Miller & Carter – Muswell Hill, London

There are so many new restaurants opening in London every week, that you would need a lifetime to try them all. Obviously, some are more worthy of your time and money than others, and this is why reviews are so useful nowadays. You know I am quite the gourmand. This is how I have actually started this blog, called back in the day Eileen Cuisine, as an outlet for recipes tried in my kitchen. I still cook, but now I dedicate my time writing restaurant reviews too, because living in London is such a blessing to my taste buds.

Last week I was offered a complimentary meal at the famous Miller & Carter steakhouse, who opened a new restaurant in Muswell Hill. The location is breathtaking, as you would expect from an old church, reconditioned and decorated in a magnificent way. As you walk in, there is this sense of elegance and sophistication that surrounds the place, a mix between modern and traditional décor.  The floating lights scattered across the high ceiling give this majestic vibe to the entire restaurant, creating an intimate atmosphere, despite the impressive size of the location.

The restaurant is divided into the main sitting area with lovely booths, as well as the bar area for drinks and snacks. The top floor is beautifully decorated with burgundy booths and leather chairs, and what I really appreciate is that the owner kept the original features of the church such as the stained glass windows, the arches, and some of the old stones, but added quirky elements to actually feel like you’re in a proper steakhouse.

The staff was really welcoming and friendly, from the moment we sat down until we left with our bellies full 3 hours later. The waiter knew exactly what to recommend and we did have a few questions regarding the menu and the wine list. He ended up pairing our food with a delicious Montepulciano, perfect for the three course meal. I’ve been talking so much about the décor, that I know you are all eager to learn about what we’ve ordered. Atmosphere is nice, but food is really important, right? Well, we were not disappointed. I love steak and I love seafood, so being able to order both was something out of this world. Sure, many restaurants offer an array of dishes all over London, but not all of them are located in a stunning old church, while cooking to perfection your order. Trust me, I have been to countless restaurants so far, so I know a thing or two about recommending the best.  For starters me and my sister ordered seafood, as you would’ve guessed by now.

The salt and pepper calamari served with chipotle chilli mayonnaise were really crunchy, fresh, flavourful, just the way I like them. They were seasoned to perfection and matched the garlic King prawns served with toasted ciabatta. Juicy, buttery and tangy, pure heaven. The perfect addition to a great start of our lunch, which somehow foretold what about to unfold next.

I went for a grain fed sirloin medium rare, aged for 50 days for a rich and buttery flavour, along with a British beef dripping sauce, and everything tasted amazing. The meat was tender, succulent, seasoned well, seared to a wonderful golden finish. It truly was one of the best steaks I’ve had in a long time, and the sides complemented it to perfection. My sister had a delicious pesto crusted sea bass served with baby potatoes, roasted vegetable tartare, sugar snap peas, samphire and a tarragon infused Hollandaise. The plate looked whimsical and not only that, the fish was light, fresh, with a crispy crust, flavourful and paired wonderfully by the sides. The menu is quite impressive, and there are so many options to choose from, that we need to book a table soon to try more.

• Miller & Carter
• steakhouse