Hawksmoor’s reputation for serving London’s best steak – “dictionary-thick”, Ginger Pig-reared, 35-day hung, Longhorn Cattle grilled over charcoals and served with triple-cooked chips – is pretty well established.
But recently a serious problem emerged at Hawksmoor HQ which threatened to undermine the entire brand.
The founders admitted to also liking fish.
Which is why Hawksmoor Air Street – located in a sprawling, first-floor Art Deco-inspired space complete with a bar akin to Claridges’ “Fumoir”; a solid brass wall (formed by a run of reclaimed 1930s lift doors) dividing it from the restaurant; huge stained glass windows overlooking Regent Street; a floor from an old RAF base and table tops sourced from the chemistry labs of British public schools – does seafood.
But, cunningly, it also does steak.
CRISIS AVERTED.
While “doing seafood” for most restaurants would simply mean “cooking fish”, for Hawksmoor it meant uncovering the best seafood restaurant in Britain (they chose The Seahorse in Devon); kidnapping its chef, Mitch Tonks; and bringing him on board as a consultant to create a menu that does justice to the fresh catches and shellfish that come in daily from their suppliers, The Wright Brothers.
On that menu: roasted scallops with white port & garlic; Dover sole grilled over the coals; langoustine scampi and whole native lobster with garlic butter. And as always, you’ll find their rightly praised butchers’ cuts, available by the 100g, alongside cheesy Tunworth mash; creamed spinach; buttered English greens and macaroni cheese.
Hawksmoor Air Street also serves an express menu for pre-theatre dining: enjoy a classic 35 day-aged rump steak with all the trimmings, plus starters and/or desserts, for £25.
Which is also available post-theatre… if you fancy an encore.
NOTE: Hawksmoor Air Street is open daily for lunch and dinner. As always, corkage on Mondays is £5. You can find out more and book HERE.
Hawksmoor Air Street | 5a Air Street, W1J 0AD
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