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)

Dining Owl Hoot rating: 4/5

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.