Good, man
We visited Goodman on Good Friday offering ample opportunity for lame punning. In our party there were three ex-pat Americans, including Sarah who is a Chicagoan and therefore knows what makes a good steakhouse. In short, a tough crowd with high expectations.
Goodman seems to have all the elements in place: top quality cow, including prime USDA, in a range of cuts all properly dry aged and at sensible money. The waiter, in a ritual rarely seen in London does a show and tell of the meat before hand which makes decision making even harder than it would be otherwise. Finally the meat is cooked to order in a charcoal oven.
Unsuprisingly, I dodged the difficult choices by opting for the cheeseburger with Wyndham, now a BM regular, showing solidarity. The moment the order went in I felt a pang of regret - perhaps I should have gone for the New York Strip that Mrs BM went for? But in the event the Goodman burger was a revelation, with a sweet bun, good garnishes and excellent build. But above all the burger itself was a sensation - moist, deeply savoury and best of it was lifted by the smokeyness of the charcoal over which it was cooked. The burger stayed recognisably a sandwich throughout.
The chips, by contrast, I felt were dry, flavourless and not very pleasant with Wyndham making the same observation independently. This is a damn shame, though happily the other sides, such as the mash were much better.
Goodman: a Russian owned, Chicago themed steakhouse in London with a great burger. Not what you would expect but who cares? This is a burger with real personality and class. And at twelve quid it is an excellent option that shines even in the company of some rather superior steaks.
Goodman, 26 Maddox Street, W1S 1QH Tel: 0207 499 3776