After the madness of London Fashion Week, the promise of a delicious meal was the antidote that I needed to get through the day. I was stressed out-as usual- and flapping around like a mad hen because things were not going to plan. In short it was a typical Saturday and organization was not my strong suit. Still, armed with my power squad of girls- Cherrie, Lucy (Lucy Ellen) , Christine (Xtine Loves) and Anna ( On The Edge Blog) , I knew that Saturday night was about to get ‘lit’. I just had to de-stress first and after a delay with events, I was late for my scheduled meal at 4 PM and felt anxious about it. I am a pretty punctual kinda gal and being late is not something I tend to be associated with very often so I was worried that this would effect our time slot at Barbecoa . I needn’t have worried, the staff at Barbecoa, ST Paul’s were surprisingly lovely about it and ushered us to a table overlooking ST Paul’s Cathedral. The decor was minimalist but impressionable and armed with menus we were ready to be treated to a delicious slap up meal. Because we had arrived before 5 PM there was a special three course meal ‘Lunch menu’ which listed three courses for £27, but sadly I was unable to order off this menu as there was no vegetarian main. One thing that I noticed after looking at the menu was how little vegetarian options there were and ended up having to order vegetarian sides to create a ‘main meal’ as the only main meal option was ‘cod’ or ‘celeraic’, neither of which I could have. Still choosing two sides of Truffle Mac ‘n’ Cheese (£7) and Spiced Pumpkin (£4) I was nevertheless looking forward to my meal.
Spiced Pumpkin Side Dish
Both Anna and Christine opted to skip starters and treat themselves to a rack of ribs (£20), smothered in jalapenos , while Lucy ordered the ‘smoked grilled chicken’ (£19) and Cherrie ordered the beef cheek main (£22). The ‘rib plates’ came out first, smothered in New York Slaw and jalepeno peppers and immediately I noted how large their portions were. First impressions were good, both stated that the ribs were tender and melted in their mouths but stated that more seasoning was needed to compliment the tenderness of the ribs. The jalapenos added much needed flavour to Christine’s ribs , while Anna who does not like spice preferred hers without. After witnessing the enormity of the ribs plate, seeing Cherrie’s and Lucy’s mains were a little bit of a shock and looked minuscule in comparison. What they lacked in size however they sure made up for in flavour and both parties praised the juiciness of the cuts of meat on their plates. For Cherrie the beef cheek accompanied by pickled walnuts and Worcestershire Glaze was very tender and praised Barbecoa’s use of prime cut meats. The only critique which seemed to be a running theme was there was not enough seasoning and stated that ‘people who expect lots of flavor’ may be disappointed but nevertheless she enjoyed her main immensely, especially the ‘juicy’ beef. While seasoning seemed to be a common critique Lucy’s smoked chicken was a meal which she declared had more than enough flavour, although she noted that there were too many bones in the chicken to pick out, meaning that there was less chicken on her plate.
Rack of Ribs
Despite the lack of seasoning, my vegetarian sides proved to be an anomaly in the selection and while small, packed plenty of flavour and punch. The truffle mac n’ cheese was served in a small clay side dish and wafted tantalizingly underneath my nose, conjuring up memories of eating this Italian favourite growing up. Topped with a Gruyere Crumble, the cheese crust was thick but had layers of flavour. Notes of Gruyere rang through, while a sharp hint of cheddar in the bechemal sauce, enveloped the macaroni in an invitation of warmth. I only wisgh that the side was larger as I would have happily scoffed the lot, especially as it wasn’t too creamy as many mac ‘n’ cheese’s can be. The roasted pumpkin was served with pickled spices and labneh, in a small dish and was hopelessly divine. The fragrant scent of roasted pumpkin reminded me of cold winter soups, while the labneh created a stark ‘tart’ contrast to the softness of the sweet pumpkin. While the meat mains may have not had enough seasoning, the two sides I ordered had plenty of flavour to sate my culinary appetite and I was blissfully content with my small but delicious meal.
