Dining in London needs to be fun, exciting and entertaining. At Elysium we are keen to try restaurants which give you the edge when it comes to entertaining – we recently visited Heliot Steak House at the Hippodrome Casino. Did we enjoy the steak as much as wining on roulette? Read on to find out.

 

The Look, The Feel

Heliot is based in the Hippodrome Casino, right in the center of the west end. Easy to find in Leicester Square and always buzzing with excitement. The casino is no different, visiting mid-week, there were a flurry of groups betting big on the floor.

 

Filled with stories, we were treated to a history lesson for the venue – theatre land’s original venue. Opened in 1900 by the renowned theatre architect Frank Matcham as a circus variety theatre, the Hippodrome featured a 100,000 gallon tank in which polar bears and sea lions would swim. A first in London.

 

Heliot overlooks the casino floor, plenty of seats to get you in the mood for entertaining or simply watching some of the sports in the bar adjacent to the restaurant. It certainly felt like a place to have a goodtime and, with that, we were ready to start.

 

 

The Goats Cheese Lollipops (£7) were a great recommendation – certainly popular with the regulars as we could see. Rich ingredients with great, fresh, flavor. The Smoked Salmon (£8) was another recommendation which certainly demonstrated that Heliot would not simply be known as a somewhere to get steak. A great selection of starters to wet our appetite ahead of the steak.

 

The Main Event

Steak was certainly going to be one of our choices at the restaurant – the Rib Eye (£28) was a perfect cut and the test would be the request to ensure it was cooked medium-well. Served with a choice of sauces, we opted for the luxurious truffle sauce. The kitchen did well to ensure the outside was well done with a thin line of pink through the middle. The beef was great and Heliot are certainly proud of using the USDA prime beef; testament to the fact it wants all patrons to enjoy the casino and the food.

 

As an alternative, we also requested the Lamb Cutlets (£15) with some sides to see if it was only the beef the regulars came to eat. The Lamb was fantastic – juices flowing with the jus gras and succulent meat made it a perfect alternative for anyone not keen on a steak.

 

 

There was just enough room for a dessert and we opted for another Heliot favourite, the Chocolate Kahlua (£6.50). A perfect chocolate dessert to treat the senses before heading to the casino floor. The staff remained attentive throughout the evening and, despite it being busy, were on hand to recommend dishes and a number of wine paring options with the steak. The Discerning gent has no need to worry about the wine selection on offer at Heliot – it is vast and tailored to the steak options.

 

Verdict

Heliot steak house certainly packs a punch – its not hard to see why it has a number of regulars, you can enjoy the casino and not need to go far for a quality evening meal. The surroundings are designed to amaze and the atmosphere is certainly one that gets you excited. If you are looking for a new steakhouse and are not keen on the usual chains, try Heliot Steak House; you will not be disappointed.

 

 

Rating

Food: 4/5 stars

Ambience: 5/5 stars

Venue: 4/5 stars

 

Contact: 

Address: Hippodrome Casino, Cranbourn Street, Leicester Square, WC2H 7JH

Reservations: 0207 769 8844 or London_reservations@togrp.com

Website: http://www.hippodromecasino.com/restaurant-bars-lounges