Restaurant review: Shampers

Location: 4 Kingly St, Soho

What’s the best part about being an adult with a real job?

Business lunches.

Particularly when the youngest member of the team, who is constantly on the lookout for new places to try and review, is requested to find a suitable restaurant every month.

Last month, we went to Cay Tre, a fantastic Vietnamese restaurant in Soho (review here). This month, I stuck to Western cuisine and chose Shampers, a French-British establishment with very good reviews online. With 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor, and a mouth-watering menu, I booked without hesitation and looked forward to discovering yet another new restaurant in London.

Tucked away just behind Regent Street, Shampers has a very cosy, familiar atmosphere. Despite the fact that we could not spot any non-business lunches, it felt more homely than corporate. The slightly asymmetrical pictures on the wall, the fresh flowers on the tables and in the bathroom, the blackboard with the specials on it… all contribute to a very comfortable atmosphere.

Besides the standard menu, we received an insert with the specials, which contained even more dishes than the other! We were spoilt for choice, but I selected the chilli and ginger squid to start, followed by the classic combo of steak frites.

I always judge the food in a restaurant by taking a sneaky glance at other diners’ plates (yes, I am that person who often interrupts other people’s meals by exclaiming ‘What’s that you ordered? It looks fantastic!’). In this case, there was a definite optimism after I craned my neck slightly, which only grew after we received our beautifully arranged and delicious starters. My colleagues opted for a beetroot and mozzarella salad and a smoked salmon with dill cream.

The main courses were equally impressive. My char-grilled steak was done just the way I like it (medium) and practically melted in my mouth. It came with a dollop of herb butter on top, which is something I love and is found far too rarely. The fries lacked a bit of salt, but were very tasty otherwise. The other main courses on the table were fish cakes, venison and plaice, all cooked to perfection.

I can highly recommend Shampers as a cosy spot with a very comfortable atmosphere, suitable for both business and casual encounters. Be sure to book in advance!