London’s new dining playground, M, houses a cocktail bar, a wine tasting room, a secret den and four private dining and events spaces as well as two restaurants under one roof, both headed up by Executive Chef Michael Reid.
M RAW specialises in Tartare and Tiradito, a dining concept offering a selection of tartares, sashimi, cured and smoked dishes and yakitori. It’s Rude to Stare headed straight to M GRILL, the second restaurant where you can explore a selection of the RAW menu as well as everything else on offer.
Situated on Bank’s Threadneedle Street, this innovative destination is Martin William’s first solo undertaking. Previously Managing Director of Gaucho Restaurants, Williams’ new establishment offers dishes from six countries: Argentina, USA, France, Japan, Australia and South Africa. The reason behind the line-up? These places are renowned for their steak. And M restaurant is quickly becoming the ultimate steak haven with a selection of the very best cuts from each country.
M’s knowledgable Assistant Manager James guided us skilfully through the menu as we wanted to try something special from each section. As we quickly realised, everything on the menu is exceptional. Here’s our guide to the very best of the best at M.
The RAW
If you want to try a few different things, order the Rainbow Tiradito dish – a selection of raw albacore tuna, scallop and trout with fennel salad. The cured langoustines with pink grapefruit, cucumber and shavings of foie gras invited a taste sensation we’d never experienced before: a curious contrast between intensely rich flavours and a cleansing of the palette. A beautiful, surprising dish and Martin Williams’ personal favourite.
The Starter
Crocodile fillet is just one of the varied starter options on offer. If you aren’t quite that adventurous, the burrata (mozzarella and cream) flavoured with rosemary and served with artichokes and baby beetroot is delicious and a light, pre-beef option. We loved the veal sweetbreads, cooked with carrots, walnuts and goat’s curd. This unusual combination of rich and delicate works beautifully and seems to run through all of Chef Michael Reid’s creations.
The Beef
The six cuts of beef range from £18 to £150, but none of them compromise on quality. We tried the coal-cooked Blackmore Wagyu sirloin which is pricey at £120 but completely mind-blowing in taste and texture. The dry aged USDA cuts on offer are significantly cheaper but just as good. Ask a staff member to guide you through the differences before making your choice as they’ll be able to advise on the one that best suits your taste and complements your other dishes. There’s a cut for everyone.
The Sides
The Argentinean Humita consists of fresh corn, goat’s curd, creme fraiche and pine nuts and is our number one side dish from the menu. Try it no matter what.
The Sauces
We recommend both the black garlic aioli sauce and the creamed english wasabi radish but the chimichurri was yet another Argentinean winner. Chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, vinegar and a hint of chilli is all we ever want on our steak from now on.
The Dessert
Salty and sweet is the ultimate pairing. The cooling green tea ice cream, ginger and whisky jelly and a dab of seaweed soil offset the classic, melt-in-the-middle hot chocolate cake on M GRILL’s dessert menu, but we also loved the salted chocolate tart with a rather alternative and festively-spiced butternut squash ice cream.
The Drink
We drank Malbec from Bodega Colomé, one of the oldest wineries in Argentina that hosts the highest vineyards in the world. Higher altitudes are known for producing Malbec wines with perfect levels of acidity and sweetness, and this subtle, smooth drink set off the strong flavours found within food menu perfectly. Our cocktail-of-the-night goes to the M Martini, not only for its taste, but for its presentation too. It’s served in a stunning, Instagram-worthy 2 part glass. The grapefruit twist makes it uniquely ‘M’.
Inspired to discover M? Call 020 3327 7770 or email enquiries@mrestaurants.co.uk to book right now. You won’t regret it.
M
2-3 Threadneedle Walk
60 Threadneedle Street
London
EC2 8HP
www.mrestaurants.co.uk
