I therefore suggested Studio6 as a place to eat with some old friends on a sunny August evening. The atmosphere was as welcoming as ever and the staff friendly, but this time the service was slow: we’d been there at least 15 minutes before someone offered us a drink, and longer before we could order food.
With my friend’s praises still ringing in my ears, I chose the buffalo mozzarella, tomato and basil salad – three of my favourite foods on one plate. I often make it myself, using generous helpings of fresh basil leaves, but never manage to get my hands on buffalo mozzarella. So I was looking forward to the soft, creamy texture of the cheese, suffused with the basil’s peppery flavour and delicate menthol aroma, and all complimented by some intense dressings. This simple dish can be heavenly.
Unfortunately, the salad proved to be completely bereft of basil, and the mozzarella was actually the bog-standard version pretending to be the buffalo kind. I felt betrayed; even getting some balsamic vinegar from the waiters required serious persistence.
I still had high hopes for my main: chargrilled 28-day dry-aged Angus rib eye steak, served with hand-cut chips. Yet the steak was well-done, though I had asked for it medium-rare, and it didn’t taste of much. To make matters worse, it was served with French fries – not, as the menu said, thick, hand-cut chips. Unwilling to disrupt the dinner by complaining, I stole some of the thick-cut chips which had arrived with my boyfriend’s burger. Whilst I was at it I tried a bite of his “homemade Angus burger in a brioche bun”, only to find it stone cold.
Perhaps we had just been unlucky, I thought. But when I asked the whole group how they’d liked their food, I received only a few polite ‘alrights’. Studio6 might be a good place for a drink and a snack on a sunny evening, but those seeking a gourmet dinner are likely to be disappointed.
The details:
Studio6
Gabriel’s Wharf
Southbank
56 Upper Ground
London
SE1 9PP