Very reliable and pleasing chain for meats and grills with several options for nationality steak
I have some very fond and nostalgic memories of this place for numerous reasons and came here as a treat after running the Berlin Marathon. Although I have not been to the other establishments of this food chain, my three experiences here have all been highly pleasurable. The pan roasted foie gras on fried brioche toast and sweet chutney to accompany is frankly one of the nicest things I think is available in London(!) however a long walk or run during the day would be advisable to do to earn the calories this one dish alone will yield. The tiger prawns with tempura batter and wasabi mayonnaise was an absolutely lovely other starter.
The steak at Goodman is one of the best around with a delightful choice of American or Scottish fillets and a helpful explanation with different cuts before hand as per Gaucho if one requires. The flavour of the US fillet as I had on this occasion was luxurious and rich however I had a log chat with the head m’tradee on why Goodman do not rest their meats after cooking, which was obvious to me as it was actually a little dryer than most places, with bleeding also visible on the plate (resting obviously retains the valuable juices inside).
I was escorted in to the kitchen and shown the level of how long the meats are hung and dried prior to cooking (up to 3 months in some cases) and the choice to not let the meat rest was a deliberate move by the chain (certainly at Canary Wharf branch). The bottom line reason turned out to be to enhance the flavour without being disguised by the juices of the meat and this is the only part I have a minor issue with in that I prefer my steak to have its juices as is actually the essence of the meat.
However, a vat of their rather superb sauce béarnaise soon saw to any lack of moisture. The chips at Goodman are superb, juicy but crispy enough with the crucially correct size however the lobster macaroni was a bit stodgy and the cheesy spinach was far too filling and heavy as opposed to being creamed and lighter in its forte so there is a mixed bag on the sides. It is however a superb steak option and thoroughly recommended for you to make your own mind up at – the starters I have mentioned are absolute givens for enjoyment but everyone will have a very specific preference for which kind of steak they are most happy with – certainly at Goodman there is great weight of care in their preparation and the products are definitely a solid thumbs up.
Food Grade: 76%
My hobby-turned-passion began to evolve during my assignments to London where I was fortunate enough to be able to explore all the Michelin starred restaurants in my spare time and as a result, I gradually built up a catalogue of all these venues.
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