The concept of Blacklock is very simple; meat, meat and more meat. Safe to say, vegetarians should say at home! The other defining feature was the cheap price point. But was it any good? Time to find out...
Ideal for:
Dining on a budget
Group dining
Meat lovers
Given I am a voracious meat eater, I thought it was time to put this meat feast to the test. Blacklock is the brainchild of ex-Hawksmoor chefs, so I had high hopes
Ambience & Décor
Sat in the basement of an ex-brothel, it does feel secluded due lack of natural light. The interior is plain and low maintenance with Blacklock's semi-open kitchen giving diners a peek of the meat. The vibe was lovely with patrons enjoying cocktails and meat in equal measure.
Service
The staff were attentive and friendly, with their knowledge of the cuts of meat and types of meat being the abiding memory. The service was at the top end of the scale.
Food
For such a large dining party, we decided to go for the All In (below) at £20pp. This is a selection of Pre Chop Bites, All of the day’s skinny chops and chargrilled flatbread plus one side per person. The cuts on offer included beef rump, lamb T-Bone, pork loin, pork chops and lamb cutlets. The gargantuan portion of meat piled seductively on a platter was a beautiful sight. No frills presentation, but I was salivating even before eating.
All the meats were well cooked - juicy, succulent and easy to devour with the various sides and accompaniments. The beef was cooked the best (Hawksmoor training no doubt playing a part!). Bread and meat are an inveterate combination with the flatbread mopping up. The smoky tones from the charcoal added something else to the platter. Simple cooking but amazing results.
Out of all the sides we tried, the best were the 10 hour ash roasted sweet potato and Beef dripping chips (right). The sweet potato’s smoky flavours, smooth texture and sweet flavours were a culinary treat, whilst the chips were some of the best I have had. Crispy exterior, fluffy interior. The surprise for me was the Barbequed baby gems, and worth ordering.
Sadly, it is not all roses. I thought the Pre-Chop Bites were really average and lacked any imagination. It felt as if these were an afterthought. However, I went recently, and the pork one currently on offer with kimchee is sublime and a must try!
Blacklock has a blue-collared vibe with its décor, food presentation and most importantly the price. Diners are given a no-frills experience that focuses on where it matters most – the meat. All were cooked to perfection, and the accompanying sides were of comparable quality. More can be done with the Pre Chop Bites, as they are too vanilla. I can overlook the lack of a décor, but I cannot look past the incredible value for money. If the Pre Chop Bites were better, it would get the highest accolade, but for now it is a solid A rating.
Photos of Blacklock Soho and more can be found on Instagram here.
Final grade: A
Final comment: Simple, no-frills dining that packs a massive punch for amazing value.
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