Christopher’s
The London restaurant scene is such a fast moving one, with restaurants arriving in a blaze of publicity only to quietly disappear months later, but one restaurant that continues to buck this transient trend is Christopher’s. Christopher’s has proudly occupied the same stunning venue for over 22 years serving good quality, value for money food, in the heart of Covent Garden. In fact, the building has had a much more colourful history than the restaurant as it has been, amongst other things, a Papier Maché factory; London’s first licensed casino; and even a brothel. In 2013, the building was refurbished to house a bustling Martini Bar on the ground floor, an elegant dining room on the first floor, and an intimate Private Club Room on the lower ground that is available for private hire.On leaving the hustle and bustle of theatre land, you only have to take a few short steps to find yourself in a new world based around the American Art Deco period. The indulgence and opulence associated with this period has been recreated, with the long onyx sharing table, leading to the highly ornate bar which dominates the far end of the room. Along with the sharing table there is a more intimate side where drinkers can share the extensive range of Martini’s, Cocktails or another tipple of choice, and this has, and will in my view remain, a popular venue for those wanting a drink after work, before going to the theatre, or after a hard day’s shopping.
Along with drinks, the Martini Bar caters perfectly for those who want a light bite, and the menu moves effortlessly from the basic Nuts or Olives (£4) through to delights such as Popcorn Shrimp with guacomole (£7) and Chilli Beef Skewers with spicy peanut and borage dip (£7), to the more substantial Sharing Platters or Fresh Salads (from £9 to £18). All are served with the same care and attention to detail, which for me, explains perfectly why Christopher’s continues to thrive in such a challenging market. For those wanting a more substantial meal, you climb the spiral staircase, and on doing so leave the art deco period behind, moving into a more contemporarily decorated, large airy dining room, resplendent with well spaced out tables covered by crisp white tablecloths. Here the serious business of eating is undertaken and like all good steak houses the portions are generous, so I would suggest not having too much bread (although it is good) and abstain as much as possible during the day, to leave enough room for the delights that await.
The menu is predominantly American influenced, but there are hints of French and Italian themes with Foie Gras (£14) and a rich and indulgent Risotto (£11 starter £18 as a main). Other notable starters include the King Crab Louie (£14) (which I can’t help thinking has something to do with the head orangutan in the Disney film ‘The Jungle Book’), and the Maryland Crab Cake with red pepper mayo (£14). Christopher’s favourites however, are the mains, with pride of place being the USDA Prime Steak, which all come from the same farm in Kansas, although you can have Scottish or Wagu Beef as well. I chose the 10oz Rib Eye (£32) and although tempted with the option of having it blackened with Cajun spice, decided to let the quality of the meat do the talking, and I wasn’t disappointed. My steak was flavoursome and extremely tender, and cooked exactly as I ordered. My wife opted for the other area of expertise for Christopher’s and chose the Lobster Thermidor (half £22/whole £40) and declared that it was the best she had had. Our only complaint was we had made a rooky mistake and ate too much bread and starter, so struggled to finish, but in the current climate of small and beautifully decorated dishes, what a lovely complaint to have! The range of sides is extensive, but we plumped for the Creamed Spinach (£5), in my view mandatory with steak, and Parmesan Truffle Fries (£6), but the other two that caught our eye were the Mac & Cheese (£7) and Tobacco Onions (£4). After a lengthy break enjoying the lovely view of the sunset over Waterloo Bridge, we felt suitably emboldened to revisit the menu for dessert. I loved what I read on the menu, and my problem was deciding what to choose. Many a time I have scanned a dessert menu for something I like, and here I could have chosen any of the 11 options as I liked them all! Should I have the Cheesecake, the Brownie, the Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Caramel Tart, or the Key Lime Pie? Such decisions shouldn’t be made lightly, and I finally opted for the Key Lime Pie which was just acidic enough to finish off the meal without being too sharp.
The wine selection at Christopher’s is extensive and will compliment every dish selection and every price range, and the wine waiter will happily help you choose a robust white to go with your steak if you so desire, so there is no wine snobbery here! The service is attentive but not obtrusive, and nothing is too much trouble.
So to sum up Christopher’s, the service is efficient and attentive, the food good quality and well priced, the decor stylish, and the ambience welcoming, so when you think again, maybe it isn’t so surprising that it has been going strong for over 22 years.
18 Wellington St, London WC2E 7DD
Telephone: 020 7240 4222
Website: www.christophersgrill.com