Truffle Mac ‘n’ Cheese
To wash down our mains/sides we all ordered drinks; Anna and Lucy ordered the Le Pianure Bianco, a white Italian wine (£6) that merged a fine ‘balance’ of ‘sweetness’ and ‘tartness’ perfectly, Cherrie a oak aged beer (£5.50), Christine a cocktail named ‘Sons & Roses’ (£10), while I stuck with my go to cocktail, a delicious original mojito, also £10. Cherrie described her beer as being light and fragrant and praised its ability to transcend other beers, which often left her feeling bloated in comparison. Christine’s drink was very small and looked more like a shot than a cocktail but with one taste it was easy to see why. Sons & Roses is not for the faint hearted and one sip left me gagging to escape back to the comfort of my delicious fruity mojitio. For those who are a fan of strong alcohol, the cocktail is made with a bourbon base and laced with maraschino syrup, to lend sweetness to the mini drink. While pricey for the quantity of alcohol it certainly made Christine tipsy, proving how strong the percentage of alcohol was. Thank god it was so small, any more and she might have been on the floor. But the crowning jewel was undoubtedly the mojito which blended crushed ice, fresh mint and rum to create the perfect Faded Spring approved cocktail.
L-R- Mojito, Sons ‘n’ Roses, Oak Aged Beer, White Wine
It is worthy to note that the staff were definitely paramount to creating the perfect dining experience and were always on hand if we needed to order or had a query about their dishes. While the others had not ordered starters, they had ordered ‘beef dripping chips which proved to be the lowlight of the meal. All parties stated that the chips were dry and appeared to have been re-fried several times and asked for the chips to be changed. The staff were ready to provide a fresh batch and seemed non-plussed about the change in itinerary, despite me knowing how frustrating it must have been for them, having worked in the hospitality industry before. Unfortunately the chips came back very quickly and looked even drier than the first batch and I felt slightly embarrassed that we had to send them back again. Fortunately the third batch proved to be the lucky charm and was a moister selection of chips, where you could actually taste the beef dripping. It was time to order deserts, at least for me and Cherrie and I couldn’t wait to have a sweet treat to end my day. Christine joked with the waiter that it was my birthday and to my surprise my ‘Snickersphere’ arrived on a black chalkboard with the words ‘Happy Birthday’ which I thought was a sweet touch, even if it wasn’t actually my birthday. I have to admit for £9,50 the desert was minuscule and believe it should be charged at a lower price considering the size. Nevertheless the peanuts and salted caramel were delicious and although the vanilla ice cream melted quickly, the ‘popping candy’ kernels were a welcome if a little strange surprise. Cherrie had decided on the sticky toffee pudding, which at £8 was larger and had plenty of flavour. Paired with ice cream and tangerine marmalade the desert was tart but did not compromise on flavour.
The Snickersphere
Sticky Toffee Pudding
It had been a wonderful evening and thanks to the generosity of Barbecoa we had been gifted a meal free of charge, which was a delicious rare treat. While the sizes were small, the flavours for the most part were artfully curated and the craftsmanship of our alcoholic ‘drinks’ presentation was a strength that Barbecoa excelled in. Food was fresh and well made and despite ‘chips gate’, staff were professional, compliant and always ready to help with a winning smile. With the right company any meal can be a success and Barbecoa’s ability to host us and accommodate our preferences was a joy to behold. My one personal critique would be the lack of vegetarian options and although I know Barbecoa specializes in ‘meat’ dishes, having a better variety of ‘main’ vegetarian and vegan meals would boost the overall dining experience.
L-R- Cherrie, Lucy, Christine, Me & Anna
L-R Christine, Me, Anna
Overall Rating: 7.5/10
Photo Credit- Christine Wenham ( Xtine Loves)
Have You Ever Been To Jamie’s Barbecoa?
*Disclosure
Please note I was given a budget, provided generously by Jamie Oliver’s Barbecoa, ST Paul’s Cathedral. All thoughts and opinions are my own. For more details on my disclosure policy please contact me using the contact form provided.
The food looks really good. That mac & cheese is RIGHT up my alley – it’s one of my all time favorites.
These dishes are amazing idea for an amazing dinner, Ana!
Jamie Olivers restaurant here in Stockholm is really one of my favorite! I went there many times. I think the concept is really good and I love Italian food.
Yum. Truffled mac and cheese sounds devine! Love your power squad too!
The food looks amazing – although I have never tried pumpkin before!
How lovely to have a chance to review this restaurant. The photos of you are just lovely, I am glad you had a good meal.
It looks a great place, I would have gone for the vegetarian options too. They sound delicious. Kaz 🙂
That mac ‘n’ cheese is everything. Honestly made my stomach rumble a little just looking at it! Also, I love that they brought out a dessert with Happy Birthday on it (even though it wasn’t your birthday!!) 😀
I’ve never been to Jamie Oliver’s Barbecoa before, but I’d love to. The food looks so good!
