My heart sank further and further with every date and time availability that I clicked on. Fully booked. Fully booked. Fully booked. Hawksmoor had just released that news that they had had over 15,000 bookings in their 6 venues for the 13 days of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme and had released more slots.

I shut down my laptop, defeated. But the following day I tried again, and I emailed them and luckily they’d had a cancellation and a Monday slot had opened up. I didn’t care if I had previous plans, I was going to Hawksmoor.

REVIEW - DINNER AT HAWKSMOOR, EDINBURGH

Walking into the high ceiling, wood panelled, large bank that is now Hawksmoor, I can report that everything is still the same but with a few Covid tweaks here and there. There are now clear screens between each of the booths, tables have been removed thus less covers but it allows more space between people, some staff are wearing face masks and those that are not, talk to you from a 1m distance; you have a choice of printed menus or viewing it on your mobile phone and there are hand sanitising stations at the door and w/c’s.

One simply cannot visit Hawksmoor without clinking a cocktaill glass or two. Cocktails this evening included the Grapefruit Sgroppino (tequila, lime sorbet, grapefruit and salt); the Hawksmoor Old Fashioned (with butter infused Bourbon) and the Sour Cherry Americano (vermouth, campari, cherry juice and soda). We both could have drunk the Grapefruit Sgroppino’s all night; they’re tangy but clean and refreshing; and oh so drinkable!

Hawksmoors Eat Out to Help Out offer is their Rump Steak with fries and a sauce for £20, which with the EOTHO scheme, you get it for a tenner! What a bargain if only everything else on the menu wasn’t so tempting.

The first item that had to be ordered was the Macaroni Cheese. If you don’t order this, then there is no hope for you (hehe).

A little pot of cheesy goodness that will send every cheesey mac fans heart into a cheese flutter! The cheese strings on this baby were sensational. It was showing off from every angle!

The rump steak itself was absolutely beautifully cooked. They actually listened and whoever the chef is, most certainly knows what it means for a steak this thick to be cooked medium rare! Bravo Chef. The crust of the steak had caramelised perfectly with that lovely char grill on it giving it a caramel smokiness whilst the inside was pinky/red. It had been well rested as there was no juice on the plate - it was all contained within the steak. Again, bloody delicious.

We ordered the Cream Spinach and the Buttered Greens which I am sad to say remained mostly untouched as our eyes were much larger than our bellies and by the time we’d tucked into the mac n cheese, the chips and eaten that vast juicy steak, there was no room what so ever for the healthier stuff.

Now when I say there was no room, I mean there was no more room for main course food. We all have a separate dessert belly or big toe, and there was no way I was leaving without tucking into the BEST Sticky Toffee Pudding ever!

I’ve had this naughty number before and it’s truly is everything you want in a pudding. Let me try to describe it whilst doing it justice.

The sponge, in its entirety is soft, there is no crust; it’s just a soft delicate sponge of datey treacleness. The pool of toffee sauce flows like a silky toffee river and spoonful after spoonful continues to wrap around your mouth like a sweet sweet hug. The absolute crowning glory is the clotted cream. It’s cool and slow to melt; melting into the dark pool of caramel and soaking into the sponge. It’s dessert royalty!

There is a reason why Hawksmoor are so busy, it’s because their food is so darn consistently bloody great! Every aspect of every dish is meticulously placed and they aim for perfection using the best of local ingredients where possible.

Will I go back to Hawksmoor? Absolutely, time and time again.

Will I have the sticky toffee pudding? Hell yes, I might even have it as my starter!

Hawksmoor, 23 West Register, Edinburgh, EH2 2AA. Tel : 0131 526 4790 www.thehawksmoor.com/locations/edinburgh/

My Spoon Award : Tartan Spoon 10/10