Blacklock’s third chophouse is in one of those classic Shoreditch ex-warehouse spaces that’s all exposed brick, big windows and polished concrete floors. Decked out with classy dark-leather banquette seats and mid-century furniture, the vibe here is very ’60s-chic: like your grandparents sold all their belongings to forward-looking interior designers when they were young. Plates are mismatched and vintage, and there’s a classy, old-school gilded drinks trolley that the bartenders wheel round to your table after dinner so they can whip you up an old fashioned. It’s all very charming and romantic. Keep it in mind for your next date.
The menu is meaty and heavy with – as you might expect from a chophouse – a focus on chops. They come in small (skinny chops), medium (big chops) and large (off the bone) sizes, so order based on your appetite. A skinny plate of lamb T-bone, pork loin and beef rump was big enough to feed two and decent value at £12. The lamb was tender, the beef bright pink and delicious, and each chop was caramelised slightly on top so there was a tiny bit of mouthwatering crunch to them. We also ordered a side of crispy beef-dripping fries and the off-menu Blacklist: a juicy, beefburger loaded with onions caramelised in vermouth and a sriracha-laced burger sauce.
A couple of starters were winners, too: the tender pulled pig’s head on toast was doused in gravy and topped with sliced red chilli, while the tiny ‘pre-chop bites’ (crackers topped with cheese and pickle, chicken and horseradish, or egg and anchovy) were delicious and only a quid each.
The menu lacked anything fresh and sharp to cleanse the palate after all that oil, butter and meat, but in fairness, you don’t come to Blacklock for a salad. You come for a plate of chops and to put yourself in a food coma. Like going to your grandparents’ house for dinner, only cooler.