The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2021 - Issue 30

bitecuisine B ritish hotel and restaurant company Whit- bread decided it would open a chain of Bar + Block steakhouses, an evolved and contemporary version of its Beefeater brand, to appeal to a younger demographic. The first one opened in Birmingham’s Waterloo Street in March 2016, followed by King’s Cross, London in November 2016 and Whitley, Fareham in February 2017. To date, they have around 17 steakhouses with the Edinburgh site opening later this year. Far from the traditional, often stiff steakhouses, the all-day casual dining Bar + Block Steakhouse in King’s Cross features a central bar, a large open kitchen labelled ‘Prime Perfect’ and booth- style leather seating. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with an emphasis on high-quality steaks at affordable prices that are all hand-cut to order. The interior consists of exposed brick- work, contemporary artwork and wall calligraphy, and a mix of upright seating and leather booths. Formerly occupied by Whitbread’s Thyme res- taurant and adjacent to the Premier Inn, the 5,522 square foot site has a 212-cover site that includes the 68-cover central bar, open kitchen, standalone and booth seating. The bar serves a range of craft beers and ciders, cocktails and wines. When seated in the far left at the back, where we were placed, you can see into the Premier Inn lobby and check-in desk through the internal glass window which was fascinating to watch people engaged in conversation. If you need a refresher in steak culinary, Bar + Block is on hand to explain the different parts of the cattle. The rump is found toward the rear of BLOCK BAR Steakhouse Food Photographer:Tony Wellington Korean Chicken Wings +