JW Steakhouse at the Marriott’s Grosvenor House hotel has recently introduced a couple of brilliant new reasons to pay this fine dining establishment a visit post-haste: a series of four bourbon tasting flights and a Steak of the Month. Both these offers represent deliciously good news to be sure! However, what is perhaps even more deserving of me shouting about you making a speedy beeline to enjoy is the simple fact that, as I discover during my dinner last night, everything else about this American style Steakhouse is fantastic too.
Bourbon and beef? Yee-aye-uh! I happily sipped my way through a flight of the Buffalo Trace Collection (£25) featuring Buffalo Trace White Dog, Straight, Hancock’s President Reserve Single Barrel, and Thomas H Handy Uncut rye. All pleased my whisk(e)y loving palate, especially the very solid Straight and the wonderfully flavoursome rye. While I was digging on the Buffalo Trace, my dining buddy went with the Jim Beam Experience (£15). Not as much of spirits fan as me (or at least she didn’t claim to be), she was nevertheless won over by Beam’s black cherry infused Red Stag. After taking a slurp for myself, I couldn’t blame her. The restaurant also has a Jack Daniels Exclusive Sampler (even thought JD’s a Tennessee sipping whiskey not a bourbon) and a Small Batch Sampler of Basil Hayden’s, Booker’s, Baker’s and Knob Creek samples.
Photo by Vysia Duffield
And the steak? Oh yeah, baby. That was lovely too. This month’s selection by Head Chef Julian Ward is England’s own Longhorn. Upon our server’s recommendation, we split a one kilogram wing rib cut (something not usually on the menu). What a lot of beef! Incredibly tender too. And cooked beautifully rare as requested. If the SOTM doesn’t do it for you, there’s always USDA beef as well as Aberdeen Angus sourced from Macken Brothers Butchers of Chiswick on the menu.
Yeah, I was at JW Steakhouse to review the bourbon tasting flights and the SOTM, but I soon realised there was a lot of other stuff well worth mentioned as well.
To be nestled within the upscale grandeur of Grosvenor House, JW Steakhouse is a rather low key and laid back place to eat. But don’t let such a relaxed vibe fool you. The staff here hustle. I was so impressed with service and how adeptly I was accommodated during my meal.
Starters impressed as well. A massive mound of tender calamari (£12) might have been the best I’ve ever had in London. Seriously. And my friend’s course of JW Maryland Style Lump Crab Cake (£14 as a starter, £27 as a main) was delectably chunky. Both starters were accompanied by some really tasty “old bay tartar” sauce. Our steak was complemented by gorgeous sides of sautéed wild mushrooms (£6) and extra yummy Cheddar mac ‘n’ cheese (£6). Desserts also amazed. A super rich Mississippi mud pie with a scoop of bourbon ice cream (£8) lived up to such an indulgent title and the “best cheesecake this side of the pond” (£14) may very well have been just that. It was certainly thick and dense and devoured with plenty of mmmms and even one or two oh my Gods.
There were a few other nice touches to our meal, but I reckon some things should be left for you to discover for yourself.
The bourbon tasting flights and the SOTM would provide a lovely experience whatever the occasion (they certainly made my Wednesday feel like something special) and, to be timely and topical, they’d make particularly awesome gifts for Father’s Day. Yep that’s this Sunday!
Visit jwsteakhouse.co.uk to book a table, request a gift certificate and find out more.
J W Steakhouse is located inside the Grosvenor House hotel, 86 Park Lane, W1K 7TL.
