New Year’s Eve at M

Lunch with Phil Tufnell
M Restaurant, London, EC2R 8HP

Wednesday 26th February 2025, 12:15
£210.00 including sc
BOOK HERE

Come and meet the funniest man in cricket over our usual sumptuous lunch and drinks at M Restaurant. Yes, it’s time for Tuffers, a man who will make you laugh even if you don’t like cricket. Phil Tufnell was a very fine cricketer, too, playing in 42 tests for England and taking 121 wickets with his left arm orthodox spin, playing with the likes of Mike Atherton, Graham Thorpe, Nasser Hussain and Alec Stewart, and against the might of the best Australian team and a Brian Lara inspired West Indies. As if that’s not enough Tuffers went on to become King of the Jungle in I’m a Celebrity, a long-serving captain on A Question of Sport, danced in Strictly Come Dancing and is a Test Match Special pundit and commentator.

Experience the Ultimate Match Day with Gaucho at The View – 6 Nations 2025
Celebrate one of the most prestigious international rugby tournaments with Gaucho at The View, our exclusive pop-up restaurant in the shadow of the stadium. Located at Richmond College, Langhorn Drive, Twickenham TW2 7SJ.

Match Days:
• England vs. France – Saturday, 8th February
• England vs. Scotland – Saturday, 22nd February
• England vs. Italy – Sunday, 9th March

Immerse yourself in the match-day spirit with our unforgettable experiences:

Gaucho Elite Match Day Experience
Pre-Match:
Begin your day with a free-flowing drinks reception and canapés, followed by expert insights, match predictions, and an engaging Q&A session with rugby legends.

Dining Experience:
Relish a three-course lunch featuring our signature Argentinian steak and Gaucho’s greatest hits in our pop-up restaurant, perfectly setting the tone for the game.

Post-Match Party:
Return after the match to mingle with the legends, share stories of the game, and enjoy free-flowing drinks, burgers, and empanadas during the lively after-party to let the station traffic die down before heading home.

Pricing:
• England vs. France & England vs. Scotland: £395 + 13% service charge per person
• England vs. Italy: £275 + 13% service charge

Gaucho Pre-Match Lunch Experience on The Balcony at The View:
For a more relaxed experience, join us for a three-course Gaucho lunch before the game:

Pricing:
• England vs. France & England vs. Scotland: £195 + 13% service charge per person
• England vs. Italy: £145 + 13% service charge per person

Inclusions:
• Welcome drink
• Three-course lunch with half a bottle of house wine

Location: Richmond College, Balcony Area, Third Floor

Gaucho Rugby Club Drinks, Burgers, and Pies Package (Pre-Match Experience):
Pricing:
• England vs. France & England vs. Scotland: £95 + 13% service charge
• England vs. Italy: £75 + 13% service charge per person

Inclusions:
• 90-minute pre-match experience with free-flowing wine, Guinness, and beers with canapés

Located three minutes’ walk from Twickenham Stadium, our pop-up restaurant is the perfect spot to make the most of your rugby day out.

To book email [email protected]

M Restaurant proudly celebrates its 10th Anniversary this November with the launch of our special Heirloom Menu, honouring a decade of culinary excellence with some of M’s most iconic dishes for a nostalgic dining experience. Each dish on the menu revisits key moments in the restaurant’s journey, combining modern techniques with the beloved ingredients that have come to define M’s signature style.

The menu features starters like Tuna Tataki and Smoked Wagyu Tartare. For mains, highlights include M’s Iberico Pork and Sirloin Steak with Parisian Green Sauce. Desserts offer indulgences like the classic ‘Snickers’, served with Dulce de Leche Ice Cream, or the comforting M Apple Pie. As we celebrate this milestone, we invite you to experience our rich culinary history through this special menu. Throughout November, enjoy a carefully curated greatest hits selection of starters, mains and desserts – 3 courses for £50.

M Threadneedle Street

It’s the highly anticipated Summer of sports and to commemorate it here at M we’re screening all the major sporting events of the year from the Euros to Wimbledon. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just want to soak up the eclectic atmosphere of our dedicated sports bar, The Player’s Lounge, M is set to be the City’s hotspot to catch all the action.

