MEATmarket, a preview. Jubilee Market Hall Covent Garden, Tavistock Street London WC2E 8BE
The entrance was a little tricky to find…
It was only a matter of time, MEATliquor has a new little sister, possibly a half-sister, MEATliquor at Jubilee Market Hall, Covent Garden. We went along to the preview last Friday and my hangover has only recently left my body.
From the people behind the Meatwagon van, #meateasy and MEATliquor comes the next permanent installment. It’s a bit tricky to find, the entrance is on Tavistock street and in their typical style it has a slightly seedy entrance, but that’s what it’s all about. I have to say despite knowing a bit of background information, it wasn’t what we expected, it’s certainly different to our beloved MEATliquor and the original #meateasy, but we still had the same level of excitement about it, those burgers are amazing, Yianni & Scott certainly know what they’re doing. The restaurant runs down a narrow balcony overlooking Jubilee Market. I wondered if the bright lighting was just to stop bloggers flashes going off in the dark.
Just a small selection of what will be on offer… Photo courtesy of Hot Dinners
We were all asked to bring stickers… We brought printouts, sorry Scott it’s the best we could manage!
The menu wasn’t quite finished yet, this was just a trial run, so there was just a choice of the famous Dead Hippy £7.50, Philly Cheesesteak £8, new Black Palace and Double Bubble both £7.50. The only difference between these last two seems to be the onions, grilled on the Black Palace… Bright magnetic letters on the menu boards that reminded me of Union Jacks are crying out to be played with, we wrote the filthiest words we could think of.
Wonder who that ‘Tattooed baldy’ could be?
The set-up is very fast foody, it’s not the kind of place you’d come for an entire night, well we wouldn’t anyway, MEATliquor is so much better for that. This is for when you’re shopping in Covent Garden and craving a burger for lunch, more truck stop than dive bar. Although I wouldn’t recommend the cocktails if you have to go back to work. The Miami Nice £6, a swirled up Pina Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri is simply dangerous, or maybe that’s just because I had five. A sweet iced drink mixed in those big slush-puppy machine tank things and served in the same paper cups in which I have my morning coffee at work.
It’s called MEATmarket for a reason…
The perfect yin-yang of Pina Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri
Ordering is done at the counter, and collected from there also. I went for the Black Palace (no cheese), and Fries £3. Ade had the Philly Cheesesteak £8, shaved rump steak, onions peppers and cheese with fries, it reminded me a bit of a fajita in a bun. The fries are actually almost enough for two, it was a battle to eat them all but a battle we both won. Slightly too salty, maybe that’s why I had so many Miami Nices but the best crunch of all the chips I’ve had from them.
Poppers £4, breaded deep-fried jalapeño peppers oozing with cheese were Ade’s favourite. Our friends also had burgers, no one went for the Ripper £7, a hot dog covered in bacon and deep-fried. And I doubt any of them would’ve ordered one without cheese so I wouldn’t have been able to try it anyway. Gutted, maybe next time.
Below us the market traders were packing up and then setting up (and trying to look up my skirt) so it made for a pretty noisy environment especially for the poor waitresses shouting out order numbers, they possibly need a solution for this. We really want to come back to try the new Corn Dog (have never had one before) and when the New York Shake Shack style soft-serve ice cream/frozen yogurt machine is up and running. These ice-creams will be served with an optional shot of Jagermeister, my sister would love that!
Me and my ‘concrete’ at Shake Shake in Madison Square Park (NYC)
A welcome addition to Covent Garden, and the good news is the queues should be shorter than the ridiculous ones at MEATliquor, each burger takes about five minutes to cook from fresh and they’ve specifically gone for smaller patties in double burger style to help keep the queues shorter, and takeout will be an option too. Maybe one day they’ll deliver, imagine that!
MEATmarket
www.themeatmarket.co.uk
Jubilee Market Hall
Covent Garden, London
(entrance on Tavistock Street)
WC2E 8BE
Monday to Sunday from 12-11pm
020 7224 4239
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