The residents of W8 were looking a tad washed out and malnourished until Black and Blue strode into town. It seems a good old fashioned meat and two veg, steakhouse style, is just what the doctor ordered!

The Venue
Located only a short distance from the bustling Notting Hill Gate tube, you will know you have arrived when faced with the Olympic flames burning outside. Inside you will find a welcoming face and a large venue bustling with activity. There are booths to the side with deep comfy leather seats, marble tables, dark wood panelling and huge antique Bovril advertisements to remind you of why our grandparents grew up believing beef was best! There is a wide long table in the middle of the venue for solo diners or those just wanting a casual nibble and a well stocked bar at the back of the room.

The Atmosphere
The only thing slightly letting the side down here is the distinct lack of atmospheric buzz. It is constantly busy, yet it feels like a French coffee shop with too bright a lighting and poor choice in music. It could benefit by upgrading the music and switching to some more romantic candlelight instead. It is, however perfect for big groups as the seating is spacious, staff outgoing and friendly and the food is exceptional!

The Food
When faced with Black and Blue’s enormous portions of steak, salad and fries, vegans must feel like throwing off their comfy sandals and chowing down! There are great starters on offer, such as butterfly prawns in crisp breadcrumbs, soup of the day or crunchy tortilla chips served with guacamole, sour cream and salsa.

The mains are where it’s really at, however, and you can choose between salads, steaks, burgers, fish and meat from the grill, or a variety of filled baguettes. However it would be sacrilegious to go to a steakhouse and not demolish a 400g T-bone steak, which has been dry aged on the bone the traditional way for 28 days. It comes with a separate salad, fries and your choice of Bearnaise sauce, herb and garlic butter, peppercorn sauce or foie gras. The meat is succulent, not dry or chewy and cooked to your specifications. The peppercorn sauce is a little on the safe side, and could benefit from being a little more peppery however.

Other steak choices include the 280g rib eye, the 200g fillet or the big daddy of them all, the Cote de Boeuf, which is 600g and definitely made to share! If steak is a little too much to bite off for you, then perhaps opt for something from their plentiful grill menu. The salmon steak with horseradish is generous in size, perfectly seared to seal in the flavour and will just melt in your mouth. The accompanied side salad is fresh and tasty and the fries were tasty and guilt rendering as they should be.

If after all of this you can manage a dessert, then opt for the ice cream sundae which is big enough to share and comes brimming with whipped cream and chocolate overload. Other menu options include a chocolate mousse cake and an Irish coffee. The average price for two with wine is about £60.

The Drink
There’s an impressive wine list, which can be enjoyed either by the glass, half bottle or bottle. Black and Blue has a vast variety of Italian, French, South African or Australian whites, reds and roses. The average price is £22 and the recommended white with fish would have to be the Italian, Ca Da Bosio. Gavi De Gavi Champagne and beer are also on offer, with their house champagne starting at £7 a glass and beers averaging at £3.

The Last Word
The aptly named Black and Blue is the ideal place to go if you are hankering for a meat fix. The servings are generous, the staff is friendly and the prices are reasonable. Tuck in!

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