Hovering under the sign for the Butcher and Grill, I was confused at the lack of a restaurant before me. It wasn’t until I stepped inside what seemed like a regular butchers-come-delicatessen from the outside, that I noticed the dim lights and several tables nestled on a podium towards the back of the room. I was confused by the concept at first, my expectations had crashed but my curiosity was lifted. Looking around, black and white pictures of farm animals (particularly cows) stood out, the restaurant seemed cosy with warming but dim lighting and wooden tables. Having got over the element of surprise, I looked at the menu which too was not what I was expecting (different to what is advertised on their website). For a restaurant specialising in meat, many seafood dishes seemed to steal the show in the form of oysters (cooked and raw) as well as other sea catches like clams and tuna. From my previous experience of visiting specialist restaurants, I find that a lot of effort goes into their specialties but the standard drops when it comes to the rest of the menu. Like whenever I visit a seafood restaurant I find myself disappointed by the meat dishes, so when I chose an all seafood starter and main course, I was weary. As our starters arrived, I was not disappointed! My spaghetti with clams in the classic white wine sauce with parsley and shallots looked and tasted exactly how I wanted! At £6.50 (before discount) for a substantial bowl, I was impressed and craved even more. The sauce was light but still elevated the flavour of the clams, which had a gorgeous texture to add to the dish. I am pleased to say that the dish was worth all the fiddling around with shells and spaghetti! My boyfriend’s starter of tempura oysters looked beautiful nested back in their shells which were balancing on a bed of coarse sea salt, a feast for the eyes, no doubt. (Picture below)
Expectations raised, we awaited the main courses. That was when we noticed the music that was playing in the background (I tend to immerse myself so fully in the food when dining I don’t tend to notice anything else around me). A mix of the smiths and nirvana was contributing to the already-verging-on-odd atmosphere but it was actually kind of nice! Pondering the curiosity of our meal, my main arrived in the form of yet another surprise. It didn’t look like a main course at all, in fact it was served on the same rectangular slate the oysters had made an appearance in earlier and it looked a tad on the small side for the £14.50 price. 3 scallops were symmetrically positioned between spoonfuls of herby crushed potatoes and topped with small cuts of the red mullet I was expecting to arrive in full form. This was not a portion for a man and I was happy to see my boyfriend enjoying a 10 ounce rib-eye that came straight from the butchers downstairs. Putting the size aside, the dish did have some very nice flavours that may have occasionally been overpowered by the over-peppered red mullet. However, the potatoes did a good job of balancing out the flavours and I was thoroughly enjoying the whole plate, even if the sauce vierge didn’t have much to contribute. The scallops were nice and meaty and even filled me up enough to forget all about dessert. I enjoyed a nice 2007 Senorio Rose wine from the Navarra region, which was light, sweet and fruity and broke through the bitterness of the red mullet.
The Butcher and Grill has a concept, perhaps an unconventional one. I guess walking through a butchers to get to your table isn’t up to everyone’s standards but then you know exactly where the meat is coming from and if that doesn’t impress you, you even have the option to choose your cut, there and then. If that doesn't please those picky diners, I don't know what will!
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