Hawksmoor Spitalfields was the haven we were searching for.

The three of us, Zorba, Claire and myself, felt a bit disheartened when we couldn’t get into the Olympic Park at Stratford earlier in the day.  The consensus was that a good lunch was in order.

Using the reference notes from my food magazine editor Chris, we decided to go to Hawksmoor in Spitalfields after a quick walk through the Spitalfields markets.

Without a booking on a Saturday, we were lucky to find an available table. Hawksmoor specialises in steak and it is the ultimate carnivore’s dream. The meat is supplied by the Ginger Pig, a well-regarded producer. Steaks are charged by weight, for example, t-bone £7.50 per 100g, sirloin £8.50 per 100g. The available steaks were listed on the blackboard, e.g. Rump 900grams, Sirloin 750grams. These were huge steaks and quite pricey too. A bit more than we wanted to spend really.

There were other steaks on the menu, such a 400g Rib-eye for £28. That is what Zorba chose. Zorba’s steak tasted smoky and delicious. He enjoyed it, although he said it wasn’t the best ever steak of his life. But still very very good.

Claire chose the Hawksmoor acclaimed hamburger with triple cooked chips. I pinched a few of her chips as they were crunchy and delicious! Claire loved her burger.

I went for two starters instead. I loved the sound of them both and couldn’t choose between the pork belly ribs and the young beetroot and pea salad with goats cheese and tarragon.

Young beetroot and peas salad with goats cheese and tarragon

My ribs were sticky, fatty and oh so tasty. The beetroot salad was really yummy, and it felt good to eat vegetables again.

We had two pints of beer each and it was a very enjoyable lunch.

Big shout out to our lovely waiter – his service is what really made this lunch exceptional. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and efficient.

Lunch for three including two pints each came to £101 (A$150). Not too bad really.

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FACT FILE

Hawksmoor Spitalfields
157 Commercial Street
Shoreditch London E1
Tel: +44 20 7426 4850
http://thehawksmoor.com/locations/spitalfields