The bar downstairs at the Hawksmoor is kind of a poor man's Hawksmoor.  No steaks, but bar food, burgers and other sandwiches.  The double burgers are £13 a pop, so not exactly cheap.  They are good though.

They aim for a buzzy convivial atmosphere, so the music is rather loud.  Not to a disturbing level though.  There was a caribbean theme going on during our visit.  Service was knowledgeable but drinks took quite long to arrive.  I was surprised there were no beers on tap.  In a venue villed as a bar!

I was disappointed that they have succumbed to the nanny state food police and won't serve a burger any rarer than medium well.  They do incorporate bone marrow in their burgers, so despite being cooked longer than I normally like, the  patties stayed succulent.  The burgers contain two thin patties instead of a single thick one, which they claim also helps keep a well done burger juicy.  My kimchi burger was very good indeed, with a nice loose texture, so not overworked during patty forming.

My companion had the enormous short rib french dip.  Braised beef, sweetish brioche like roll, cheese and bone marrow gravy to dip it into.  Very nice.  This dish was incidentally in Time Out's 2012 list of best 10 things to eat in London.

Triple cooked chips done in beef dripping were excellent.  Large, pillowy, very crisp and no greasy mouth feel.  Accompanying ketchup was clearly homemade and tasted of zingy fresh tomato.  My companion is dutch so naturally asked for mayonnaise to accompany his chips.  We were surprised that the mayo was not homemade.  The waiter did later tell us that homemade mayo is available, but they charge extra, so you have to ask for it.

Vinegar slaw was quite aggressive tasting with cabbage, fennel and lots of onion dressed in vinegar.  I wouldn't want it on its own but it was a nice contrast to the other dishes which were all quite rich.

Dinner for two, with a glass of house wine and a 330 ml tin of lager was £52.