With the rumours of a Tier 3 hitting us before Christmas, you’re going to want to make Hans’ Bar and Grill one of your final bookings. Having previously dined at the restaurant of 11 Cadogan Gardens, it was a pleasure to return – this time, for the new ‘Grill Night’ which runs on Thursday and Friday evenings. Hans’ Bar and Grill serves an all day dining menu full of delicious dishes, focusing on seasonal British produce.
The Chelsea eatery is headed up by Rowen Babe, who has an affinity with local produce from his native New Zealand and knowing this swiftly determined the wine to be had this evening. Having resided in New Zealand at one point myself, I have long been a fan of wines from the region – both red and white – so I was only too glad to opt for a New Zealand Pinot Noir from Nelson.
To Start With
Here to try the aforementioned Thursday/Friday Grill Night menu at Hans’ Bar and Grill, we started snacking on the addictive padron peppers with all of their lashings of sea salt before moving onto short rib tacos which were drizzled in a delicious beetroot and red cabbage combo. Perfectly tender beef and packed full of flavour, these were hard to share. Both incredibly tasty and 10/10 would order again, however the star of the starters show was definitely the octopus. Charcoal-grilled, both the taste and texture of this dish were fantastic and my only criticism is that, once again, I had to share it. One of the better octopus dishes I’ve sampled in London, I’d happily devour a mains-sized plate of this.
Mains
We did eventually make it onto the main courses and I absolutely love it when my guest understands the necessity of sharing even non-tapas style and sized dishes. I was immediately put out of distress, yes distress, upon having confirmation that I could try both the steak and the sea bass. The chateaubriand is an absolute must: a perfect shade of pink, each mouthful was flavoursome. A friend in the beef industry taught me a trick, if you’d like, once that underneath all the bells and whistles, you can tell a piece of meat’s quality, if after a fair few chews, it still retains that full flavour (rather than riding off the smell of charcoal) and this was most certainly evident with the steak at Hans’ Bar and Grill.
Sides included a creamy macaroni cheese and fries, as anyone who knows me knows my love/obsession for the humble chip. All washing down beautifully with that fragrant and fruity Pinot Noir. Steak is, of course, available on the regular menu at Hans’ Bar and Grill so fear not if you’re unable to secure a booking for Thursday or Friday. Sea bass to share is always an impressive affair when dining out as the waiter often debones the fish at the table, serving up the various plates. This dish was served with a fennel and orange potato salad which complemented the fish wonderfully.
Always Leave Room For Dessert
Never one to not leave room for dessert, we did decide to share the sweet treat to finish the meal. You know how I feel about fries and now you also know my strong feelings toward the cheesecake. If it’s on a menu, it’s the dessert I’m ordering and this coconut and lime baked version did not disappoint. Adorned with fresh mixed berries and thick shavings of coconut, it was a pleasant surprise to find out that it was completely vegan. Obviously I’m no strict plant-based eater but it is great to know restaurants are making these kinds of inclusions into their menus, not only for those who follow that diet but to show the rest of us non-vegans that good things can be totally green too.
While not in any means an ‘under the radar’ spot I’m unearthing for readers here, I do think there is some pride to be had in visiting a restaurant in a busy city such as London years down the line from the first visit and having the same exceptional food and service. Grill Night at Hans’ Bar and Grill was a delicious dining experience but I’d return any day of the week for a meal here.
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