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You are here: Home / Restaurants / London restaurants / Cheyenne Spur Steak Ranch, Greenwich

Cheyenne Spur Steak Ranch, Greenwich

by Jeanne Horak on August 20, 2010 9 Comments in London restaurants

CheyyeneSpur © J Horak-Druiff 2010

 

If you had asked me ten years ago whether there are particular South African foods that I miss here in London, I would have come up with a fairly long list.  Biltong, rooibos tea, Mrs Balls chutney, Castle Lager and Nando’s sauces would all have been there.  But over the years that we have been here, I find that it is becoming increasingly easy to find my favourite South African foods here.  Rooibos, Mrs Balls and Nando’s sauces are all available at our local supermarket, and most other things can now be obtained at the ever-increasing network of South African shops.  But every now and again, I get a craving for a taste of home that can’t be found on a supermarket shelf.

I get a craving for Spur food.

Ask any South African if they have a Spur memory, and I can guarantee that they will come up with a couple from this popular chain of steak restaurants.  From kiddies’ birthday parties with sparklers and staff singing happy birthday, to awkward teenage first dates, to wallet-friendly bottomless cups of coffee as a student, to South Africans’ first tentative steps into Tex-Mex cuisine.  And show me a South African who does not go a little misty-eyed at the mention of Spur onion rings and Spur pink sauce! The first Spur Steak ranch was opened by Allen Ambor (who is still the company’s executive chairman) in Cape Town in 1967.  Since then, 237 South African and 28 international franchises of this inexplicably native American-themed restaurant have opened including some in London, to my utter joy!  Since it opened a couple of years ago, I have been a pretty regular visit to the Cheyenne Supr at the O2 in North Greenwich, and when I was recently offered some vouchers to eat there and check out their summer beach and cocktail menu, I jumped at the chance.

SpurBeachCollage

The restaurant is situated in the cavernous O2 dome, meaning that its “outdoor” patio area is in fact inside, sensibly protected from the unpredictable English summer weather.  Maybe if I’d arrived earlier/later/not during school holidays, the beach might have looked less like a kids’ sandpit and more like an inviting place for grown-ups to have cocktails.  But I arrived when I arrived, and the beach did look a little like a hastily abandoned playground, albeit one with very good quality, fine beach sand.  If you are a family with small children, though, the beach will probably prove a huge hit with the young ones while mom and dad get to dine in relative peace and quiet.  The beach will be available until the end of August.

Once inside, the decor and menu will be comfortingly familiar to those who know South African Spur menus, although there are some differences.  The quesadillas have sadly disappeared from the starter menu, there is no eisbein or chicken liver dishes, and the salad buffet (Salad Valley) that has been a feature of South African branches for as long as I remember, apaprently does not meet UK food safety standards and has been scrapped.   But familiar things like nachos grande, the cheddamelt steak/burger and the goodie burger ensure that it still tastes like home.

SpurStarteCollage

We started off with a Key West Cooler cocktail for me and a Catle Lager for Nick.  To nibble on, we shared a Super Spur Combo – a sharing plate of ribs, crumbed calamari strips, crumbed button mushrooms, spicy chicken wings and cheese-filled potato skins with a spicy tomato salsa.  Nope, not the healthy option (!), but everybody needs to fall off the wagon once in a while.  The ribs were good, as were the mushrooms.  The chicken wings were not remotely spicy though, and the potato skins were dry (other than the gooey cheese sauce).  I also thought a little bit opf garnish might have improved the look of the plate – a lettuce leaf or a slice of tomato.  So not an unqualified success, but then we were not there for the starters.