Telina | Love, Telina
I would love to go there, that rack of ribs and the truffle mac n cheese look amazing.
Wow the food realky looks amazing and u look like u had a wonderful time
I love Jamie Oliver – and mac and cheese!
At first, I thought it was going to be some super healthy restaurant… the pumpkin looks amazing! And then you won me over with mac and cheese! Ha! A perfect balance of all the right foods.
It’s really too bad they didn’t have more vegetarian options for the mains, though your sides really did look delicious. The truffled mac n cheese would have been perfect if it would have been a bit bigger. Everyone else’s food looked delicious as well and the restaurant seems fantastic. Glad you had such a good time x
You had me at JAMIE OLIVER! The food looks delicious!
The food looks amazing, but what a shame there wasn’t a great vegatarian option.
I’ve not been before but the food looks delicious especially the spiced pumpkin dish – putting it on my list of places to try!
Wow, looks like an amazing place to visit. The food looks fab. I’ve never been before, but those foodie pics are tempting me 🙂 x
Check out the ribs! They look amazing! We would be happy with that menu as we are meat eaters x
That mac and cheese sounds delicious. Shame there was not more of a choice for you though
I’m glad you were treated to a nice experience, it makes all the difference when the staff are accommodating doesn’t it. It is a shame about the lack of vegetarian dishes though.
You ladies look fabulous and what a great treat. I’ve not had a chance to go, but after seeing these pics and that truffle mac and cheese I’m Defo game x
I’ve always liked Jamie Oliver. It looks like the food there is good even if it’s a little inconsistent. Being the foodie that I am I would still very much like to try this if I were in the area!
The pictures look terrific, Ana. We have a Jamie Oliver’s near the office. Love the food but the price is a bit on the high side for us. Only for special occasions. 🙂
As a food blogger I’m always looking for inspiration and I love reading posts about restaurants. They have some of the best things! The truffle mac and cheese looks like it was amazing! ps: Your hat! Super cute and fun. And I can’t wait to check out some of the other blogs your linked to
I’ve never been here before, it’s a shame there wasn’t just one or two vegetarian options even if they specialise in meat x
I had the ribs when I visited Barbecoa recently and loved them. Shame about the lack of vegetarian options though x
The food look delicious even though as you said a few of the dishes a little bit lack of seasoning. Friendly and helpful staff is a great additional to give good experience to the guess of the restaurant. You ladies look gorgeous.
Everything looks good! And delicious! If you’d ask me what were my favorites, I’d choose the ribs (yum!) and the dessert. Those ribs are just mouthwatering.
This looks amazing! I love the sound of the spiced pumpkin. Will definitely check this out as the view sounds perfect!
Oh gosh the truffled mac and cheese! My addiction! And in Australia his restaurants aren’t expensive at all. For me it’s a great night out, but I’m not vegetarian. 🙂
I have never been to a Jamie’s Italians before, I really should as there is a one in Newcastle that I keep hearing great things about. Your meal looks lovely x
The restaurant sounds lovely and so does the food. I’m always looking out for suggestions for when we visit London. We know a nice hotel near by too so will have to give the restaurant a try.
I’ve never been but OMG that spiced pumpkin looks delish!!
The food looks very delicious Ana. I can see you had a great time.
It might be morning but I am now really wanting to eat truffle Mac n Cheese, for me that is comfort food in a bowl x
The food was delicious, I really enjoyed it. I really wanna go back and try that truffle mac&cheese, I just had a small bite and that was enough to love it.
Ooh we have never been to a Jamies before although we have one close by. Looks yummy
That looks like a fabulous meal. I’ve not tried Barbecoa before but I’ll add it to my list.
I always watched Jamie Oliver’s television show. Makes simple dish yet irresistibly delicious. I want to try Truffle Mac ‘n’ Cheese, looks tasty!
I can only imagine how GORGEOUS the view was overlooking ST Paul’s Cathedral!! The food looks absolutely amazing, I’d love to try The Snickersphere – Yum!
Oo this all looks delicious! I’ve not been to any of the Jamie Oliver restaurants, but this looks just the kind of place I love!
Helen x
I’ve never been here before, but it sounds and looks incredible! Just my kind of food 🙂
I’ve only ever been to one Jamie Oliver restaurant, this one looks great and the food sounds amazing, but it’s a shame there was so few vegetarian options. You all look gorgeous though and it sounds like you had fun!