MASH (permanently closed)

Address: 77 Brewer Street , London, W1F 9ZN, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)207 734 2608
Website: view MASH’s website

Style: Restaurant bar
Food: Set menu

Not the return of Oliver Peyton's Mash, but an abbreviation of Modern American Steakhouse and a Danish concept. Part of the £300m monumental retail and office development in Piccadilly that includes Bar Americain and Brasserie Zedel (the former Atlantic Bar & Grill), a Whole Foods Market and a host of other swanky shops, MASH takes up a gargantuan basement. The extravagant, open plan Art Deco-styled room boasts a large island bar which seems to have been equipped with a checklist of everything current and trendy (special sink for block ice, small barrels for aging, expensive under-bar equipment, multiple stations) and a seemingly blank chequebook. Dividing the bar area from the dining room are two large, moisture-controlled fridges containing huge chunks of USDA Prime cuts, like a carnivorous installation at an art gallery.

On the cocktail list you'll a wide-ranging collection of old familiars, house twists and some original flavour matchings: we tried a Dry Martini, New York Sour, Classic Daiquiri made with barrel-aged rum and the Gottlieb's Favourite, which pairs rye with maple syrup, cherry wine, chocolate bitters and beer (all at around £11). The smartly uniformed bartenders are clearly technically competent as they made us balanced, tasty drinks, though the experience was let down by a distinct lack of charm, warmth and welcome. Hopefully these are teething problems and the venue will probably benefit from becoming more lived-in and the staff more relaxed, but on this first visit the space felt very large, lacking in character, almost clinical in its sparkling perfection. We were also left wondering what exactly was 'modern' about MASH.