Black and Blue

Black and Blue is an upscale restaurant specializing in steaks and fine wines. We visited the location in Borough Market, but other restaurants in this chain are located in equally trendy spots throughout London (e.g. King's Road and Notting Hill).

We had already stuffed ourselves in the food stalls of Borough Market, so regrettably we cannot review the food at Black and Blue yet.* However, we can comment on its accessibility, having spent a lovely afternoon sipping wine there one recent sunny afternoon.

We'd like to shake the hand of the architect who designed this restaurant. He or she managed to meld functionality with design. To enter the restaurant you walk (or roll) up a gentle sloping ramp -- so subtle that most able-bodied people do not even notice this unique and accessible entrance. The front patio is roomy enough for wheelchairs, and has the added bonus of heat lamps which we understand are probably for smokers, but still are heaven for the rest of us on chilly days.

Inside, there are two large communal tables on either side of the large bar. These tables would be ideal for certain power chairs users who need higher tables, and are large enough for a group of 6 or 7 (or more) people. The large dining area is in a separate adjoining room having a stairwell and a LIFT in the middle of the restaurant that go up to bathrooms, including a separate disabled bathroom. It's a bit unusual to see a lift in the middle of a dining floor, but for some reason it works at Black and Blue. The only slightly odd thing about the restaurant itself is that some of the decor seems a bit 1980s.

Perhaps it's the proximity to Vinopolis, but Black and Blue has an outstanding wine list with plenty of excellent choices by the glass. The beer list was notably smaller, although we did see a couple of people having beer with their burgers.  The service was slow bordering on inattentive, but not intentionally so (which always makes it more tolerable). While the prices are reasonable considering the quality and location, be forewarned that a large service charge is included in the bill regardless of how many people are in your party.

Details:

Black & Blue

1-2 Rochester Walk

Borough Market

London SE1 9AF

http://www.blackandbluerestaurants.com

*Since our original post Chazz and I did go back and tried the dinner menu with friends. We had several starters and burgers. The food was almost as good as average bar food in the States and at least twice as expensive. Again, the service was absent-minded bordering on non-existent. The wine was again excellent, however, and quality of beef was good. Because we were with two of our most charming friends we had a wonderful evening notwithstanding the food. We'll definitely only return here for drinks, however.