This upmarket venue gathers a nice crowd over a cocktail menu and succulent grill dishes.

The Venue
The decor is a mix of old and new, with a not totally defined inspiration. The trademark of Hudson Bar And Grill are the lampshades made of shiny copper but there are also two ornate silver and glass chandeliers dangling from the ceiling. Some of the walls are covered in wood, giving a nice warm feeling to the room on the ground floor. Here you will sit on the brown couch attached to the wall with contrasting beige cushions or on padded leather chairs. Upstairs, where the main dining room is, you will find the same decor but there are more tables. A number of plants are scattered here and there and each floor has an ornate fireplace.

The People
Despite the not exactly student friendly prices, Hudson Bar And Grill is popular with young people, more well-heeled than average. An upmarket crowd populates this venue and sometimes the parents of those students pay a visit as well. There are also a number of “mistakes” - people walking in accidentally and getting stuck for a drink in an environment they do not feel comfortable in. Some are tourists while certain others are couples of passerbys in their 50s or so.

The Food
The menu is built around a choice of starters (£7 to £9), steaks (very expensive at £17 to £29), classic dishes like burger and lamb curry (£11 to £17) and side dishes to share (£4). The starters include options like goats cheese medallion with caramelized apples and baby spinach, blue swimmer crab remoulade with avocado and parmesan crostini, and grilled sea scallop with home smoked bacon sesame and ginger. The steaks are seemingly less elaborate, despite the fact that the meat is taken very seriously. All the cattle is grass fed, sourced from a farm assured cooperative featuring Angus and Limousin beef and the steaks are matured 28 days by a local butcher. Maybe this is the reason for the high price.

The thick prime rump 12oz is almost cheap at £17, while the small 6oz fillet mignon is already quite expensive at £22 (but fillet is an expensive cut). The 12oz prime fillet middle cut tops them all, though, at £29. If you do not want to spend that much on a steak, opt for the favourite - the toasted hazelnut risotto cakes with stuffed courgettes and grilled asparagus. They're delicate but flavourful, and in comparison they are a bargain at £13. Other options include chuck steak cheese burger, shank of lamb Thai Massaman curry, slow roasted belly of free range pork, seared yellow fin tuna and a couple more.

The Drink
You can order a cocktail here (£6.50), but be aware that their list is not very imaginative. They serve classic cocktails like Manhattan, Caipirnha, Bloody Mary, Margaritas, and coolers like Hudson Mule, Russian Spring Punch, Long Island Iced Ted and others. The Martini section is rather standard as well. They serve the by now classic Espresso Martini alongside their own Hudson Martini made with lemon vodka, cointreau, dry vermouth, lemon and tonic. A few Champagne cocktails (these are a good value for money at £6.75, differently from the previous ones) like Bellini and Grand Mimosa complete the list.

A list of wines is also available at £3.50 to £5 for a 175ml glass and the usual list of beers is there to save you from a difficult choice in case you do not know what to get. There are bottles of Budvar, Corona, Leffe Blonde, Weston Organic Cider or, on draught, there's San Miguel, Staorpramen, Bath Ales Gem. Beers are £3 to £3.30 so they also save your wallet from unexpected drainage.

The Last Word
There is one problem with Hudson's - the food is too expensive. The place looks good, the drinks are decent and the ingredients are carefully sourced. But £20 to £30 for a steak? If your eyes are bulging at these prices, you are definitely better off elsewhere.