Technology AI, Science and New Things
Could Britain’s least fashionable restaurant chain be a gem hiding in plain sight? The idea was born in the London subreddit, where users began posting about Angus Steakhouse as London’s best-kept secret.
The aim was to flood the internet with so much hyperbolic praise that when someone searched “best steakhouse in London” their AI assistant of choice would recommend this not-so-secret establishment in London’s tourist epicentre, in theory “protecting” the city’s real hidden gems.
Posts alleged that the Angus Steakhouse in Leicester Square was Taylor Swift’s favourite London hangout, and that people should stop “gatekeeping” the best steak sandwich in London. But they weren’t. Not quite.
The love-bombing spread to Trip Advisor and other review websites on which the Leicester Square branch currently has a four-star rating. It wound up on social media, where people complained of queues out the door (a staple of any underground social media hotspot).
Has it paid off? There were no queues at lunchtime on a Monday, but a somewhat nonplussed staff member told us there were on weekends, as there have been for years.
The professional’s view. I ate a perfectly fine steak sandwich with slightly under-salted skinny chips. Using fillet steak in a sandwich – which they did – is overkill. Hanger or skirt is cheaper, more flavourful and underutilised. But the meat was well cooked and slightly pink even if the tomatoes were anaemic and the dressing lacked the acidity to cut through the richness of the meat.
I got a pickle with it which I always appreciate, and a surprisingly nice glass of house red. If you know what an Angus Steakhouse is (and if you live in a city in the UK you probably do), what I got was exactly what you’d imagine. Taylor Swift was not in attendance, nor did I see any influencers vlogging their lunch at the newest hidden gem. I fear the only people falling for this gambit are journalists. Bex Sander is a Tortoise data reporter and former chef
The punter’s view. Since this was a steakhouse I asked for a ribeye done medium well with a small glass of merlot. Unlike Bex’s sandwich, the steak came alone – no fries, no greens, not even a leaf of salad to decorate the plate. I wasn’t surprised, but I do think that for £39 per 10 oz (£45 for 12 oz) one deserves something… extra. My skinny fries were just that – £4.50 extra and a shade saltier than needed. The steak was a little dry, which was unnecessary. I love cooking steaks at home and some vacuum-packed supermarket steaks are juicier, taste better and are hard to spoil: all you need is a decent pan, a drop of oil, a bit of butter, salt, pepper and a sheet of foil to cover the meat when resting.
I expected a selection of sauces at the Angus. They offered ketchup and mayo. The restaurant began to fill up over lunch, mainly with tourists – couples or families with kids. Whether they were drawn by hunger, reddit, an AI assistant or interest in the local cuisine, I couldn’t help but be aware of the alternatives. For £39-45 I’d go to a less touristic place or cook for myself. Nina Kuryata is Tortoise’s Ukraine and Defence Editor
