We planned our evening at this cracking steakhouse in Soho as our pre- theatre dinner treat and it didn’t disappoint.
From the street Sophie’s Soho is a steakhouse with a completely open window, with window boxes and indoors/outdoors seating beyond. This lends itself to a Mediterranean vibe and as the weather was baking, we could be forgiven for thinking we were abroad and about to relax after day of sightseeing, beach, shopping. Beach apart this is precisely what we had been doing so we were ready to sit down and let the staff take good care of us and this is exactly what happened.
We were escorted to our table by the front of house manager and our server Zsolt took over from there. He really went the extra mile, explained everything to us and was attentive throughout. First suggestion? Drinks while we perused the menu. So, with a gin and tonic and a beer organised, we took time to peruse the extensive menu.
There is a short pre-theatre dinner menu which we chose to ignore as the a la carte menu was so appealing! Zsolt gave us the low down on the specials “Chef’s Cuts” steak board and with native breed West Country beef by Philip Warren; dry aged and butchered in house we couldn’t resist. On the incredible sharing platters there’s a choice of a Porterhouse 35-ounce steak coming in at £85 for two. There’s also axe handle, rib eye and chateaubriand and after a really good look at all the menus; the a la carte, the pre theatre menu and the chef’s cuts menu and we went a la carte.
From a wonderful selection of small plates and starters Zsolt recommended the smoked brisket croquettes and the chargrilled squid. The brisket comprised tender shredded beef encrusted in a little Westcombe cheddar crumb with a really spicy hot sauce. Reasonably priced at £7.50. Graham’s chargrilled squid with chillies, garlic and lemon came in at £11.50. Both starters were absolutely fantastic.
For mains I opted for the centre cut fillet. Again, we thought this was reasonably priced and absolutely delicious. It’s fair to say that I haven’t had a better steak since visiting Buenos Aires – praise indeed for Sophie’s Steakhouse.
We were sitting directly opposite the open plan kitchen and the firepit. Graham spotted short ribs hanging from a rack above the fire; he simply couldn’t resist. So, with short ribs priced at £22, accompanied by Sophie’s steak sauce and slaw on the side, we both opted for fries, and we were set. Wonderfully washed down with a glass of Malbec for me and a glass of Pinot Noir for Graham. The wine list is as you’d expect and not too over ambitious with favourites aplenty.
The dinner theatre menu offers a choice of three starters, 3 mains (including chicken or fish and a super food salad), and a choice of three desserts. Oh, steak and frites for £15 too. Great value. Two courses for £15 or three courses for £18.
The service was swift which gave us time to enjoy a wonderful dessert each. Graham’s chocolate brownie was a generous portion, it would be ideal for sharing. It came accompanied by caramelised popcorn, peanut butter, salted caramel ice cream. He particularly loved the ice cream. Absolutely delicious. I tried the burnt cheesecake with wood roasted berries. Again, a really generous portion too with a lovely roasted fruit compote. Yummy.
After Graham’s coffee we were still in good time to take the short walk to Shaftsbury Theatre in readiness to take our seats for &Juliet 45 minutes later.
The decor at Sophie’s is really eclectic, with exposed stonework, velvet drapes, glassware and a well-appointed private dining room, which could accommodate 18 to 20 people tucked away at the back of the restaurant.
We were there at 5:30 in the evening and already the restaurant was getting busy and ramping up for the evening ahead. Right in the heart of Soho, a two-minute walk from Piccadilly Circus, this is a great pre-theatre stop after a day shopping in Oxford Circus, Bond Street, Regent Street to Piccadilly. Perfect for lunch or dinner and it’s easy to see why this steakhouse is so popular.
At a time when so many restaurants and the hospitality industry are struggling to acquire good staff, what made this night special for us was our server Zsolt. The rapport between the restaurant staff, bar and kitchen staff alike is noticeable and makes a difference to the overall ambience.
There’s a Sophie’s Chelsea and a Sophie’s Soho. Take your pick!
Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Deana Morgan @deanamorgandance (most images are Deana’s own)
