South Place Chop House – skilled, gutsy cooking

There are a couple of noticeable things when you step into South Place Hotel. The quiet energy of the place and the warm hospitality. For a midweek evening it was buzzing with people enjoying a drink after work on the one side and groups sitting down for a meal in the Chop House on the other side. I was here for the latter.

Smiling staff greeted me kindly, took my coat and invited me for a drink in the bar while I waited for my guest. After ordering my drink at the bar I made my way to the cosy armchairs by the lit fireplace. Mustard furnishings and chestnut coloured floors make for a swanky setting, with soft lighting adding a touch of class. Oozing boutique five star luxury, the city hotel’s just a stone’s throw away from Moorgate station.

South Place Hotel www.jamesbedford.com

As the name might suggest, South Place Chop House takes inspiration from London’s
traditional establishments – marrying good food with engaging service and a great
atmosphere. The area was renowned – once upon time – for its chop houses, so naturally when we sat down for dinner I knew exactly what I was having.

This ground floor restaurant has been modernised for contemporary tastes and sensibilities, offering a refinement of its conventional 18th century ancestors.

South Place Chop House is overseen by the hotel’s Executive Chef, Gary Foulkes, who holds a Michelin star and works in tandem with Head Chef, Guy Betteridge. The menus here aren’t complicated, which is great. They’re straight to the point – no nonsense. But they are ever changing  because the team here are dedicated to seasonal and carefully sourced cuts of meat and freshly caught fish.

The front of house staff are excellent and did a fantastic job of engaging with us and recommending wines with our choices of mains. The lamb cutlets I had were exquisite. Juicy and tender, full of flavour. The steaks, too, looked inredible with the rib eye (ordered by my guest) looking particularly tasty (got a double thumbs up after the first bite).

Stacks of classic copper pans, artwork by Thorbjørn Andersen and a choice of intimate banquette seating as well as larger, communal tables, set the scene here.

With 35 worldwide restaurants including Paris, New York, Istanbul and Tokyo, this London-based venue has become my new favourite grill house.

On the 3rd April why not join Guy and his team at South Place Chop House for a Brill Supper. Guests can expect a fish dish unlike anything they’ve had before, as Guy will be preparing a delicious three-course fish supper of brill baked in Champagne with seasonal accompaniments, including canapés and a glass of Nyetimber on arrival.

Arrive for 7pm for a 7.30pm start.

South Place Hotel www.jamesbedford.com

For more information, visit southplacehotel.com/whats_on/brill-supper