Oblix in the Shard offers unparalleled views of the city – and you’d hope so being perched on the 32nd floor of one of London’s most iconic buildings. Oblix West is the restaurant, where you walk in through a buzzy open kitchen, Oblix East is the cocktail bar, where you’ll often find live music or a DJ.

Our visit is for Sunday lunch and the place is suitably busy. It’s a fairly simple space letting the views do all the talking and although it’s grey and drizzly, we are still mesmerised. We start with a truffle flatbread with pancetta and ricotta (£19.50) which smells as good as it looks.

Is there anything better than a decent burrata? If so then I’m yet to find it. Here, it’s served with olives and datterini tomatoes (£15). A simple blend of great quality ingredients.

Steak tartare (£15) is mixed with diced beef tomato making for a much lighter texture – it’s almost like veal. Shards of sourdough crisps drizzled with olive oil sprinkled with salt are great for scooping up that lovely meat.

Fried octopus (£16) comes with avocado and that controversial herb which always splits the room, coriander. The tentacles have been treated well giving them a soft centre with charred crispy edges. The avocado puree is a particularly good bedfellow.

The main event is a bone in rib-eye for two (£100). It’s over 1kg of exquisite meat, I’m talking beef perfection, served medium which allows that fat to render down just enough. Match that with the serious crust on the outside and it’s heavenly. Served with Yorkshire puddings, beef fat roast potatoes and red wine gravy it’s my dream Sunday roast.

Another meaty treaty comes in the form of suckling pig. Three bundles of soft, sweet pig, sitting in a puddle of sage and cider sauce, are wrapped in the most glorious crackling – super salty to ensure a crunch like no other.

Oblix really seems to be hitting its stride at the minute. I remember my first visit, when it opened back in 2013, and it was the view that did all the wowing. Now, with a friendly and confident team serving simple but spot-on cooking, it’s the full package.

Would we go back? Yes

Oblixrestaurant.com
We dined as guest of the restaurant