marco pierre white steakhouse bar & grill, hinckley island.

One of the newest additions to the Marco Pierre White restaurant group; the Steakhouse Bar & Grill at Hinckley Island in Leicestershire. Marking its first anniversary, the popular restaurant has launched a new menu to celebrate. From their famous steaks to British inspired starters, the menu mixes the contemporary with timeless classics. Think posh Welsh Rarebit, an elevation of the trusty prawn cocktail and macaroni cheese updated with lobster. The desserts menu is similar too; with their twist on the classic desserts of knickerbockery glory, sticky toffee pud and Eton mess.

The restaurant is quite tricky to find at first, as I was expecting it to be further in the Hinckley town centre. Instead it is an assuming building along the A5. You’ll find the MPW steakhouse along from the Jury’s Inn, so keep a close eye as you’re driving past. Aside from the dated hotel chain exterior, once you’re in the restaurant it’s actually really well designed and decorated. Sultry mood lighting, sleek furniture, beautifully laid tables and well presented staff transport you to a chic restaurant setting with a comfortable atmosphere. Although I had been invited for a review, I noticed staff were especially friendly and professional to myself as much as the other diners. Something I always look out for.

To begin we ordered Crispy Calamari (£6.95) and Marco’s Lobster Macaroni (£11.25). The calamari, which came with tartare sauce, was a really generous portion. I liked the fact the lemon wedge was wrapped in muslin, too. It wasn’t as crispy as most calamari dishes I’ve tried, but the flavours were lovely and the batter light.The macaroni on the other hand had a really moreish flavour with hints of delicious mustard and lemon. I would say for the steep price though, I would have expected more of the juicy lobster meat.

For mains we went for the 8oz Fillet (£29.95) and 16oz T-bone (£29.95). The steaks are sourced from Royal Warrant appointed Campbell Butchers and are aged for 28 days. In addition, they all come with frites, a green salad and Merlot dressing. I liked the idea of the attention to detail of the red wine dressing, having just ordered a bottle of the Chilean Merlot to accompany (Reserva, Luis Felipe Edwards, Colchagua Valley, £20.50 a bottle). I should say the wine list was impressive too, with plenty of light bodied, fruit led and spicy reds ranging from £19 to £70 a bottle and from the USA to France. The fruity Merlot went really well with the steak, as hoped, and was dutifully topped up by our welcoming waitress. 

My fillet steak was absolutely delicious. A really nice cut of meat which had been cooked, charred and well rested before being presented with a tasty wild mushroom sauce (+£.3). I would definitely recommend this one, and return again for it. The T-bone however wasn’t so memorable. It was again a great cut of meat and had been well cooked but we had tasted much better elsewhere for a lower price tag. In addition I ordered a side of wilted baby spinach (£3.50), which was enjoyable and well presented. All the side dishes looked great actually, spanning from creamed cabbage and bacon to garlic button mushrooms and buttered garden peas. Lots of choose from! 

To finish, we went for Mr Coulson’s Sticky Toffee Pudding (£5.50) and the Cambridge Burnt Cream (£5.50), which was essentially an English crème brûlée. The burnt cream had a satisfying “tap” as I struck it with a fork, and a delightfully creamy dessert beneath. The STP went down really well too, with the classic butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream not letting us down. 

Overall there were parts we really enjoyed about MPW. The staff and atmosphere is great, there are some delicious menu items and a fantastic wine list. I think especially if you were staying in the hotel it would be a real treat to eat there. Have you ever been to a MPW steakhouse? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I was invited to MPW for a review. All opinions my own - I was not expected to write a positive review or otherwise.