See our calendar below for the upcoming sporting fixtures we’ll be screening:

26th July – 11th August | Olympic Games, Paris

26th August – 8th September | US Open (Tennis) Grand Slam

Come down to M and watch all the action in style in our dedicated sports bar – The Players’ Lounge or Members’ Lounge M Den. We’ll be offering our signature wagyu burger, chips and a pint for £30 or rally up your friends to enjoy 4 wagyu burgers, chips, and a bucket of beers for £120.

Friday 24th – Monday 26th May

Formula One Grand Prix De Monaco

Brush wings with F1 drivers and global glitterati at the Monaco Grand Prix this year. For the first time, M and Gaucho have joined forces with Harbour Club to offer a range of outstanding VIP experiences across the course of the weekend.

SEE HERE for all booking enquiries at the below packages.

Scroll down for full details.

A Guide To Festive Dining

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without some delicious festive food – and where better to enjoy a magical meal with loved ones than in London? This winter, one of the most Christmassy restaurants London has to offer is back: Meet M Restaurants’ new and innovative Christmas menus! 

To escape those dark and cold winter’s nights, we invite you to discover the festive offerings and festive dining experiences available at M this Christmas. 

M’s Festivities 

M Restaurants certainly don’t do anything by halves at Christmas, with no fewer than three carefully curated festive menus and a signature Christmas cocktail to sample.

The Festive Classic menu is a feast for both the eyes and the stomach, boasting a selection of M’s most popular dishes, all lovingly made from local farmers’ finest produce. Try the trout sashimi and beetroot and potato rosti for starters, while the succulent Shio Koji-marinated chicken and miso mushroom await your main. Round the meal off with a classic chocolate brownie or a selection of refreshing sorbets. 

The Festive Signature menu highlights M’s much-loved range of signature starters, mains and desserts. Wagyu fried chicken and burrata are on the menu for starters, with a moreish miso and furikake sourdough bread as a side, served with whipped beef butter. Of course, no one does steak better than M and there is a tasty choice of steaks available for your main dish, as well as wild-farmed black truffle tortellini for the pasta lovers. However, it’s the Chimichurri butter roasted turkey, served with delicious Pincho Criollo stuffing and a Malbec and cranberry jus, that’s the real star here – festive dining in London at its finest.

Finally, the M Festive Icons menu is a sumptuous gift just waiting to be unwrapped. Although the Kingfish sashimi and smoked Wagyu starters are sure to catch your eye, the mains really are the main event – a choice between English lamb, monkfish, Wagyu or Ribeye steak, all served with golden roast potatoes, festive vegetables, beef dripping jus and firecracker chimichurri. If you have room, the trio of tempting desserts are the perfect way to end the meal. 

As well as the food, there’s nothing like a few festive drinks near Bank to get everyone in the mood for Christmas. This season, M are proud to be serving their Toffee Nut Old Fashioned, a decadent and warming cocktail guaranteed to chase away any winter chills in seconds. Made with Bulleit Bourbon, Toffee Nut and Chocolate, pair with a comfortable chair and good company for an unforgettable evening. M are also serving their usual drinks menu, which features a range of delectable cocktails, wines, beers, ciders, spirits and more. 

The warm and welcoming atmosphere at M is the cherry on the Christmas cake. Whether you’re looking to book an intimate dining experience, drinks with friends, or a festive event, M’s stunning decor and luxury entertainment system make any event special. Our dedicated events coordinator can create a bespoke package for a magical festive dining experience you’ll never forget.

Psst – if you’ve already started your Christmas shopping, the M digital gift card makes a wonderful Christmas present for foodies! 

Why M Restaurants Are The Best Place To Spend Time With Loved Ones This Year 

With romantic dinners before the ballet, late lunches with the office, reunions at the pub with old friends and surely at least one festive brunch, London is certainly a magical place to be at this time of year. Whether you’re dining with friends, colleagues, family or partners, M’s group booking offering makes spending quality time with your loved ones easy. 

M has an extensive selection of luxurious private dining rooms, designed to comfortably cater for anywhere between ten to 500 guests. Whether you’re booking a room for a special family meal, or you need space to accommodate a large work event, you can be sure to find a warm welcome at M.

Browse our festive menus to find classic comforts that are perfect for those cold and frosty nights, or dare to add some spice to your dining experience with our more innovative creations. We also have sustainably sourced group dining menus with the option for carbon-neutral dining, so all you have to do is relax, sit back with a glass in hand and soak in the festive atmosphere. M will take care of the rest!

