Grille Hoxton

London Magazine - November 2006

It may sound unlikely but it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish Shoreditch from New York's meatpacking district, particularly when it comes to bars and brasseries. Over the past decade both areas have embraced a boho chic that mixes seedy nightlife with upscale glamour - and that potentially awkward juxtaposition finds its apogee in the Hoxton Grille, a modish bistro-cum-steakhouse offering a solution to the problem of securing a decent meal at an affordable price. The menu here avoids predictability: a sprinkling of mint in a starter of parma ham and melon is one inventive example that I liked. Most important, though, is the steak, and at the Hoxton Grille it's served perfectly: thick, slabby, soft and bloody. Food like this is not meant to be complicated but there are a few who do it right.