If there was one cuisine I didn’t expect to be eating on a Monday night, its Scottish. Mac & Wild opened in Fitzrovia back in 2015 and being as successful as it seems to have looked, the brand has since gone on to opening a second permanent site on Devonshire Square earlier this year. Here in Fitzrovia on Great Titchfield Street, Mac & Wild is offering a gastronomic journey through the Scottish Highlands, with a few too many whiskeys along the way.
Of course no meal should start without a pre-drink and so we went with the most Scottish cocktail we could find on the menu – an Irn Bru Daiquiri. A mixture of Ron Matuselum Platino Rum, Irn Bru reduction, angostora bitters and a dash of lime. A lovely refreshing start to our evening outside on the terrace.
We chose two starters from the menu. One classic Scottish staple and the other straight out of the Highlands. Golden fried haggis pops were crunchy balls filled with haggis meat and served with a dipping sauce of the restaurants signature dipping sauce. An incredibly moreish bowl of food and one I could easily have enjoyed a second helping of. Also good was the venison tartare with pickled mushrooms, egg yolk puree, mustard and sliced croutons. I’m not sure I was quite blown over by this dish, but the meat was beautiful and it was still very satisfying.
Easily my highlight at Mac & Wild was this fabulous piece of beef chateaubriand. A really stunning piece of meat which tasted of the highest quality. Cooked to a perfect medium-rare, well-charred on the outside and seasoned to perfection. The bone marrow gravy was very good too, even if the cow looked like he wasn’t having as much fun.
Order a side of the charred leeks too, you won’t be disappointed. Juicy, full of flavour and smothered in a light mustard dressing.
I didn’t realise this until we sat down for dinner, but it turns out Mac & Wild are rather famous for their burgers. The Veni-Moo burger was voted London’s and the UK’s best burger back in 2016. A succulent beef and venison patty, cheese, bearnaise sauce, pickled and caramelised onions – all contained in a glossy brioche bun. I’ve certainly not had enough burgers across the UK to confirm if this really is the best, but it was certainly very good indeed.
We finished up our meal with a naughty dram of smokey Bunnahabhain 12yo whiskey and a good hearty classic – sticky toffee pudding. Rich, indulgent and drizzled with a whisky infused caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla on the top. A great way to end our meal and portion wise it was gargantuan in size.
I really did enjoy my meal at Mac & Wild and it was nice to see some good modern Scottish cooking in the heart of central London. The haggis is good, the steak is even better and the desserts big enough to send you into a food coma. If you’re looking for a whisky fuelled meal in Fitzrovia that won’t break the bank (though maybe your diet) then this restaurant is the perfect choice.
NB: My meal was complimentary. All views are as always, my own. My views are not influenced by anyone other than my own palate and slightly poor eyesight.
