Charlotte Grainger takes a bite out of Marco’s Pierre White’s new Sheffield eatery

Great British Life: MPW Steakhouse SheffieldMPW Steakhouse Sheffield (Image: Archant)

Shrouded by a mass of vibrant trees in bloom, Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill is set inside the picturesque red-brick building that is the Double Tree by Hilton at Sheffield Park. One of the steel city's prime wedding venues, we stepped in to a gathering of guests.

Side-stepping the throng, we headed to the newly-opened restaurant. Through the doors, a looming black and white photograph of Mr White himself greeted us. He might not be in the kitchen but his presence definitely looms large. In the restaurant a grand piano took centre stage, close to the bar and lounge area, and folks were starting their evening with pre-meal drinks.

Georgia, our chipper and chatty waitress, led us through the slick black and white interior to a window-seat table. She swiftly served us with sparkling water and took our drinks orders - Callia Lunaris Malbec for me and Peroni for my partner.

The steakhouse menu seamlessly infuses traditional British dishes with fine French cuisine. There's a dish for every taste from fish and seafood to pies and chicken. Surprisingly, for the mycophiles among us, there's even an entire section dedicated to wild mushrooms. However, this place is really about meat, is it not? And premium meat was the only thing on our minds.

Great British Life: MPW Steakhouse SheffieldMPW Steakhouse Sheffield (Image: Archant)

A sucker for a classic, for starters I chose the Scotch egg with Colonel Mustard sauce to start, while my partner opted for the smoked salmon. A golden, lightly-crumbed ball was set down in front of me, sliced in two. I was part-relieved, part-delighted to see the yolk temptingly soft. The accompanying creamy sauce had just enough of a hit of Dijon.

Across from me, the generous portion of smoked salmon was fresh and punchy, garnished with finely chopped red onions and capers.

Next up, we sampled the main event. I went for the Alex James burger and pomme frites; only slightly influenced by my nostalgic fandom of Blur. Predictably, my partner opted for the T-bone steak cooked medium rare with peppercorn sauce; influenced solely by his unyielding affection for succulent meat.

My main came served on a wooden board with a tiny jar of Heinz ketchup. Confronted with Goliath proportions, my first move was to cut the burger half and watch as (cheesemaker Alex's) Blue Monday cheese bled down the sides of the brioche. To taste, the meat was moist and cooked perfectly while the sharpness of the melted cheese cut through well.

Never one to miss out, I stole a few bites of my partner's dish.The tender 35-day aged beef had a melt-in-the-mouth quality from the experts in the kitchen. The delicate peppercorn sauce added a mild heat to an already immensely satisfying flavour. The meat slab cut came with roasted vine tomatoes, English watercress and triple-cooked chips; a winning combination.

By the time our main plates were polished off, we were almost too stuffed for dessert. But I decided on the billionaire's shortbread with rich caramel and gold leaf. As thick as it was enticing, the slice had a cheesecake-like quality and came with a scoop of fragrant vanilla ice cream and a soft chocolate crumble.

The classic dark chocolate mousse was a fitting climax of my chocoholic partner's meal. Served in a martini glass, the dessert was rich and velvety, gently walking the line between sweetness and the underlying bitter tones. Adding texture was a crunchy nut topping.

When the last morsels had vanished, it was time to say our goodbyes and wander home through the green suburbs of Sheffield, with hopes of working off our undeniably sizeable feast. 

Lunch served: noon to 3pm Monday to Friday, and 12.30pm to 3pm Saturday and Sunday. Dinner served: 5.30pm to 9.30pm, Monday to Sunday. Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill, Double Tree by Hilton at Sheffield Park, Chesterfield Road South, Sheffield, S8 8BW. mpwrestaurants.co.uk