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Beef and gherkins is a classic combo, which might be why Alex Kaye and Nick Ross have set up their grill joint in the shadow of a certain pickle-esque City landmark. They’ve already given plenty of Londoners the meat sweats with the charcoal-cooked, deeply marinated creations at their street-food stall.
Kaye and his wife both had butchers for grandfathers: Walter and Monty respectively. They’d probably be a little bamboozled by the restaurant named in their honour. You order at the till (a box or wrap is £4.50; add £3 for beef or lamb, less for chicken or halloumi) and follow your wrap around the counter via salads and pickles. It’s then filled with meat and wrapped up – a bit like a posh kebab shop.
Following the friendly staff’s suggestions, I got a girthy beef pichanha (top sirloin) wrap with all the trimmings. The meat (from Smithfield market) came generously portioned and succulently cooked: it was just as good on its own as you’d hope from somewhere that talks turkey about their beef. But it got a bit lost amid the recommended extras, including three salads, three pickled vegetables and two different sauces. In the end, all that really stood out were the pickles. Which is at least apt next to London’s biggest gherkin.