The new bar in the basement of the original Hawksmoor Spitalfields on Commercial Street is a very fashionable and glamorous affair. A dodgy strip club was first turned into a fruit store and this spring has been reborn as a beautiful 60-cover bar, The Hawksmoor Bar.

At The Hawksmoor Bar, polished brass walls are made from the Art Deco lift doors that previously adorned the 1920s Unilever Building in Embankment. The blue-patterned mirrors and teak parquet floor have also been salvaged from the same place.

The walls of the three cosy alcoves are covered with turquoise tiles and made to an original Art Nouveau pattern, while the ceiling of the alcoves, along with the bar top, are clad in copper.

The Hawksmoor Bar is dark, mysterious and funky – quite different from the more official and grown-up steak restaurant upstairs. The prices are also lower down below.

First we tucked into a fabulous Cheeseburger (£8.50) and chips (£4), followed by the Shortrib Nuggets (£6) – so good we ordered another portion without blinking an eye. The waiter confirmed the nuggets were the best seller and seemed to totally understand our unmasked gluttony.

The spiciness of the Tamworth Laab – minced pork with Thai spices that you wrap in lettuce leaves – (£6) cut through the richness of the beef and the nuggets and Jalapeño Coleslaw (£4) added some extra exciting flavours to our feast.

“Eureka!” we had our discovery moment when tasting the cocktail of the same name – Calvados, Sloe Gin & Lime (£8.50) and in order to prepare for the day ahead of us gulped down a couple of glasses of The Morning Glory Fizz – Scotch, Absinthe, Lemon & Soda (£9).

The Hawksmoor bar is an excellent cocktail bar with a food offering to match, as you’d expect from one of London’s best steakhouses.

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