Please note, Barbecoa Piccadilly is now closed. Time Out Food editors, March 2018.
The first thing that strikes you when you walk into this Piccadilly branch of Jamie Oliver’s meaty restaurant is that the boy’s bagged himself some extremely nice digs. Set across a couple of huge floors, the look is one of subtly masculine glam: low-slung velvet banquettes and art deco chandeliers. It’s big but not soulless. I take a seat downstairs near the semi-open kitchen and sink into that velvet. This is the kind of place that invites you to sit back and relax.
Barbecoa used to be all about the barbecue, but this menu has far less of that than I expected. A shame, because the barbecue dishes here are by far the best. Sticky Creole ribs came thick and juicy, studded with spring onions and garnished with an apple and kohlrabi slaw. Also great was a fat, well-charred fillet steak. The fish wasn’t as good. A cured sea bass ‘ceviche’ came all delicate and flowery, lacking any of ceviche’s customary zing and fire (just call it cured, no?). Lobster thermidor, too, was underwhelming. But stick to the red meat and this is a perfectly plush spot to have
a luxe lunch at mid-range prices.