Upon entering this quintessentially British city boy favourite, the cheery host directed us down two flights of stairs to the buzzing basement bar.
The stunning parquet floor covers the entire restaurant, which is surrounded by sumptuous leather banquets and chic oak-panelled walls.
Guests perch on elegant teal stools in front of a delightful 1930s bar, which must surely be one of the most well-stocked in London offering superior cocktails which were really very special. We sampled Rogerio’s Batida; a creamy, velvety concoction made with Cachaca, coconut sorbet, condensed milk, passion fruit and lime, and the Marmalade Cocktail - expertly designed by the Savoy Hotel’s former American Bar manager Harry Craddock in the 1920s; gin, Campari, lemon juice, orange bitters and English marmalade. A soft, silky indulgence with a pleasant bitter aftertaste.
My companion opted for the roast scallops with white port and garlic (£14.00), which were both firm and succulent. The white port was a daring but satisfying accompaniment. I chose the Brixham crab on toast with mayonnaise (£10), which was light, fleshy and fresh, bearing in mind the distance it had travelled.
We both indulged in the 300g fillet steak (£32.00), which was a struggle to finish. Juicy, fleshy and pink, it was everything a steak should be and more. Chargrilled to perfection on the kitchen’s notorious grill, and accompanied by a strong, but not overpowering, stilton hollandaise.
Contarily, my guest and I opted for a white Tacchino Gavi di Gavi 2011 (£32.00) from Piedmont, Italy. Crisp and fruity with pleasant undertones, it went down extremely well. Hawksmoor’s diverse wine list includes eight Champagnes, numerous red and white wines and a sparkling Blanc de Blancs 2007 from Nyetimer’s Sussex vineyard.
Desserts were deliciously naughty: the chocolate and salted caramel tart (£7.50) was rich, creamy and definitely for those with a sweet tooth. We recommend one to share. The raspberry Eton mess was fresh, tangy and seasonal, with delicious nuggets of homemade meringue. Our stomachs could not squeeze another morsel in, but next time we intend on sampling the peanut butter shortbread and the Colston Basset stilton with pears and walnuts – both had wafted past our table during dinner and looked divine!