Name: CAU St Katherine Docks
Address: Commodity Quay, London, Wapping, E1W 1AZ, UK
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7264 5312
Rating: 8

I’m a big fan of Gauchos but it’s a little pricey for regular use so I was excited to hear that Cau (which has branches in Blackheath, Cambridge, Guildford, Henley, Kingston, Tunbridge Wells and Wimbledon) was opening its first Central London restaurant – especially as it is in St Katherine’s Dock.

The area is well served by the chains – there’s Café Rouge, Cote, Ping Pong, Strada, Slug & Lettuce and Zizzis (with a lovely garden). My local contacts tell me that there’s a nice upmarket tapas there too (Brava) and a tiny Japanese/Peruvian place (Amaru) and that Tom’s Kitchen is good – albeit a little expensive.

First impressions of Cau were positive. There’s a lively vibe (upbeat pop tunes of various decades and a welcoming hum of conversation) and it’s really modern – aluminium and shiny white corrugated effect walls, vast grass wall murals and – at the back – this changes to happy blue skies with fluffy white clouds where there are some white leather open booths which would be great for a party.

The clientele

The front section was pretty busy and there was a varied clientele – groups of relaxed business folk (the City is but five minutes’ walk away), friends in pairs and small groups and even a family with a small person (there’s a kids’ menu and high chairs available). There were some animated tourists having a whale of a time at the bar (with cloud shaped lights above them) too. It’s friendly. As it grew darker the view of the lights over the water added to the atmosphere.

The menu

The menu is impressive and extensive. It’s good to be in a place that specialises in steaks (from £13.95 and there’s also a feasting plate at £84.95 with three 400g cuts) that offers a good variety of other options – both fish and other meats (e.g. Spatchcock chicken £11.95, burgers from £10.95) as well as vegetarian options (e.g. beetroot ravioli £9.95, garden risotto £9.95). They offer a Sunday roast option too £15 per person between 12pm and 6pm.

Drinks

There’s a wide selection of drinks – cocktails (from £6.25), white and red wines (from £4.75 a glass), a separate section on Malbecs (from £5.95) as well as beers and smoothies, shakes and soft drinks. Salta Clericot (an Argentine version of sangria) is available for £5.25 a glass or £10.50 for a jug.

We chose a bottle of Animado Torrontes Argentine white for £24.50 which was really excellent – light but with body. I thanked my companion – who has spent time in Argentina – for the recommendation. Not sure about the rubber grips on the water glasses though.

Excellent starters

The small plates or starters were the highlight of the meal for me. They were well presented but in an understated way. My companion’s salt and pepper squid (£5.95) was light and crispy and you could manage the heat by how much chilli you ate with it. Wasn’t sure about the accompanying dip.

My Picada (£7.95) was truly excellent – three cuts of meat, all arranged beautifully with swirls of cucumber and lightly marinated artichoke (a mustard glaze?) with slivers of deliciously salty ricotta cheese piled onto crispy, thin bread with a sprinkling of capers. I could have eaten that all evening.

Perfect steak and hearty chips

I’d requested my tuna (£15.25) well done and it was a solid piece of pepper crusted firm fish. The salad was all bright green and vibrant reds with an assertive glaze.

My companion’s sirloin (£14.95) was cooked to perfection. It melted in your mouth. She was very happy. The side salad of rocket, fennel and salted ricotta (£2.95) was unnecessary but I was pleased to have another opportunity to eat that amazing ricotta. The triple cooked chunky chips (£2.95) were super-hot and crispy. Carb heaven.

Desserts

We were replete. And even the dulce de leche pancakes (£5.50) didn’t tempt us. But we were persuaded to share a cornflake ice cream sundae (£5.95) and we were very glad that we were.

Knowledgeable service with a smile

The waitress was very friendly and helpful. She certainly knew her steaks (even the percentage fat content and best way to have it cooked) and helped my companion choose an appropriate cut. She advised me to have my tuna cooked rare but I overruled. She took it with good grace but was probably right.

The service was super-fast – with mains arriving almost immediately we finished our starters. But I am sure that the pace could be slowed if you indicated that you weren’t in a hurry.

Overall I really liked the relaxed atmosphere and ambience and the utter lack of pretension. The décor was modern and that view is unbeatable. But most of all I liked the value for money – the same good quality steaks you might get at Gaucho but at a fraction of the price, with lots of other reasonably priced menu options and all well cooked and presented. It’s a winner as far as I’m concerned and anticipate that it will become a firm favourite amongst the locals and the nearby City community.

CAU St Katherine Docks

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