The thing about Marco Pierre White (MPW) at The Cube is that there’s no escaping Marco. Marco’s face is on the menu. He’s on the walls. His initials are on the beer. He’s even branded the onion rings! So forget the food, forget the view (which is outstanding),
forget the person you’re with - your time here is all about Marco.

This is hardly unusual, with Jamie’s Italian, Carluccios and Brasserie Blanc all cut from the same corporate cloth. But here, the beatification of Marco sits uneasily. Perhaps it’s the proliferation of Trendies at the bar; maybe it’s because it’s actually a hotel restaurant, but MPW has an air of self-conscious inauthenticity that’s difficult to shake off. The atmosphere is pressured, forced; you sense that your time is shaped not by someone who genuinely cares about relaxation, food and having a good time, but by the need to maximise income and hit the bottom line.

It’s a shame, as the waiting staff were friendly and efficient, the food is fine and the chefs in the open-plan kitchen appeared to be having a ball. Kurt, our waiter, was a delight.

After three separate conversations to find our booking, the glass of Laurent Perrier champagne became a nerve-relaxer rather than a celebratory aperitif. We distracted ourselves with the view, which stretches for miles. The bar and restaurant are situated on the top floor of The Cube, Birmingham’s latest development, mixing a hotel with retail and office space. The walls are fully glazed, providing a genuine ‘wow!’ moment as you enter, when you realise that the city is at your feet. This is a great place for a drink, with a rooftop terrace to sip your bubbles while you peoplewatch (there’s a lot of bling on show).

Onto the food. This is a steak house first and foremost, with fish and pies also on the menu. If you’re not into eating flesh, it’s not the place for you. We started with smoked salmon, perfectly presented and encasing the entire round of the dinner plate, and breseola topped with olives, capers, herbs and a balsamic reduction.

The steaks are cooked on a flame grill, giving that barbecue savouriness so difficult to perfect. Goosefat chips were crisp and fluffy, the aforementioned onion rings some of the best I’ve ever had. We finished with chocolate mousse.

The wine list is well considered, as is the beer (and yes, there is MPW beer and MPW cider). It’s priced competitively, with starters for under £10, steaks in the mid-£20s and other mains in the high teens.

The thing is, you’re probably coming to MPW for a special occasion, and the atmosphere may just deflate your party.

Helen Stallard