Mayfair favourite Maze is the latest restaurant in the Gordon Ramsay group to benefit from the expansion of the empire with the opening of its sister restaurant Maze Grill in the same building. But instead of letting all the accolades go to Ramsay, it’s Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton who deserves all the credit for Maze Grill’s success.

The Venue
Located in the same building as Maze, you enter the venue through the same entrance and then feed off to the right for Maze Grill (you’d turn left for Maze). Maze Grill has its own long bar so if you fancy arriving early you can unwind over a cocktail before moving over to your table. Don’t be fooled by the name ‘Grill’ as the decor is still pretty upmarket, although there are plenty of diners wearing jeans and the service is jovial and friendly.

The easy going comfort of the restaurant is testament to the success of the interior at Maze Grill. Mushroom coloured long curtains hang at walls where there are no windows to soften the otherwise quite stark interior of the restaurant, sheer white blinds soften the light from the windows and the ceiling is covered in gold cylindrical shapes hanging at different levels to create a subtle focal point.

Seating is arranged into themes and all have their positive points, a nice touch as it means it’s unlikely you’re going to feel disgruntled at the table you are given. Immediately in front of you when you enter the restaurant are three curving banquettes in a soft green that face towards the windows and Grosvenor Square, whilst more formal tables nestle against the window. At the back of the restaurant there’s comfortable banquette seating that’s tucked beneath the open kitchen for cosy dining. However, the butcher’s block table created from a solid piece of English oak is by far the most popular table for groups given its elevated position above the rest of the restaurant; with perfect views of the open kitchen, you’re so close that you’re able to hear the sizzling of the steaks over the coals.

The Atmosphere
One of the best things about dining at a restaurant from the Gordon Ramsay stable is that he hires the most talented staff in the capital and they are passionate about what they do. From the Michelin-starred Atherton through to the restaurant manager (never too busy to share a joke with diners) and waiters and waitresses (who readily offer recommendations if you request them), Maze Grill is fun dining. Which is just as well as it’s still not that cheap, although given its Mayfair location it’s unlikely anyone’s going to baulk at the prices.

The Food
The menu is laid out simply with a choice of four or five options under the categories of Starters, Salads, Meat, Fish and of course, Steak. Perhaps more unusually is the option of Small Plates instead of a traditional starter. The starters at Maze Grill are pretty pricey, coming in at around £12.00 although in their defence they are inventive and the ingredients they use are no doubt the reason for the prices. In addition to half a dozen oysters you can choose from grilled quail accompanied by soya, raspberry, walnuts and coriander or a soup made from Cornish crab and harissa. However, the small plates tend to be the most popular option instead of a starter, whether for groups who order a few plates to share or couples who guard their own plate carefully. Particularly recommended are the octopus, just the right chewy consistency and beautifully yet simply presented with straight slivers of lemon rind, and the salt and pepper squid (both £6) which is piled into a rectangular dish and coated with just enough light batter so that the taste of the squid is still the main focus of the dish.

As for the main courses, at Maze Grill steak is a big player. Before you order a gigantic wooden butcher’s block is carried over to the table (clearly big biceps are a key recruitment requirement of the job) piled high with enormous rolls of beef, each wrapped in a white cloth and tagged to differentiate them. The staff explain all about each variety of beef, whether the cows were grass or corn fed and the fat content and how it affects the flavour of the beef so that when you’re picking your steak you are making an informed decision. Pick your cut from Casterbridge (grain fed, aged 21 days), Hereford (grass fed, aged 25 days), Aberdeen Angus (grass fed, aged 28 days), Creekstone USDA Prime (grain fed) and Wagyu ‘9th grade’ Gold style. Both the Creekstone and Wagyu are sold subject to market value which does vary although you can expect to pay at least £100 per steak whereas the Aberdeen Angus is the cheapest option at around the £20 mark. That is, unless you were there on the opening night when Atherton keen to showcase his talents and his superior beef offered a Wagyu fillet as a special for an unheard of £25.

The Wagyu fillet is truly superb, all that sake and massage clearly work wonders in helping the cows lead happy lives as the steak is truly a standard apart, in fact the steak practically smiles on the wooden board it is brought out on. The simple presentation doesn’t need flourishes although the brown paper sheath for the steak knife stuck into the board and emblazoned with the amount the steak has been cooked is a nice touch, as is the half of roasted garlic bulb that resembles a flower. Sauces are ordered separately and arrive in a small metal pot (choose from red wine bordelaise with bone marrow, boiled egg Bearnaise, creamy horseradish, peppercorn and many, many more). The steak is clearly king here. You’ll need to order sides separately too. Some of the best include crunchy French beans with shallots, garlic fries with bravas sauce and onion rings, all for around £3.50 and served in a small Le Creuset style pot. If you don’t fancy steak, opt for the house speciality – native lobster served with chips and ginger ketchup. The lobster is cooked to a perfect tenderness, the chips are light and crispy and the spicy ginger ketchup is simply inspired, although at £27.50 it is a little overpriced for the size of the lobster.

If you’ve any room for dessert, try the traditional chocolate brownie with a twist (both the brownie and the ice cream are made from bitter chocolate). However, the most highly recommended dessert is the yoghurt cheesecake (£7), which is incredibly sweet yet lends a delightful lightness that only properly whipped yoghurt can deliver. The base is satisfyingly crisp and the accompanying yoghurt ice cream and fresh berries are sour enough to prevent the dessert being too cloying. If you can’t manage dessert, round the meal off with a gigantic pot of herbal tea (£4.75) served in a heavy black Japanese tea pot and definitely big enough for two to share.

The Drink
The wine list is less a list, more a tome. Wines are arranged first by the glass (one page) and then by bottle and country spanning the globe from New World wines to European ones. Until you get to the French wines where they are then sub-divided into regions: Bordeaux, Burgundy, etc. The dedication to wine at Maze Grill is such that even if you order a glass of wine you are still offered it to try before settling on whether that’s the wine you really want. A fantastic, reasonably priced choice is the Cedro Noval (£7.50 a glass), a heavy red wine which pairs well with the steaks.

The Last Word
Don’t let the name fool you. This is food by the much lauded Michelin-starred Jason Atherton and as such you won’t walk away from a three course meal for two with any change from £100. That said, for the experience, the cooking, the passion of the staff and the quality of the ingredients it’s worth every penny. Maze Grill is giving other, more stuffy Mayfair restaurants a run for their money and it deserves to be a runaway success. Good job, Gordon.

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