Omnino Steakhouse

Set in the corporate district of London surrounded by city slickers and impressive suits sits Omnino Steakhouse. All gleaming glass and dark moody leather interiors this place screams luxury, yet despite the astute and wealthy neighbourhood within which it sits, Omnino is far from the stuffy show restaurant you might first expect. Inside there’s a mixed bunch; business men sip martinis over power lunches, while couples dine out next to old friends catching up over a good glass of red. Warm, welcoming and without pretense, Omnino caters not to a stereotype of its location but to a taste instead; a taste for great steak and good wine.

A Taste of Things to Come

Whether opting for a starter or not, Omnino ensures that every diner enjoys “more than just bread and butter”, serving up changeable amuse bouche courses as a prelude to the first course. Ours came in the form of a beautifully seasoned steak tartare, served on a slice of crisp, crusty bread. This course was a challenge having never quite wrapped our heads around the concept. Yet despite apprehensions we were left pleasantly surprised. The finely chopped beef delicacy was nothing like we could have imagined. Light and fresh the subtle taste of the steak was elevated by the addition of freshly made guacamole and the tangy burst of ripe cherry tomato. An explosion of flavour the tartare was a welcoming taste of things to come.

Let’s Get Started

“Restaurant rule 101: flavour, flavour and more flavour. If I’m visiting a restaurant I want my palette to be wowed by new and complex taste combinations and boy did Omnino’s Shrimp Ceviche deliver. Billed simply as tomato, pepper sauce, onion and coriander the basic description could not be further from the dish itself. As delicate and beautiful as it was flavoursome, the succulent meaty shrimp served in a gazpacho-esque soup of tomato and red onion was a marriage of citrus, salt and sour with a sweet aftertaste of the sea.”  – Jenna Jones

“Driven more by sweet than savoury, starters don’t normally blow me away, but having opted for the chorizo sausage served with charred courgettes and sweet Romero peppers I think I might just be a convert. Spicy, rich and with incredible depth the chorizo sausage is proof that it’s not just steak that Omnino do well. Presented beautifully, the colourful vegetables popped against the meaty colouring of the sausage and provided a feast for not just the palette but for the eyes too. The perfect balance of peppery and sweet the starter hit all of the right spots.” – Sophie Maguire

The Main Event

For Omnino steak is a serious affair, boasting partnerships with South American suppliers and ranches, the menu offers an extensive range of cuts and a kitchen team made up of self-professed steak enthusiasts. As steak lovers, but far from enthusiasts, we went into the situation relatively blind but thankfully our waitress provided us with an articulate and educated overview of the cuts on offer.

“Having heard great things about Wagyu beef I decided to go for the 300g ribeye. And advised to enjoy it either rare or medium rare I opted for the latter. Like a knife through butter the cut of meat melted in my mouth and it was evident from the first to last bite that the meat was prepared, cooked and served with the utmost respect and passion.” – Jenna Jones

“In my opinion you couldn’t come to Omnino and order anything other than steak. From the second you walk through the door you are overwhelmed by the quality of the education, expertise and passion the people here have about good steak. Having had a run through of the menu from our attentive and knowledgeable waitress Valentina I settled on my old favourite; fillet. A 250g Argentine fillet steak arrived in front of me cooked to utter perfection with a side of white truffle gnocchi, creamed spinach and hand cut chips. Washed down with two glasses of warm oaky Argentine Malbec, I could have eaten it again and again.” – Sophie Maguire

And for Afters

“After a protein and carb laden main my body was craving something delicate and light to cleanse my palette and curb my sweet tooth. Despite being tempted by a devilish Chocolate Torte and a Dulce De Leche Pancake complete with Chocolate Ice Cream I went for the Passion Fruit Mousse. The layers of sweet fluffy mousse folded between tangy passion fruit puree was just the right amount of sweet and sour and also just the right dessert to end a delicious meal.”  – Jenna Jones

“A chocoholic at heart there was no way I was leaving Omnino without sampling their famous chocolate torte and despite the fact my jeans were cutting into all the wrong places I couldn’t resist temptation. Layers of dark opulent chocolate cake topped with too good to be true Dulce De Leche caramel just melted in my mouth and the accompaniment of fresh strawberries, blueberries and a sharp coulis offered a welcomed burst of zesty flavour that lifted the richness of the torte. Naughty but oh so nice the dessert, which is a nod to owner and Head Chef Eduardo’s mother, didn’t disappoint.”  – Sophie Maguire

Words by Jenna Jones and Sophie Maguire