Celebrations are usually just a way of appreciating what you have been given in life.. a birthday, an engagement, an anniversary. But people very rarely celebrate the most precious blessings in life – friends! Not that we need an excuse but another year spent with my foodie bff meant that a celebration was on the cards!
It was a last minute decision as we kept trying to avoid going out in the freezing cold but we ended up going to Beast in Oxford Street right behind Selfridges! Now if you’re like me and have never heard of Beast then you are surely missing out. I remember seeing it when I went to dinner at Chi Ki with Bridal Flower Jewellery a little while back.
Now we were originally meant to go to an Indian restaurant but as I’m currently on a no-carb flex (new year, new me!) we decided to go here last minute. I called Beast on the day we were going and asked about halal meat, they were so accommodating and said they usually need 48 hour notice but keep some halal meat for “emergencies” they booked us in for dinner and we were done.
With a name like Beast, I was expecting something very standard and “manly”. We were received at a dark and dim reception and asked to go down the stairs. Down the stairs, I could see a lobster tank with 4 large lobsters floating around.. after snap chatting that (of course) we were led to our table at the back of the restaurant… I say our table, it was actually shared by 30 other people. The tables, what I can only describe as the Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables in the Great Hall of Hogwarts (if you know you know!) The table settings were so surprisingly elegant, with candelabras covering the length of the table, and simple crockery with their “Beast” napkins.
First came the drinks then the food… and we ordered a few starters and then onto the mains, dessert followed by a huge food coma.
Onto the food… and we ordered a few starters and then onto the main.. What I love about Beast is that the menu is very simple – as it should be! You have 2 choices of meats – steak or lobster. The halal meat offered is the Australian Chateaubriand so that made the decision all the more easier.
Starters were Burata with Miso Tomato sauce and Shrimp Tempura.
The Burata was nice, the cheese soft and the tomato sauce smooth and full of flavour. Although it was just cheese in a sauce, good cheese but cheese nonetheless, which kind of made it feel as though I was eating a pizza without the carbs, which worked for me! But paying £12 for a block of cheese felt unnecessary.
Next the shrimp tempura, with an avocado dip on the side was great! So tasty and 4 between us to share which was perfect!
So the mains… the beef is set out on the menu as £13 per 100g. The waiter stated that 2 halal 400g steaks had been put aside in the kitchen – we both looked at each other in a state of shock – 400g of Australian beef, thats enough to feed us for a week! So the waiter suggested we go for 200g instead.
The steak was one of the most beautiful pieces of meat I have had in an extremely long time. It was almost as good as the meat at Kyo in Dubai! My meat, always cooked medium-well literally just melted in my mouth.. it came with a butter jus and gosh what a perfect combination… (my mouth is watering thinking about it as I write this). The meat itself was heavy but felt really light to eat, the food coma hit me later without me even realising! Thats good food for you right there!
I’m a lightweight when it comes to meat, and naturally couldn’t manage to finish this beast of a steak (pardon the pun!) but my friend, now she’s a soldier, she cleaned up her plate and mine.. what are good friends for!! (PS. no she’s not fat!!)
But did we go home after that big fat meal without dessert?? Well of course not! I’m really not a quitter… so we went for whatever our waiter suggested – doughnuts no less.
Large sugar doughnuts with Tiramisu Cream and it was divine! I love that this is a thing – doughnuts at a fine dining restaurant is my idea of heaven! The doughnuts were overly fried or felt aa though you felt sick from them being drenched in oil. They were just right.. soft, so tasty and light!
At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, Beast literally stole my heart and the number 1 slot for the best steak in town! Overall it was a great experience, but great experiences do not come cheap. We paid £160 for 2 of us (by “we” I mean my friend who treated me – friends like these though!) Beast is not cheap by any means but you are paying for the quality of the food, service and location. I would pay for it anyday (but maybe after payday!)
Food – 8.5 out of 10
Service – 7 out of 10
Price – 5 out of 10
Atmosphere – 6.5 out of 10
Experience – 7 out of 10
Overall, giving Beast a total TLH score of 7.5 out of 10.
Address: 3 Chapel Place, London, W1G 0BG
Website: http://www.beastrestaurant.co.uk/
Halal Status: Halal Australian Chateaubriand upon request within 48 hours.
Closest Station: Bond Street (Jubilee or Central Line) or Oxford Circus (Central or Bakerloo Line)