Book Your Festivities Today

We know how busy this time of year can be. In between ice skating, trips to the ballet and the pantomime, exploring festive grottos and – let’s be honest – some panicked last-minute Christmas shopping, you’ll probably be in need of a drink and a bite to eat. Of all the festive restaurants London is home to, we promise you’ll always find good cheer and exceedingly good food at M.

So celebrate the magic of Christmas with M Restaurants this season and book your festive celebration with us today.

The History of Wagyu Beef

If you’re new to eating steak, you may have heard Wagyu beef mentioned before, or if you’re a seasoned steak aficionado, you may have been lucky enough to try it. So, what is Wagyu beef exactly? 

Wagyu beef is a luxurious beef hailing from Japan, renowned for its superior quality and flavour. This article delves into the world of Wagyu, highlighting this meat’s unique characteristics and the innovative techniques used in its production. 

Origins and History

The history of Wagyu beef is as rich as its flavours, with origins that can be traced back to Japan. There are even reasons to suggest that Wagyu beef goes back as far as 35,000 years. But what does Wagyu mean? The meaning of the word ‘Wagyu’ is actually surprisingly simple! ‘Wa’ in Japanese means ‘Japanese’ and ‘gyu’ means ‘Cow’. So essentially, Wagyu means ‘Japanese cow’.

Originally, this native Japanese breed of cow was used for agricultural work, but was then bred with imported breeds from Great Britain, Europe and Korea to create the Wagyu cows we know today. In fact, Japan classifies four different cattle breeds as Wagyu: the Japanese Black, the Japanese Brown, the Japanese Shorthorn, and the Japanese Polled breeds.

In 1975, the Wagyu made its way to America, when four Wagyu bills were imported and used in a selective breeding programme for American Wagyu. They were bred with females from the Angus, the Holstein and the Hereford breeds.

Today, Wagyu beef is a global culinary sensation. The taste and tenderness of this beef is of an unparalleled quality, which is why you can now find Wagyu beef in the repertoires of gourmet chefs all over the world. 

Wagyu Varieties

There are lots of varieties of Wagyu beef, with the most famous being Kobe, Matsusaka, and Ohmi. 

• Kobe

Kobe beef comes from Hyogo and is perhaps the most well-known type of Wagyu. Kobe Wagyuu comes from a subspecies of Japanese cow called ‘Tajimas’ that are found in the Fukano Valley.

• Matsusaka

Famous for its high quality, Matsusaka Wagyu is in the top three most famous types of Wagyu and also comes from Tajima cows. Tajima cows are truly pampered cattle and even receive regular massages! 

• Ohmi

Also in the top three Wagyu varieties, Ohmi beef comes from the Shiga prefecture situated to the east of Kyoto, from an older strain of Japanese Black cattle. Ohmi beef is characterised by the fine texture of its marbling and smooth, sweet flavour.

• Hida

Hida beef comes from the Gifu prefecture and is also made using the beef from Tajima cows. Hida beef has thinner muscle fibres and a fine marbling that leads to incredibly tender and juicy steaks from all parts of the cow.

• Miyazaki

Miyazaki Wagyu can be found in the Miyazaki prefecture, which is the second-largest producer of Japanese Black Wagyu in Japan. 

Some other types of Wagyu include Blackmore, Akaushi, Yonezawa, Kazuusa, Hitachi, and Iwate. M restaurant uses only the finest Kobe and cuts of Blackmore Wagyu. 

Marbling and Flavour

We’ve all heard about Wagyu’s unique marbling and flavour, but why is Wagyu so good? 

In Wagyu beef, thin lines of fat are distributed evenly throughout the cow’s flesh, which creates the meat’s unique marbling effect. This fat creates a delicious, umami richness. Marbling is considered a hallmark of quality in Wagyu beef. 

Wagyu cows are big and strong, meaning their fat cells are more evenly distributed across their muscles. This leads to a pinker and more delicate meat, which in turn creates a juicy flavour when cooked. Wagyu beef fat actually has a lot of heart-healthy fatty acid, oleic acid. This oleic acid has a very low melting point, which explains why this meat is so soft and quite literally melts in the mouth!

Breeding and Raising

So, how is Wagyu beef raised? There are meticulous breeding and raising practices that go into Wagyu beef. 

Wagyu cows are raised by specialty Wagyu breeders until they are between seven and ten months old. When they are sold, they must be given a birth certificate to prove their pure Wagyu bloodline. They are usually harvested for their meat at around two to three years of age. 

