Voice of London

What could the Modern American Steak House (MASH) deliver? Is it worth the visit? Check out this review and maybe you’ll find out.

London seems to be a haven for steakhouses, especially in the west end with the likes of Hawksmoor and Gaucho steakhouses all within walking distance of MASH. I didn’t know what to expect, the restaurant is one of those places which you’ll see every time you come out of Piccadilly station, but I had never understood what food was on offer or whether or not it was actually even a restaurant.

As soon as you enter MASH you feel like you have stepped into a scene from Mad Men, you check your jacket into a cloakroom and then soon you are guided down a huge grand staircase to the floor where the restaurant is.

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You will then stroll into the dining space which is a cavernous converted ballroom. However it doesn’t look abnormally big or feel uncomfortable due to it being filled with smaller booths partitioned with glass barriers. Its like going back in time, in a good way with the red upholstery, dark wood features and art deco style fittings.

To get into the swing of things I had an ‘old-fashioned’ cocktail to try to feel more like I was in a scene from Mad Men and chose to go for the Caesar Salad for a starter. I don’t really know why I did this as there was plenty of other more interesting options. But nevertheless it was perfect. The croutons crunched, the parmesan had a bite and there was a load of chicken which is always one of the make or break factors.

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It was main-course time, and no shock I went for steak. I decided to get the Nebraskan New York Strip which I asked for Medium. Now this was where it got a bit special. It was probably the most tender bit of steak I have ever eaten in my life. It was so soft and you could literally slide the knife over the steak and it would melt apart. The flavours weren’t that complex compared to some other cuts of steak like a rib-eye but it was still so beautifully tender.

They had a couple of varieties of potato which you would expect from a restaurant named MASH. I had got the potato options down to two and opted for chips over fries because that’s what sort of person I am. These were lovely too and lapped up the famous B….. sauce. What more are they meant to do. Although I wouldn’t say that they were in the same league as Flat Iron’s beef dripping chips or the Hawksmoor’s triple cooked variety.

Dessert was a struggle. Not because it wasn’t nice but because I had a little food baby kicking away inside me. I had the berry cheesecake which was great. Classic sort of cheesecake style and it did the job. Although I was stuffed it could have been a bit bigger just so that I felt like I got my money’s worth.

Final Verdict:

Considering that the only reason I booked into MASH as on that night was because the Hawksmoor round the corner was all booked up. The meal, wine and cocktails were amazing, one negative at no fault of the restaurants was that a lot of the people in there were middle-age balding bankers and they seemed to think that they owned the place. Who knows the might have done. But overall it was a great night so thanks for everything MASH will definitely see you guys soon.

Words: Harry Bourner | Subbing: Etienné Fermie