NOW CLOSED
When I visited: February 2016
Location: London, Soho
Team: Francis Cardenau and Jesper Boelskifte (co-founders)
Rating in the Michelin Guide: Not in Guide (used to be recommended)
What to wear: Men – jeans or nice trousers and a shirt; women – jeans and a smart top or a smart dress
Ambience: Dark, cool
Course of the meal: Kobe steak
If I could change one thing: Cheerier staff
Review:
I was pleasantly surprised upon entering MASH at its size, its cool, slightly retro music (Stevie Wonder, Norah Jones, Katie Melua, Eminem) and the quality of its food and wine. I went with my partner Owl for a dinner. The sommelier, who was on point with his choice if not smiley, helped us to choose a delicious bottle of red wine (2009 Dominio de Tares “Bem di Bre” Mencia Bierzo, for £65).
The starters were suitably light and fresh – the “Mash salad” (beetroot, chicory and grapefruit) and tuna tartare. The bread was also of a high standard – soft and warm.
For the main, I decided to bite the bullet and finally have some Kobe – 200g medium rare – probably the meltiest, most sumptuous piece of steak I’ve ever had (with a callback to the Steve Wynn Steakhouse and M). My partner Owl went for a Danish 60 day aged rib eye (300g), which was also good if a little big (I think the 300g was approximate as it was enormous). We also shared some chips (they initially accidentally brought chilli fries) with 2 kinds of sprinkled salt and creamed spinach.
We didn’t have room for a dessert each after the mains but shared a gorgeous key lime pie with vanilla ice cream and then had green tea with petits fours – a rose-shaped chocolate meringuey cake, raspberry and lemon mini tarts and a chocolate cake topped with a butterfly.
I enjoyed MASH so much that not only am I giving it 4 hoots, I would return there quicker than going back to Hawksmoor or Gaucho.
3 thoughts on “MASH … cool booths and Kobe”