MASH – tasty but expensive steakhouse in London

77 Brewer Street, W1F 9ZN

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One of the nice things about December is the abundance of Christmas celebrations. Parties, dinners, lunches… it’s a great excuse to build up the winter belly! Last week, one of these celebrations was lunch at MASH – a restaurant I had heard a lot about but never had a chance to visit. This steakhouse is a Danish import and boasts an almost incomprehensible number of different steaks.

It reminded me a bit of Brasserie Zedel in that it looks slightly inconspicuous from the outside but once you enter and go downstairs, it opens into a huge, ornate room. However, there is the conspicuous addition of huge see-through fridges holding giant chunks of meat!

The service was stellar, as our waiter explained all the different types of steak to us with ardent vigour and made sure we were constantly well fed and watered. We were a large party and so each of us opted for a different type of steak. We were told we only had the table for one and a half hours, but when the time came, we weren’t asked to leave, which made the experience more pleasant.

The starters were fantastic – I had the scallops, and they were juicier and more tender than I ever could have imagined. They were placed atop some very thinly sliced braised zucchini, which matched perfectly, although there was slightly too much salt for my palate.

The steak, when it arrived, was good. No, it was excellent. However, based on MASH’s reputation and price tag, I was expecting to be blown away, which I wasn’t. I had the American rib-eye, and upon contemplation, I should have gone for the Danish fillet (which one of my colleagues ordered), as that was pure melt-in-the-mouth glory (yes, I stole some off his plate). Mine was very good, but it was no better than other steaks I have eaten (for example at Shampers). And considering the hefty expense, I was hoping for a lot more.

The sides were wonderful. The onion rings were gigantic, the chili fries were not quite as spicy as a Swindian palate would expect, but the crowning glory was the MASH mash. It was delectably creamy, with hidden treasures of crispy bacon and onion.

Verdict: Very pricy, beautiful interior, good service, good steak, but all in all, not spectacular.