The Marco Pierre White Restaurant on the fifth floor of Lincoln’s DoubleTree by Hilton dominates the skyline of Brayford Wharf and offers some pretty incredible steaks!

Five Storeys Up, The Marco Pierre White Restaurant, located on the uppermost floor of the DoubleTree by Hilton Lincoln, enjoys spectacular views. The Castle and Cathedral are clearly visible to the north-west whilst some of the skyline’s newer features – the International Bomber Command Centre’s memorial spire and the University of Lincoln – can be seen looking south.

As late afternoon turned into evening, the city was bathed in a lovely afternoon light known by photographers as the golden hour for the slightly honey-coloured hue it casts over buildings and landscapes.

The Marco Pierre White Restaurant is indeed a superb vantage point from which to admire a city we all know to be very pretty indeed. But the city itself wasn’t my favourite view that afternoon.

Having photographed a couple of starters, we were ready for the main event, and the kitchen asked if we were ready for one of its flagship dishes, the 16oz Tomahawk steak pictured opposite.

We think you’ll agree it’s a handsome beast, designed for two to share and best enjoyed with a really good full-bodied red. For a few reverent moments I just stopped to admire its consistent marbling of fat, the big chunky chips and glossy bright young tomatoes.

Steak is one of those dishes that most people can cook to some extent, but to reference the adverts from a certain premium British retailer of clothing and food, this is not just steak… it’s a steak cooked by Gary Griffiths and the team, designed to elevate an already promising dish into truly great one.

“Being affiliated with Marco Pierre White means we can utilise some of his favourite suppliers like Campbell Brothers, which specialises in 28-day dry-aged beef with Scottish or UK traceability,” says Gary.

“We offer eight or 16oz sirloin steaks, and my preferred cuts, our six or 12oz fillet steaks which are consistently lovely and lean. We do also offer a 10oz rib-eye option, which some diners prefer since the marbling of fat is generally regarded to render down for a fuller flavour, but honestly, I think all of our steaks are superb, and cooked well, they’ll all prove really satisfying.”

“We bring each of our steaks up to room temperature and then season them with sea salt and pepper, thyme, rosemary and garlic. They’re all char-grilled and allowed to rest – I recommend resting a steak for half its cooking time – before presenting them with chunky Pierre Koffman chips which have a lovely crisp on the outside and a delicate fluffiness on their inside.”

The Electric Bar & Restaurant within Doubletree by Hilton also operates its own menu for brunch, lunch and afternoon tea, plus a lounge bar menu from 12 noon to 10pm.

The Marco Pierre White Restaurant menu is exclusively reserved for the evening, comprising six starters, six steaks including its signature steaks, plus four burgers created with freshly-ground beef and nine other main course options.

As a dyed in the wool carnivore, I couldn’t stray too far from the steaks, given the expertise and execution in their creation, but should you feel so inclined, other main course options include a gnocchi dish with a fricassée of woodland mushrooms, roast lamb à la dijonnaise, roast chicken à la forestière or even classic fish ‘n’ chips.

There are some quite classic starters, whilst desserts include a sticky toffee pudding option, dark chocolate mousse with crème chantilly and an apple & almond crumble.

The steakhouse’s wine list is rather a tour de force, with eight spritz options, six Laurent Perrier Champagnes and 50 bins of wine including ports and dessert wines.

Planning on enjoying a steak? Allow us to recommend the Rioja Reserva from Vina Real at £47. For an aperitif, too, the adjacent Electric Bar has a ridiculously tempting cocktail menu with everything from classic cocktails – Old Fashion; Cosmopolitan – to various sparkles right up to a Dom Perignon.

Created in 2011, the hotel comprises 160 rooms plus six function rooms. Popular for hosting weddings, functions, and as a hotel, it’s definitely worth remembering that you don’t have to have a room booked at The Doubletree by Hilton to enjoy its restaurant.

Whilst steaks are a mainstay of most restaurant menus, they remain a dish that most chefs provide but few specialise in. Cooking a steak is a real art, and the attention in terms of preparation and presentation that the Marco Pierre White Restaurant invests in its steaks elevates their dishes from restaurant staple to simply stunning.

As a Lincoln resident, you have to walk past a number of other Brayford Wharf restaurants, to the most westerly bit of Brayford Wharf in order to reach the Doubletree by Hilton.

And so you should… because The Marco Pierre White Restaurant is easily the best restaurant on Brayford Wharf, and almost certainly the best restaurant for steak in the whole of Lincolnshire.

On the Menu

Starters

Classic prawn cocktail with Marie Rose sauce, £10.95.

The governor’s French onion soup with croutons and Gruyère cheese, £8.95.

Beetroot & goat’s cheese salad with candied walnuts, and Merlot vinegar £9.50.

Steaks

Fillet £30.95/6oz; £44.50/12oz.

Sirloin £27.95/6oz; £28.50/16oz.

Rib-Eye £30.93/10oz.

Fillet steak au poivre, with fricassée of woodland mushrooms, toasted sourdough, buttered leaf spinach and peppercorn sauce, £33.95.

Fillet steak with garlic king prawns, béarnaise sauce, and toasted sourdough, £32.95.

Main Courses

Roast chicken à la forestière, with woodland mushrooms, fondant potato, Madeira

roasting juices and buttered leaf spinach, £19.95.

Roast lamb à la dijonnaise with buttered green beans, fondant potato and rosemary roasting juices £25.95.

Desserts

Apple & Almond Crumble£7.50.

70% Dark Chocolate Mousse with crème chantilly and fresh raspberries, £7.95.

Dining Out at The Marco Pierre White Restaurant

The Pitch: “Best for steak in Lincoln; The Marco Pierre White Restaurant in Lincoln serves up succulent steaks and gourmet British flavours designed by the acclaimed celebrity chef.”

Dining Times:  Open seven days a week from 12 noon to 2pm and from 5pm to 10pm.

The Marco Pierre White Restaurant, DoubleTree by Hilton Lincoln, LN1 1YW. Call 01522 565182 or see www.mpwrestaurants.co.uk.