Our punter says
Situated in the heart of Soho is the newly opened chophouse, Block Soho. The overall vibe feels energetic and casual, more for the after-work crowd than a romantic date.
Upon arrival we were welcomed into a dimly lit restaurant, with loud music, industrial-style décor, leather booth seating, metro-tiled walls and marble tabletops. We were seated in armchairs at an awkwardly high and small table with barely enough room for the main course dishes we ordered.
When it came to the food and drinks, my husband seemed to have picked the highlights of our meal. His Barrell Aged old fashioned was smooth with aromatic mandarin bitters and brown sugar. His 200g fillet was flavourful, tender, well seasoned and cooked medium-rare, as requested. The truffle fries were hot and crispy with strong truffle flavour.
Unfortunately that was where the highlights ended. The non-alcoholic jasmine collins did not taste of jasmine, the 260g medium-rare ribeye was over-cooked, gristly and charred, similar to a pub steak apart from the price. The béarnaise sauce tasted like hollandaise sauce, and the baby gem side was so small that we finished it in two bites.
The shell-on prawns looked delicious on the plate and they tasted fresh but lacked the advertised chilli and garlic flavours. Lastly, when we tried to order a pint of IPA with the mains, one of their two draught beer options, it was not available.
Overall, the service was tentative and sluggish. The bar service seemed particularly disorganised, with more than one member of staff asking for us to repeat our order during the wait for drinks. With the wealth of steak house offerings in central London at all price points, this chophouse was underwhelming, representing poor value for money and not particularly worth a return visit.
Bill for two, including service and a 50% discount on food for the soft launch: £96.06
Atmosphere: 7
Service: 6
Food: 6
Total: 19/30