Marco Pierre White Steakhouse

Durham

Saucy Meal Queen

July 2025
Dinner

Marco Pierre White Steakhouse, Durham – Where Sunday Roast Rules but Dinner Wobbles

Ah Durham, my “perfect little city.” Cobblestones, cathedral views, and — when the Saucy royal entourage rolls in — a trusty stop at Marco Pierre White’s Steakhouse Bar & Grill. Tucked inside the chic Hotel Indigo, with its Victorian façade meeting Norman ancestry, it should be the ultimate mix of heritage and haute cuisine. And while Sunday lunch here is always a roaring success, dinner this time left us with a few too many “hmm” moments.

Setting the Stage

Marco describes his Steakhouse as the place for signature steaks, English and French classics, and cocktails curated by the man himself. Translation: steak, sauce, and style, with a side of cathedral views. And yes, the setting is lovely, but let’s be real — it could do with a lick of paint. A little refresh would make the room shine as brightly as the concept. Still, it’s stylish enough for a date night, cosy enough for a family meal, and safe enough for royalty and their loyal dinner companions.

This time, the King, the Queen, and our faithful friend Kathryn settled in for dinner. Kathryn, bless her, is always up for sharing with me — because what kind of friend would she be otherwise? (Not a true one, darling. Not a true one.)

The Food

We started the way all good meals should start: with bread.

  • Warm Baked Sourdough with Salted English Butter (£4.95)
    Worth every penny, though let me be saucy here: bread should be free. Still, it was gorgeous, fresh, and indulgent enough to make me forgive them… almost.

For starters:

  • Classic Prawn Cocktail (£11.50) – The King and Kathryn went traditional with Marie Rose sauce and brown bread. Big, retro, and utterly British. They loved it.
  • Box Tree Chicken Liver Pâté (£10.50) – This Queen’s choice, with toasted sourdough and fig chutney. Smooth, rich, and generous. I was impressed — and I don’t say that often.

For mains:

  • Fillet Steak au Poivre (£36.50) – The King’s glory plate. Perfectly cooked steak, woodland mushrooms, spinach, and a dreamy peppercorn sauce. I may have stolen a chip just to dunk it in the sauce (queenly behaviour, I know). Verdict: very, very good.
  • Chargrilled Pork Loin (£19.95) – My plate. Chimichurri, roasted Piccolo tomatoes, Koffman fries. Delicious, yes, but small. A royal queen should not leave a steakhouse still peckish.
  • Roast Rump of Lamb (£29.50) – Kathryn’s order, served pink with petit pois à la Française. She shared (saint that she is), and darling, let me tell you — lamb in the UK just slaps differently. Tender, flavourful, and worlds apart from the lamb I’ve had across the pond.

Dessert? None. Instead, I soothed my sweet tooth with a Baileys, because I’m nothing if not practical.

“Experience more of the same sizzle, with these saucy reviews.”

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