a rather luscious cassoulet) and a decent dessert.
If however you go the whole hog (or cow in this case), a rather larger portion can be yours for the going rate you will pay at any of the restaurants contemporaries.
The formula still works well, a simple grill menu in a slightly habitatish beige room in Mayfair. Service is polite, the wine list and markup is everything you would expect and the lack of trendiness makes for an ideal regular haunt rather than a grand event. The cooking is both good and consistent with a buzzy atmosphere. I last visited in July and looking back I see I was just as enthusiastic. Whilst Goodmans and Hawksmoor with their Josper grills may have stealed something of a march on them, this NY steakhouse inspired eaterie keeps me coming back time and time again. To paraphrase 'ol blue eyes, "A restaurant so good I blogged it twice".
