Review of 'Steak & Co'
I am not entirely sure I like going out for steak any longer which suggests perhaps I have moved on from my days living in Canada where this would be the height of fine dining. Now I find it all a bit boring. Sure, there is something satisfying in having a large slice of beef on the plate in front of you but I am now looking for something showing a bit more, perhaps something demonstrating that the chef is able to do something more than put a hunk of beef (sure, high quality) on a grill then pick it up and plunk it onto a plate along with the typical array of steak-house sides (all manner of potatoes, onion rings, coleslaw, etc). So when visiting friends chose to visit “Steak & Co” in Leicester Square for dinner let's just say it would not have been my first choice but, at the end of the day, it does what it says on the tin. I think perhaps this type of restaurant has sort of gone to the wayside now in London with chains like “Angus Steakhouse” making way for much higher-end restaurants like “Mash” where prices are almost literally sky-high. Steak for the masses is no longer “in” with, perhaps, much more interesting options now available for diners to pursue. Having said that, there is still the occasional craving for those of us having grown up with it…
“Steak & Co” is a steak house typical of what you might see in Canada or the US. With five locations in typical tourist locations in London it obviously caters to this crowd but they can be a discerning bunch as they invented this type of restaurant in the first place. The interior is bright and fairly standard looking with large windows looking out into the busy surrounding streets and cool stainless steel tables close together bereft of much in the way of decoration other than condiments and cutlery. The interior is not too noisy but it is occasionally clouded with smoke as steaks emerge periodically from the kitchen served sizzling on hot stones with not a little bit of fanfare.
Our table was near to the busy kitchen and we were given the menu to review. It is divided into “Starters”, “Sharing Starters”, “Sizzling Steaks”, “Ribs”, “Main Courses”, “Lunch”, “Sides”, “Drinks” and “Halal”. Each section is quite small with a detailed description of what everything is. The prices are what you might expect though with the steaks be aware that they only come with, slightly redundantly, “shakes” (spices), “sauces” and “butters” - No sides of any kind are included.
While we waited for our dining companions to arrived I ordered some “Mixed Olives & Pickles” (£3.25) which was a generous portion but ultra vinegary so were only good to eat occasionally lest you risk severe indigestion (they stayed on the table throughout our meal as we pecked our way through them). Not exactly a flavour sensation and I still wince slightly in pain when I think of eating them.
When our companions arrived they ordered some “Dipping Potato Skins” (£6.25) for the table which I was not really inclined to sample but, again, it was a good portion (for the money) and, I am told, very delicious particularly with the garlic mayonnaise dipping sauce included.
For our mains the ribs occasionally interested me but with only three choices on offer and all of them the same type of rib just with different coatings I gave this a miss. The other main courses on offer where a mix of what you might find in many pubs with only a few slightly quirky (for this style of restaurant) options such as “Pan Fried Seabass” (£15.95), the rather troubling sounding “Chicken Alfredo” (£15.95) and strange “Hanging Chicken Skewer” (£15.95) perhaps hoping to make a fairly boring dish more exciting? I had to have the steak so I went for what the menu recommended above all else: The Rib Eye (£19.50 for 10 oz/280 g; All of the steaks on offer are a similar price) with a garlic butter (“butter”), mustard (“shake”) and mushroom (“sauce”) with the butter immediately put on top of the steak when it arrived sizzling on the table on it's slab of stone.
In the time it took for us to take pictures of ourselves and the food my steak, ordered medium rare, was now close to well on the one side but still, thankfully, mostly medium rare on the upper side so it was a bit interesting to eat when I finally managed to scrape it off the stone. It is unclear why they ask how you want your steak cooked if you are able to simply do it yourself but, hey-ho. The steak was quite juicy and full of flavour but would have benefited by resting for some time which is somewhat problematic when delivered to the table still on a cooking surface. For sides I ordered “Coleslaw” (£2.95) which disappointingly reminded me of the same named item available from KFC with it's somewhat cloying mayonnaise dressing and unremarkable vegetables. The “Mashed Potato” (£3.25) was better (though under-seasoned) and worked well with the tiny amount of mushroom sauce included with my steak (the butter went onto the steak and the “shake” was way too salty to use anywhere except in minute quantities).
I skipped on the desserts but my companion had a massive “Rocky Road Sundae” which she assured me was quite good (particularly the chocolate).
With drinks it was probably about £40 each (I say “probably” as I was not allowed to see the bill before it was taken away and paid for by someone else) which was reasonable for what we received. Generally I found the meal satisfied my craving for steaks (though they were somewhat mistreated here) but not my craving for a more than this when I eat out.
Rating: “It is OK but I have some issues”
Review Date: 2018-10-08
Cuisine: American/British
Address: 3-5 Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 0HA ENGLAND
Public Transport: 
Leicester Square
Location: London (England) - Soho
Map:
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Telephone: +44 (0) 191 491 6392
URL: http://www.steakandco.com/