Even though it’s literally just around the corner from me, it was only recently that I sat down for a dinner at Hix Oyster and Chop House. I’d heard a lot about it, and plenty of very positive reviews. Unfortunately I didn’t bring my camera so this is one post you’ll just have to believe me.

Clerkenwell isn’t exactly full of life on a Sunday evening, so I was surprised that the restaurant filled up quite quickly. It definitely has an amicable charm to it, and the tables had plenty of space to give us lots of privacy. A lovely Scottish waitress seated us and helped guide us through the menu as they had a number of items I wasn’t particularly familiar with. Being true to its name, they had plenty of fish and steak with a meat board full of impressive looks cuts of beef (and lamb). I felt like some seafood so I ended up ordering the “Roast Dorset gurnard with brown shrimp butter”. Our waitress described it as very sad looking but a very satisfying fish.

I decided not to have any starters, as appealing as they looked because their desserts look just as appetising and I thought I’d only have room for one of them. They brought us a small loaf of crusty bread with some creamy butter, the perfect size for the three of us. Most breads are pretty average, but I have to admit that this one was particularly remarkable.

I’d never had a gurnard before but it was certainly a very meaty fish with plenty to fill me up. Combined with the rich tasty shrimp butter, I almost thought that I wouldn’t be able to have dessert. Almost. Oh, and the waitress was right. The fish did look pretty sad looking.

On the waitress’ recommendation, I ordered the blood orange and gin jelly with ice cream for dessert. It was a lot lighter than I imagined and the gin flavour wasn’t an overwhelmingly alcoholic flavour liked I know some jellies can be. Its only let down was really the ice cream that seemed more like an ice confection the way that it crumbled, rather than the creaminess it should really have.

Hix really impressed me. The entire meal including 1 starter, 3 mains, 2 desserts, tea, coffee, still water, and a bottle of wine cost the three of us £48.54 each. I think there would have been a 12.5% service charge as well but definitely worth it with the nice, friendly service our waitress gave us.

Name: Hix Oyster and Chop House
Address: 36-37 Greenhill Rents, Cowcross Street EC1M 6BN
Website: http://www.hixoysterandchophouse.co.uk/
The good: Great menu. Tasty food. Great service worth the 12.5%.
The not so good: Nothing that I can really think of.