The Hawksmoor, for a good steaks sake!

One of my favorite comedians, Al Murray, aka 'The Pub Landlord' has a fantastic catch phrase: 'All hail the ale!' As a Publican of course his salute to the 'Jesus Juice' is very understandable. He utterly believes in the power of the drink and the joy that it brings....to some...and perhaps, the money it brings to the pub coffers.
However, his fanatism for the ale can only be matched by my love for a good steak. All sorts......big, small, rib-eye, sirloin, rump, fillet.....I love them all equally and absolutely. 
I did go for years though without appreciating a good steak, never found the need to. For me it was a case of getting one from the shop, sticking it in the frying pan and making sure it doesn't burn.....dinner sorted.


It was only until one Sunday a few summers back, when I had absolutely nothing on my schedule, that I finally decided to learn how to make a proper steak. There was and still is only one place to go to learn anything, everything and nothing ......YouTube!........So, a couple of youtube clips and lessons later I was down at Waitrose ordering slices of cow like some kind of meat connoisseur. Actually that doesn't sound so good.....meat connoisseur? So, with that and a bit of practice, I can stand here and say, my skills are on point and given the right ingredients I could do a half descent steak when asked....thats what I thought anyway...

Roll on 2012 and this self belief has well and truly turned to dust. I have been given another lesson and a new appreciation in the art of steak preparation......quite frankly, when it comes to it... 'Half descent is not good enough!' 
Enter  The Hawksmoor.  Now this is a place I have repeatedly been told is the Mecca for steak lovers. And boy it.did.not.disappoint. Pictures don't lie, this is not a burger king ad! Offering the very best of British meat cooked on a real charcoal grill, this is definitely carnivore country - but only for carnivores who like their meat in a very particular way.... fantastically cooked!

Located in the heart of Covent Garden and with other branches in Spitalfields and Guildhall this place has taken steak making - or steaking as I call it - to a whole new level. This stuff literally melts in your mouth. If you don't believe me, well check out what food critics say - what do I know? I was literally eating soft charcoal only a few summers ago and passing it off as a well done steak - So here's some expert opinion - see what Tom Parker Bowles thinks...he's mum is married to the future King of England...so he must matter!

Think your made of the right stuff, on the menu is a 600g Bone-In Sirloin. 600g!! Make sure you have an ambulance outside if you're going for this baby. 


Give them a 48 hour notice and The Hawksmoor promise to get you any cut of steak especially for you! Told you, this place is Mecca.... Their burgers are pretty bloody awesome too!

"Oh hail the steak!"

The Hawksmoor

Of dictators, school boys and hair cuts...

The news from North Korea in the last couple of weeks has been quite fascinating. Not because of the prospect of nuclear war of course and I'm not celebrating Kim Jon Ills death ...I loved the guy in Team America... And noone wants nuclear war anyway...it's no fun....Not even the North Koreans want it......I hope!

Hiding out in bunkers is not too preppy either..

No, the reason I have been so interested in the developments from North Korea is because - believe it or not- their new leader has become abit of a new style icon for me...bare with me - I will explain......

Well, besides inheriting the most unpredictable nuclear power in the world, this dude has the best hair cut of 2012...I can not believe noones mentioning that haircut!!

Seeing him get declared as North Koreas new leader left me a tad jealous though... Jealous coz he's young and being made supreme leader of anyone or any country surely bumps up ur street cred to levels beyond uber-awesome! But also jealous because, see, I recognise that haircut.  I know that haircut.....That was 'MY' haircut! Back in the day....


I know it too well.  Not only because I ONCE rocked it during my Kid n Play obsession era (see left), but it reminds me of a certain part of my child hood I had forgotten. How hard it was to get my hair cut to a style I wanted and pass the home "proper hair style test". It was a tough test for me and most of my friends to get away with that look, even when the style was at the height of teen fashion...

Memories flood back of the times before the start of the new school term...when u have been shopping with mum for  school stuff. You know......pencils, rulers, protractors  and what not. And the last order of the day was the customary pre-term hair cut.

When it came to mums and hair cuts, there were the 3 types of mums amongst my mates:

1. The "I will sit here and watch while you get that whole melon shaved clean" type mum.
2. The "do what ever he asks" type mum
3. The "cut his hair as he likes and I will assess when I get back from shopping" type mum.

Well mine fortunately wasn't the 1st type, neither unfortunately was she the 2nd type. Mine was abit of the 3rd type......

So I would sit there contemplating - deliberately delaying my choice of style knowing that she is a woman of very little patience my dear mother...And as she eventually left the saloon to pick me after the whole business was done.....then very nonchalantly I would turn and say to the guy, "very very short on the sides and really big at the top! Kid and Play style". With a wink and shrug we would be in business. He would kindly oblige. Of course he would.

However, as sure as the sun would rise, this little barber-client arrangement would quickly be annulled  when the mum steps back into the shop..............give me that look.....give the barber that look...and then after this assessment declare..."shave it all off!"...

Mark my word, I predict, the Kim-Jun-Un will be the hair cut for 2012.....rendering him not only hero to the North Korean people but to school boys of my generation for years to come. Long live the Leader.

To Snood or not to Snood?

Now, I am not going to hide from this one. Well I suppose if you were anywhere near Manchester City Centre this last Saturday, there is not really anywhere for me to hide. I was wearing that snood. Yes, I am that guy. See, I must admit I have always been in two minds about snoods. But, in cold Muncian weather there was no question- For me there was no better time and place to experiment and make a decision going forward than Saturday - So I decided I was gonna rock my Snood - bought last winter and has sat in my wardrobe for a whole year with price tags still attached. I was always critical about footballers wearing snoods on the pitch...but we are not going to get into that debate again. That has been fully assessed, analysed and reanalysed by those powerhouses of fashion- the Match of the Day team - Mark Lawrenson , Shearer et al. We are not going to re-enter that debate. We know Manchester City are notorious Snoodiphiles. I mean, you will probably be a recluse and a leper in that dressing room if you didn't own a snood.

So this weekend, away on a lads weekend, with the harshest fashion critics I know, and in the manly North of the country. I decided to rock the Snood. And fair play to the lads, they gave it a fair assessment. I am happy to report that the argument/debate has moved from whether to actually ever own a snood, to what is an appropriate size for one? Needless to say mine is pretty large. But my obsession with large things is something I working on out with my therapist. So gentlemen, this winter, get yourself snooded up. Its all good. The North and @Carlito_East approves.