The Hot Pink Grill is a new addition to the Broadway and proves that eco eating is not limited to bland concoctions of fibrous vegetables and un-pronounceable trendy grains.
The concept of Hot Pink is simplicity: 12 options of meats, fish and a decent supply of vegetarian options are cooked on an open grill. Choose a side, a sauce and enjoy.
At odds with the “hot” pink of the exterior, inside the wooden panelled walls and artfully placed ornaments give a relaxed and rustic ambience.
My guest and I had drinks with olives and cheesy popcorn to whet our appetite. I tried the Hot Pink lager which at 4.1% was light but full of flavour.
As a recycling addict I was pleased that all of the drinks are only served draught to save the unnecessary packaging of bottles.
Be warned: if you only drink your Pellegrino with mineral water ice cubes, this may not be the eatery for you.
We were brought a large carafe of “filtered London water”: which translates roughly as the stuff from the tap. Hot Pink doesn’t believe in bottled water due to the unnecessary restraints it puts on Mother Earth and I concur.
So it was with a clean conscious and rather smug smile at how deliciously green and eco my meal was about to be that we were served our main courses.
I opted for steak with sweet potato wedges, coleslaw and Hot Pink pesto. My guest chose a whole seabass with brown rice and lentils, coleslaw and garlic and herb sauce. We also shared a Caeser salad.
Our meals arrived on a rustic wooden tray and looked plentiful. My steak was cooked medium rare and whilst flavoursome was a little tougher than I would have preferred. The sweet potato wedges however, were seasoned perfectly and we both devoured them like hungry caterpillars on a fresh green leaf.
The whole seabass was crowned the winner of the evening: cooked so the fleshy and startlingly white interior remained succulent within a casing of crispy skin.
The coleslaw focused on the veggies and was lightly dressed; thankfully not drowning in lardaceous mayonnaise like some shop bought, cheaper varieties are.
Each of our mains with sides was a very reasonable £12, which particularly for the seabass we both thought rather good value.
The Ceaser salad was extra at £6 but was more than enough for two and I liked the attention to detail as they served those salty little anchovies in a separate dish.
For desert we opted for the chocolate brownie and honeycomb cheesecake. Both were served with frozen yogurt, though “skinny” custard or a hot drink is also a possible addition.
The brownie was dark, rich and chewy round the edges. The honeycomb cheesecake maintained a crunchy base with soft and creamy topping; divine.
The Hot Pink Grill left us feeling satiated and confident we had helped to save the planet just a tiny bit. Those with a health conscious can dine in good calorific faith but those who are due a feast can revel in the burgers and desserts.
Photo courtesy of jamailac, with thanks.
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