03 August 2016
To be honest, I can't say I was looking for a rapid return to South Place, given a somewhat uninspiring meal a few months earlier, but given the combination of finding ourselves in the City on a Saturday (zzzzzz), plus a revamped menu not to mention 50% discount off food during the first week of its new launch well it all added up to a bit of a no-brainer. First impressions were pretty good; very attentive staff immediately accepting our request to move to a table further away from the revolving front door, glasses of champagne brought to the table as a welcome and a very healthy "buzz" around the room; not what we had expected at 7pm on a Saturday. I have to admit, I could not discern any major changes to the menu and was a bit confused as to why it now has "Chop House" in its title, when there is only one such dish on the menu? That said, all the dishes we ordered lived up to billing with possibly the highest of all compliments paid by one of our party who is constantly in search of a properly executed "black and blue" fillet steak; perfection she declared it. A couple of gripes though; two of our party ordered the Chateaubriand to share and I think we were all a little surprised that it arrived as two already carved steaks on their individual plates; surely part of the theatre of ordering a sharing dish is to have it served and divided at the table? Also, it seems somewhat churlish and greedy to charge customers for sauces and butters (£2.50 a pop) and condiments (£1.95....for salad cream??) But that aside we had a great evening, all the waiting team were attentive and engaging throughout and whilst it still doesn't make it onto my "must return" list, I would have no problem in returning if others in my circle wished to do so.