Hawksmoor

11 Langley Street
London
WC2H 9JG

As soon as I found out Hawksmoor was opening their second branch in Covent Garden, I knew I had to visit. This was my favorite steakhouse, back when I worked in the City, and now it's a quick walk from my new job! The announcement of 50% off food during their soft opening clinched the deal - I used all my powers on Facebook and Twitter to guarantee that A and I had a reservation for a steak-fest. 
We went on a Tuesday night and entered a restaurant that looks like a temple to meat - dark woods and leathers and soft, dim lighting gave it a very masculine atmosphere that suited the fact that everyone was there to eat giant slabs of cow. I had one minor gripe about the meal, and that is the table at which we were sat - they've put all these dinky tables for two people against one wall, so one person gets to sit on the leather banquette seat facing the room, and the other person gets a view of their dining partner and a brick wall. They're really packed in tight, so it felt uncomfortably close to the couple next to us, and when the dishes all arrived, there wasn't really enough room for everything. 
Aside from being a bit cramped, though, the dinner was fantastic. Six briny fresh oysters to start, followed by a 950g porterhouse, triple cooked chips, steamed spinach and grilled portobello mushrooms. I think perhaps the steak was too large to eat quickly enough before it cooled off, but that is my own greedy fault for ordering that much steak for two people. Not to worry, we finished it anyway, with a nice Rioja to wash it down. After staggering away from our table, we stopped in the bar for what was supposed to be a single after dinner drink, which turned into two  and a chat with Shaky Pete, Hawksmoor's bartender extraordinaire. 
Next time, I shall ask for a large table to accommodate all the food I plan on ordering, and then it will be perfect.