Food

Boxcar Butcher & Grill Review

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What: butcher, grill and bar specialising in ethically sourced quality meat (and with good savoury veggie options)

Where: 23 New Quebec Street London W1H 7SD

When: Launches 12/6/2017, open from 7am each day

The first thing that strikes you when you approach boxcar is the giant bull statue. This is a pretty clear statement of intention: if you’re here, you’re probably in it for the beef.

Upstairs is a solid eclectic mix of copper, wood, marble and concrete. You get the sense that the owners are as into their raw materials as they are their ingredients. The emphasis is on small British artisanal suppliers, which line the counter and shelves. This will include beers, sprits, marinades, conserves and so on, but the main selling point is high quality, ethically sourced meat from named suppliers.

Downstairs we had sneak peek at the learning space for butchery, where customers will be able to attend demonstrations. From here there’s doors and walls with views of the main kitchen and the meat locker. In a nod to traditional production the meat at Boxcar won’t be frozen and will be prepared and sold fresh to preserve texture and flavour.

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Given all this forethought, the burger was, of course, as good as you’d expect. I’d like to point out the nice surprises, though. The brioche bun had a little extra butteriness that meant that the beef juices blended into it- there were salad and pickles but they were pitched at just the right amount to add depth of flavour without making eating fiddly. The thing that jumped out at me most was that the veggie options had been given some real thought and stood up as meal options- many restaurants can be half-hearted with this. The veggie burger was mushroom-based and while a reasonably convincing meat substitute, the chef had put an emphasis on bringing out the natural flavour of the ingredients with hints of truffle. I did not expect to enjoy the mushy pea and chip-shop curry pie, but was taken aback with how the salty, gooey combination scratched all the same itches as a meat-based pie. All these extras establish boxcar as a credible deli as well as butcher.

Food is available to take away or eat in, and the downstairs will be re-arranged for extra seating in evenings. Definitely worth the short walk from Bond Street. I suggest popping there for respite if you catch yourself shopping on Oxford Street.

Twitter: @BoxcarLondon

Facebook: /boxcarlondon

Instagram: @BoxcarLondon              www.boxcar.co.uk