Earlier in January I noticed the Pope’s Eye steakhouse in Highgate/Archway when my bus passed it. I looked up the menu and was interested in Highland steak, which I’ve never tried, so we booked.
Apparently, a pope’s-eye is a Scottish colloquialism for a cut of beef (though my Scottish husband had never heard of it). The restaurant sources grass-fed beef from Scotland; there are two types available: Highland beef (which is at a premium price) and standard Angus, each served in various cuts: popesye/rump, sirloin, t-bone etc, in various sizes ranging from 6 to 30 ounces. Steaks come with chips.
There is little else on the menu save a note that any fish or vegetarian entrees require 24 hours notice.
I ordered a Highland rump served medium; the server said “I won’t do that” in a very friendly but firm tone. I ordered a glass of white wine, but there was only red. I asked what the vegetable side of the day was; the server said I would probably be quite full of steak and chips.
On the final point, I did not budge. Broccoli it was.
The highland rump was quite lean and flavorsome, so medium rare (or even rare) was a smarter choice. Each steak comes with every available sauce: bearnaise, several mustards, horseradish and ketchup. The server parked a stool at the side of the table to hold the many containers of sauce. French fries were very good.
I was excited about the desserts made by ‘mom’ but they were out of everything except for some sticky toffee pudding that tasted microwaved – it was unevenly warmed and quite dry at the bottom. The restaurant had been closed because a pipe burst or something similar - so perhaps on a normal day, the wine and desserts are fully stocked.
So, to recap:
Things they had:
- Fantastic steak
- Great chips
Things they didn’t have:
- Non-red wine
- Desserts
- A desire to cook vegetables