Mr White’s Leicester Square Halal Steakhouse

Leicester Square has not been most known for good food. If anything, it’s been mostly tourist traps and you’re much better off by tucking into Soho or walking down to Covent Garden instead. But that might just start to change with this addition of a halal-friendly steakhouse at the heart of Leicester Square. It’s a big name as well – Mr White’s, by the one and only Marco Pierre White.

They have just opened this December and was offering a 50% discount during their first 2 weeks of soft launch. My birthday happened to be on the very last day of their soft launch so we decided to enjoy a good little deal to celebrate.

Mr White’s Leicester Square: London Halal Steakhouse

Marco Pierre White was the first British chef to be awarded three Michelin stars and dubbed as the ‘first celebrity chef’. He has multiple restaurants and branches all across the nation but it’s been a decade since he had a restaurant in London’s West End. This new branch of Mr White’s steakhouse takes on the very prime location in Leicester Square next to the Odeon Luxe – yes, bang on in the middle of the most touristy location of West End. The restaurant features a lovely interior, with a classic New York-style grill house ambience. The staff were very friendly as well and made sure we’ve been well taken care of.

Mr White’s Leicester Square offers a separate halal menu. It isn’t huge but offers steak and pizza options, as well as a few starters, side dishes, and desserts. A non-alcoholic section is also available on the drinks menu.

The Food: What We Ordered

Date of visit: December 2021

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Passionfruit Reviver (£8.95)

Starting off, the other half ordered the Passionfruit Reviver mocktail which was fruity and tangy to open up the palate. If you enjoy a touch of tropical vibes in your drinks, this is a fairly good pick. Though we did feel it’s slightly pricey for what it is.

Tomato Garlic Bread (£6.95)

There weren’t too many starter options to choose from on the halal menu and we went with the tomato garlic bread. It came straight out of the oven and filled our table with the lovely aroma of freshly baked bread. The crispy crust enveloped the warm and incredibly fluffy interior of the bread. Flavour-wise, it was decent – the garlic butter was relatively subtle in my opinion and the tomato sauce was okay. The tomatoes weren’t bursting with flavours but, as mentioned, decent. The quality of the bread itself definitely shone more here in the dish. I think it’s a fair indication that the pizzas at Mr White’s Leicester Square should be pretty good too.

28-Day Aged Ribeye Steak (£26.50)

There are only two steaks to choose from on the halal menu. Whether you go with the Ribeye or Butcher Steak, they both come with cherry tomatoes, Koffman fries, and a choice of either bearnaise sauce or garlic butter. We both ordered the Ribeye steak with bearnaise sauce.

The steak quality was generally good, filled with beefy umami at every bite. However, some parts were a bit chewy which wasn’t ideal. By standard, the steak comes in medium-rare, which is what I normally go for but there were bits that were a little too raw to my liking and they were generally the bits that I find too chewy.

The accompanying fries were great – perfectly seasoned, and in golden crispiness. As for the bearnaise sauce, it’s a bit too thick and almost mayo-like. It’s quite tangy but not much more flavours in there apart from that.

Green Salad, Truffle Dressing (£4.50)

For some additional side dishes, we had the green salad in truffle dressing. Not much to comment on here as they were fairly standard salad leaves. I enjoyed the truffle dressing, which was fragrant and tasty. But it’s nothing outstandingly special at the same time either.

Buttered Green Peas (£4.50)

Another side dish we got was the buttered peas. As far as British peas go, it’s not bad. The other half felt that they needed to be cooked a little longer for a softer texture, whereas I thought the texture was absolutely fine. The butter taste was relatively mild and I did feel it needed an extra touch of salt and pepper – but that’s an easy fix with the salt & pepper from the table.

Restaurant Review Summary

All in all, it was an enjoyable experience at Mr White’s Leicester Square. Part of me finds it a bit underwhelming since it’s a restaurant with a celebrity restauranteur tag. But that aside, overall I think it’s decent given its prime location and fairly reasonable pricing. With Zelman Meats Soho‘s closure last year, it sort of fills the gap for a halal steakhouse in central London. We’re not looking to rush back again but should we have a movie/theatre date night in West End, Mr White’s could be an option. If we do return, I would definitely be looking to try the marinated steak pizza next time round.

Tel: 020 3141 9994
Website: https://www.mpwrestaurants.co.uk/our-brands/mr-whites/leicester-square
Instagram: mrwhiteslondon

Nearest station: Leicester Square / Piccadilly Circus