The Popeseye Steakhouse

As a devout and blood-thirsty carnivore, I love nothing more than a good steak, simply cooked, with a side of chips and perhaps a few salad leaves for good measure. And that’s exactly what you get at The Popeseye Steakhouse, and nothing more. This restaurant is something of a local institution, being unpretentious and unapologetic about what it is – a purebred steakhouse of the finest order.

They serve the three most popular cuts of beef; a fillet, rump and sirloin, all cooked to perfection in a tiny open plan kitchen in the corner of the dining room. The beef is Aberdeen Angus and has always been of a very good quality the few times I’ve dined here. It’s seasoned well and comes in a choice of weights, from a tiny 6oz morsel to a gargantuan 30oz slab.

The dining room can be a little cramped but it’s always lively and buzzing. The simplicity of this place is a breath of fresh air and there are surprisingly few restaurants that serve steaks as good as this, which is why this remains one of my favourite steakhouses in London. It may not be groundbreaking and one could argue that Aberdeen Angus is a less exciting breed than some of its rivals such as the Casterbridge, Hereford and Welsh Black, but it does what it says on the tin and long may it last.

The Popeseye Steakhouse, 108 Blythe Road, London, W14 0HD. Tel. 020 7610 4578.