The first thing you notice about the new Giraffe Bar & Grill in Soho is that there ain’t no space to park your buggy. Unlike the rest of its Giraffe clan – whose main mission I think is to either induce a violent fit of cluckiness or well, nausea  – this Giraffe is aimed at those of us tall enough to take the Soho ride.

I’m 5 foot flat and luckily, I just make the cut.

Giraffe Bar & Grill opened in Soho last weekend and on Friday night, I took three of my friends down for the soft opening. The look and feel of the place… well, it doesn’t look and feel like the other Giraffes. It’s Giraffe all grown up. Oh, one thing I’m glad they did bring over from the other Giraffes? The giraffe stirrers! LOVE!

Giddy Giraffe & Mango Mama fruit smoothies

Giraffe Bar & Grill on Frith Street, Soho

Giraffe Bar & Grill, interior

For some reason, there are people out there who don’t like Giraffe. Maybe it’s the kids. The noise and running and bumping and all the snot that comes with kids. Maybe it’s the damn big orange balloons? I don’t really know why but I’ve found that I can always hit up a regular Giraffe for brunch any day and be 110% satisfied with their huevos rancheros.

Unfortunately, because this grown up Giraffe values a little sleeping in, they aren’t doing brunch just yet. They open from 11am onwards and start with a lunch menu. Us? We had dinner.

adobo marinated sirloin minute steak & frites

miso lime salmon with wasabi rice & teriyake grilled green onions

macaroni & cheese; sweet potato fries; onion rings; avocado, orange & radish salad

The mains were ok, I had the cheese burger whose seeded bun annoyed the heck outta me. I’m not a seeded bun kinda gal, I have a thing about getting seeds stuck in my teeth but if you are, then no problem!

The adobo marinated steak frites was cooked nicely and served with a choice of three sauces and the frites were awesomeness! Dare I say, they were even better than the sweet potato fries. The salmon was pretty good, I liked the tang of the lime sauce but you know, it wasn’t outstanding.

We were all pretty full from mains but because we’re disgusting and greedy, we ordered four desserts. I mean, all or nothing, right?

toffee apple crumble with vanilla ice cream

milky bubble double chocolate cheesecake

grilled pineapple & creamy coconut ice cream

I should warn y’all, the toffee apple crumble is ENORMOUS. The menu says it’s fit for two but it’s like… fit for four. So um, we kinda totally failed at finishing that, but it sure was delicious. The cheesecake was also good – chocolatey creamy goodness. The grilled pineapple and coconut ice cream? I would normally love this but I think they tried all too hard serving it in a pineapple because it just gets messy and it’s not really that pretty anyway.

The BESTEST dessert of the night was the key lime pie. OMG sooooo good! If you guys watch Dexter (season 3), this is the perfect key lime pie. I would say I’m now ready to die but I’m not really. I need to bring Panu back to try this it’s so good!

One last thing! These ladeez were my dates for the evening. Can’t really complain with such purrty faces to look at huh? I can guarantee right now that as soon as Mel sees this she’s going to email/call/WhatsApp me to say WTF I didn’t approve that photo!

Too bad. You look great x

Anyway, speaking of giraffes, this weekend I’m off to Johannesburg for work for a couple of weeks and for three days next week, my boss is taking our whole team away on a safari! I’ve never been so I’m crazy excited to see the lions and giraffes and especially rhinoceros because I adore rhinoceroseseses… what exactly is the plural for rhinoceros?

I’ll try and blog on the road, you know I do, so I’ll see y’all on the other side! Have a great weekend x

Giraffe Bar & Grill
11 Frith St
Soho, W1D 4RB
0207 494 3491
website

Giraffe Bar & Grill on Urbanspoon

11 Thoughts on “Giraffe Bar & Grill, Soho. Oh, and speaking of giraffes…

  1. Enjoy your trip, Catty. Don’t forget to eat at Coachman’s Inn. 😉

  2. jenny on June 17, 2011 at 11:49 am said:

    The cheesecake looks so good! I’ve been to the other Giraffes I think they are pretty good and the menu is always so huge. I’ll definitely check this one out!

  3. Safari! how exciting! and how lucky are you!

  4. Michelle: thanks! I’m assuming that’s a restaurant in J’burg? I don’t have a lot of free time but will see what I can do 🙂

    jenny: yeah that was good too, really creamy 🙂

    mc: I’m SO excited! Never been before!

  5. Hehe I don’t mind the kids as long as I’m ready for them and don’t want to have a romantic quiet night! 😛

  6. Nice one! I would love to try re-creating that miso lime salmon dish at home!

  7. Only been in Giraffes in Brighton and at Lakeside, enjoyed both. Although kids may infest the place in the day, at least the people who don’t have any can be smug that they can go out in the evenings without a babysitter!! Have tried to drag Ted into Giraffe at Spitalfields many times although he spurns it in favour of meatballs at Leon.

  8. Lorraine: That’s the same as me, if I’m prepared it’s all good!

    Maria: haha that is totally something up your alley 🙂

    Linda: NO WAYS.

    Sarah: Leon’s not a bad kid friendly place too and even I love their meatballs. Get Ted to try their fish finger wrap… soooo good!

  9. I’ve never been a big fan of Giraffe – probably as you say, too many balloons and screaming kids, so interesting to see a more grown up option available. Very jealous of your real giraffe viewing safari too!

  10. hi this is neff i did not go threre before so i wouild like to go there with my friends on my birtday.

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