THE MEAT CO, WESTFIELD

When I went to review The Meat Co in Westfield, Shepherd's Bush, I had very high expectations. I'd read several other reviews saying it was the BEST steak in London. I think it's always a bit dangerous to try somewhere new having read things like that....!


The Meat Co is on the edge of the shopping centre and as soon as you're inside you forget where you are, in the best way possible! There's an elegant bar downstairs, then a sweeping staircase that takes you past floor to ceiling wine stores, into the restaurant upstairs, which is vast. There's at least 100 covers up there, but the long, thin room ensures you still feel like you're eating in a more exclusive place. Having taken our seats we perused the menu, trying to choose between the various steak options (chateaubriand, fillet with foie gras, bone marrow fillet, wagyu, rib-eye, T-bone, New Yorker, rump etc etc....) plus other meat options including hanging skewers, kangaroo, lamb loin, pork ribs, beefs ribs, burgers and more! We settled on a delicious bottle of wine that Hugo chose, Chocolate Box, and picked our meaty mains.

 



We wanted to try a few things so skipped the starter, though couldn't resist the mixed bread platter to nibble on til mains came. The three breads were chocolate and beetroot, cheesy garlic and potato and onion. Not a very "normal" bread selection but we were curious to try them, and actually they all worked. Even the chocolate, which was just a hint of a flavour after the beetroot.

 

Then it was on to the meat feast. Hugo had wagyu and I went for the dry aged British rib-eye, both in their special house sauce. The steaks were good. The meat was well cooked, nicely charred and properly aged, though I think I would skip the special sauce as it was a little too sweet and cloying for me. However, I don't think it's THE best steak I've ever tried. Yes, it was better than lots I've tried, but not the best. And it's expensive - £44 for my rib-eye and around the same for Hugo's wagyu. I struggle with high pricing of food I can cook at home in minutes for a tenth of the price....

 

The steaks come with chips and we ordered an excellent peppercorn sauce, and had very good sprouting broccoli and asparagus sides.

The reason we'd skipped the starters was so we could share an extra main (I know....!) But it was so worth it. My favourite part of the meal - BBQ beef rib with really good thin and crispy onion rings (£24). The meat fell off the bone, and this time worked perfectly with the house sauce. I would definitely go back to The Meat Co for this, and maybe just skip the steaks!

 

Our meal at The Meat Co was good. Their prices are high, but the quality is good, and that beef rib is worth many visits for....! They're also one of the better places in Westfield, so worth a visit if you're in the area and after a meat feast! Details of how to find them and their menus are http://themeatco.com/.