Wagyu cattle live a stress-free life, with plenty of room to roam their field and graze as they please. They are fed a specialised diet using natural ingredients like hay, corn, and wheat with no unnatural ingredients, or steroids, hormones or drugs to affect their growth or weight. The process is completely natural.

Although rearing Wagyu cows is more time-consuming and expensive, it is more ethical and sustainable and produces high-quality, tender and delicious meat. 

Global Production

Although Japan is still the primary producer of Wagyu beef, countries like Australia, the US and the UK have adapted Japanese farming practices to cultivate and raise their own cattle. In fact, according to Wagyu International, Wagyu cows are now bred on every continent in the world. This growth of the Wagyu industry has led to a demand for availability, meaning that consumers are willing to pay a higher price for Wagyu beef. 

M’s goal is to support British suppliers. Where possible, the food and drink in M restaurant is sourced from local produce. We serve Blackmore Wagyu Grade 9++, and regeneratively farmed ‘Ethical Butcher’ cuts dry-aged in the kitchens’ Himalayan salt chamber for up to 35 days. We are also proud to champion the Sustainable Steak Movement, which launched in 2021 and aims to accelerate a carbon-conscious beef offering in restaurants across the UK.

Cooking Tips and Recommendations 

If you’d like to try cooking a Wagyu steak at home, to best enjoy its unique qualities we would recommend following these tips for the perfect steak:

• Remove your Wagyu steak from the fridge an hour before cooking and bring it up to room temperature
• Season both sides of the steak with a touch of salt and pepper
• Preheat your cast-iron skillet on a high heat, then grease it lightly with oil, butter, or a small piece of the fat from the outside of your steak
• Sear your steak on a high heat for two to three minutes on each side – no matter how you like your steak, Wagyu beef is best enjoyed medium-rare. 
• Use a meat thermometer to check the meat’s temperature. For a medium-rare steak this should be 57-60°C
• Just before your steak comes to the desired temperature, remove it and rest it under foil after cooking for five to ten minutes to help redistribute the juices throughout the meat

Make a memorable dining experience by pairing your Wagyu steak with some tasty side dishes. Wagyu goes well with earthy flavours like sautéed mushrooms and roasted vegetables, or try something simple like a hearty baked potato or sweet potato fries.

Culinary Uses and Recipes 

Wagyu beef is a culinary masterpiece, versatile enough to use in a wide variety of dishes. Have you tried any of the below?

• Sukiyaki: A Japanese hot-pot dish, where the Wagyu is slowly cooked with vegetables and a soy sauce broth in an iron pot 
• Shabu-Shabu: Another Japanese dish of thinly sliced Wagyu and vegetables, boiled in water and served with a selection of sauces
• Wagyu Steak Sandwich: In this delectable American favourite, Wagyu beef is layered on ciabatta bread with mushrooms, onion and horseradish 
• Bo Kho Braised Wagyu Brisket: This Vietnamese dish combines Wagyu brisket with herbs and spices for a warming and flavourful experience 
• Wagyu Tacos: Head to Mexico with some melt-in-the-mouth tacos, stuffed with thinly-sliced Wagyu beef, onion, fresh lime juice and rocket

At M restaurant, we have fun and innovative takes on Wagyu beef across our menu. For a breakfast treat, add a Wagyu sausage patty to our delicious Bacon and Egg M’Muffin, while at lunch or dinner, try our sumptuous Wagyu Gyoza Dumplings, served with a ponzu dressing, or our Tokyo-inspired Wagyu Bao Buns. For light bites, snack on a Wagyu Scotch Egg, or share our mouth watering 15-hour Wagyu Parmesan Chips. 

Try all these dishes and more with our exclusive Wagyu Experience Menu. Dedicated to showcasing the world’s most exclusive Kobe and Wagyu beef, this is a dining experience you’ll never forget.

The Gourmet Experience 

Dining on Wagyu beef is a real gourmet experience, whether at a high-end restaurant, or in the comfort of your own home.

At M restaurant, you can enjoy an exquisite Wagyu steak in truly luxurious surroundings, accompanied by a glass of fine wine and good company. Our beautiful Threadneedle Street location is perfect for work meetings, events, parties and celebrations. 

We hope you’ve enjoyed this article on the history of Wagyu beef. Book your next dining experience with M restaurant for a culinary experience like no other.