Zelman Meats, Soho – tried and tasted

The Goodman group brings some almighty – but not too pricey – meat to a Soho sidestreet 
Soho steak: Sliced picanha at Zelman Meats
Ben Norum18 November 2015

Zelman Meats is the latest opening from Moscow-based restaurant group Goodman, which runs steakhouses in Mayfair, the City and Canary Wharf as well as steak and king crab concept Beast in Marylebone and the Burger & Lobster chain, which now has nine sites in London as well as several further afield.

It takes the place of Rex & Mariano, a previous venture from the group which focused on good value seafood. That one didn’t quite work out and lasted under a year, though we’re told the plan is to revisit that restaurant in another location.

Zelman Meats is named after the company’s boss, Misha Zelman, and is planned to be something of an experimental space for the group. Its menu will change regularly, with the idea being to perfect the cooking of varying cuts — but always focusing on sliced, good value slabs of meat.

Style and surrounds

The look could best be described as Soho sexy: dark red leather booths, hanging industrial-style lights, exposed ventilation, a bistro-style tiled floor and edgy prints adorning the walls. One wall is also dominated by a supersized blackboard which replaces conventional menus and lists what’s on offer that day.

On the menu

Beef dominates the menu — well, the blackboard — but to start there are a couple of nods to the restaurant’s former incarnation. Three types of oysters are offered, two raw and one baked with breadcrumbs and The Rib Man’s famed Holy F**k sauce. The raw ones are enhanced with a vibrant raspberry and shallot vinegar and the baked ones robustly salty.

Raw phwoar: Red Sicilian prawns

Briny and melt-in-the-mouth raw Sicilian red prawns, a speciality of the region not very often seen in this country, also feature. This will be good news to many — they were apparently the best-selling dish at Rex & Mariano.

On to the meat. There are three cuts of beef on the board: picanha, chateaubriand and rib. The first two come sliced in anything from 200g portions upwards, charged by weight. While the picanha — part of the rump — is soft and smoky, the chateaubriand has more meaty bite and a deep, earthy taste. The former is a bargain at just £6 per 100g. The ribs are stunningly tender and pleasingly sweet and tangy thanks to being marinated and cooked in a homemade barbecue sauce.

Barbecue: ribs at Zelman Meats

A short selection of sides include roasted aubergine with yoghurt and harissa, and grilled courgette with chilli, mint and feta — along with a choice of two outstanding potato options. Opt for either truffle and parmesan chips (deeply truffle scented and pleasingly chunky) or buttery mash infused with roasted garlic and topped with caramelized onions. Or, actually have both.

At lunchtimes there are also £5 steak sandwiches.

Something sweet

In line with the short and simple nature of the menu, there’s just a single pud scrawled onto the blackboard. On our visit, it’s a very homely treacle tart, served in a large slice with a good dollop of clotted cream — worth saving a smidgen of space for.

The best food in London

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Liquid libations

Cocktails, beers and all bases are covered, but it’s the hefty selection of red wines which is best suited to the red meat. These start at £4 a glass for on-tap and rise to £480 for some special bottles. There are a lot of Malbecs and Riojas to be found in between along with less obvious options.

Zelman Meats: The Lowdown

Final flavour: Brilliant beef with a pleasant pricetag.

At what cost? A lot less than you might expect given the taste — you can get a plateful of beef for under £20.

Visit if you like: Hawksmoor, Foxlow, Flat Iron

Find it: 2 St Anne’s Court, W1F 0AZ; zelmanmeats.com

Follow Ben Norum on Twitter @BenNorum
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