The Big Meat Fight
Aki Matsushima compares the giants of the meat world
This year, it's all about meat in the London restaurant scene. Hot new arrivals include pop-up joint #Meateasy (New Cross) serving minced 28 day aged chuck steak burgers, Philly cheesesteaks and other North American grill classics. Satisfying our pure, primitive desire to eat meat provides the comfort that lets us forget about the grim times we're in. Aside from the new faces, capitalist London is full of legendary gastronomic rivals who strive to outdo each other in nothing other than preparing the most exquisite meat. So where's the beef?
THE BURGER
The cheeseburger, with a massive juicy grilled patty and oozing melted cheese, accompanied by crisp fries. Interestingly, this is the most popular last meal chosen by death row prisoners in America. Please don't tell me you still go to GBK to have this revered dish when there are at least two top notch burger joints charging similar prices nearby. The "Haché or Byron" debate has divided Londoners for a few years. If you're a vegetarian, you'd say
Haché. Their falafel sweetcorn burger with beetroot is the only vegetarian dish that I'd ever order and has the power to salvage any vegetarian-carnivore relationship. (At Byron the veggie option is an oversized mushroom wedged between buns.) However,
Haché's crucial beef burgers are ironically spoilt by their signature ciabatta buns that don't really work. Nevertheless, they have very strong patty potential. Byron, despite their patchy service, makes incredible burgers that are perfectly medium-rare. They're even better than in Gordon Ramsey's Maze Grill.
THE ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BRAZILIAN BBQ
Are you looking for a meat orgy? Or is it meat asphyxiation? Head to one of these havens that'll leave you paralysed in pleasure. In the Rodizio, or Brazilian barbeque, waiters glide from table to table with hunks of meat on swords, stopping to carve a pile on your plate until you tell them to stop. Itís about quality, quantity, and variety too. There's straight-off-the-barbeque beef ribs, lamb, gammon, chorizo, chicken hearts, baby beef and more, which will work you up into a frenzy. You name a cut of meat, theyíll have it. If you somehow get bored of the protein monotony, thereís a colossal buffet of Brazilian dishes such as fritters, feijoada stews, rice and salads too. Out of the two restaurants, Rodizio Rico has the edge with their wonderfully flavourful, smoky cuts of meat and cheerful service. At £23.50 a head, it might feel slightly pricey but youíll get your money's worth if you play it right, i.e., fill up on sirloin. There's a Rodizio Rico branch opening in Fulham Broadway soon. Definitely something to look forward to.
OUR LOCAL FAVOURITE
People travel miles on their bicycles and through zones on the tube for the best kebab in London at Best Mangal (West Kensington). How lucky we are to have the beautifully charred, boldly marinated Turkish barbecued meats piled high, just on our doorstep. The multitudes of Meze dishes are colourful and exotic both in appearance and flavour. Itís a delight to mop up the juices with their homemade breads whether itís out of the takeaway box or off the plate in their cosy restaurant.
Bodean's American Diner with a branch in Fulham Broadway is another local that does barbeque, but in an oak-burning smoke-pit rather than over charcoal. Their slow-cooked goodies include ribs, chicken wings, pulled pork and beef brisket burnt ends. Be prepared for some unsophisticated hands-on meat-eating with sticky barbeque sauce everywhere. My recommendation is the shared platter for two, which lets you sample everything they have in the smoke-pit. The free 'Q-card' membership card entitles you to some decent offers such as a complimentary dessert, like a big wedge of gooey American pecan tart, or schnapps.