SpurRIbsCollage

 

SpurSteakCollage

Main courses proved to be streets better.  My 21oz full rack of Spur ribs was gigantic and fall-apart tender.  The meat was succulent, the basting sauce perfect and I was a happy camper.  Chips were fresh and good, and my beloved Spur onion rings on the side were a sinful little piece of heaven, smothered in pink sauce (renamed “salad & French fry dressing” in the UK, I see!).  Nick’s sirloin steak was as good a piece of steak as I’ve seen in London and cooked to perfection: chargrilled on the outside and perfectly pink on the inside.  On the side, we had a “Greek” salad – South African-style, that is, which means iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, onions, olives and feta cheese.  Purists beware – but South Africans will feel right at home 😉  On previous visits we have also had other side salads (all generous and fresh), some outstanding burgers (the bacon and guacamole burger is a favourite) and delicious faijitas.  The wine list is very limited (I think there were three reds and three whites) but the soft drinks are bottomless.  We did not have dessert on this occasion, but the Spur brownies and waffles are legendary – and they serve Kahlua dom pedros!  Service (always a strong point at the Spur) was helpful, very smiley, and efficient throughout.

Starter prices hover around the £4-5 mark; burgers (indcluding onion rings and chips) are about £8-10; and steak prices range from £9 (for a 6oz. steak) to £20 (for a gigantic 17oz. steak).  If you love your heart, you can also choose to replace the chips and onion rings with a side salad.  The verdict?  If you are looking for a kid-friendly sit-down restaurant with an unchallenging menu (and excellent steaks for mom and dad!), you can’t do much better at the price.  And of course, if you are a homesick South African in London, you will think you’ve died and gone to heaven 🙂

Cheyenne Spur
Unit 3.02
The Entertainment District
The O2 Dome
North Greenwich
SE10 OBB

Tel. +44 (0)20 8858 0196
E-mail: 
[email protected]

Cheyenne Spur Steak Ranch on Urbanspoon

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  1. woollythinker says

    August 21, 2010 at 1:27 pm

    The foods I really miss can’t be found in the shops, nor even at the Spur (sob). (Though I have to admit that when I was pregnant, a Spur cheddamelt steak fell into the category of “irresistible cravings”. It wasn’t as great as I remembered or wanted it to be – things usually aren’t – but still.) No, what I miss are perishables and such. Simonsberg herbed feta. Marcel’s frozen yoghurt (or even Aylesbury! Why on earth you can’t buy frozyog in the supermarket here, apart from one lonely (and admittedly delicious) Ben & Jerry’s flavour…). Waatlemoenkonfyt.
    Oh, and Russian sausages, which clearly aren’t all that Russian as you certainly can’t buy them in London’s eastern European food shops…

    Reply
  2. Rob says

    August 21, 2010 at 6:04 pm

    🙁 no cheese filled potatoe skins this side of the ocean, nor bottomless soft drinks 😉 .. but thanks Jeanne .. I have just been attacked by the yen for some Spur Chips with Spur Sauce slathered all over them .. one of my cravins when I was pregnant with Jared …

    Reply
  3. nina says

    August 21, 2010 at 9:13 pm

    That is so amazing that spr opened up in London……you can ejoy all the favorites…John Lee special, ribs, chocnut sunday, yum!!

    Reply
  4. Herschelian says

    August 22, 2010 at 1:18 am

    Kahlua Dom Pedros? darn it, why am I in Beijing…30 years I live in London and the minute I leave, Spur opens, ITS NOT FAIR!

    Reply
  5. solange says

    August 22, 2010 at 7:28 pm

    Next time you are in Greenwich, send me a mail, will meet up for a natter.
    take carex

    Reply
  6. Marisa says

    August 23, 2010 at 2:34 pm

    Um healthy? In a Spur? 🙂 My favourite? Those onion rings. I could eat a whole plate of ’em.

    Reply
  7. Cecile says

    February 17, 2011 at 7:20 pm

    How does Spur make their NEW brownies (gooey!) Can they share their recipe?

    Reply
  8. Ed Brawn says

    January 18, 2016 at 3:09 pm

    Sadly here in Leicester, Leicestershire – the excuse for a Spur they “operate” here is revolting.
    NO service order from the bar!!
    seldom have menu items in stock food or beverage.
    wait upward of 17 minutes for food in a restaurant with only one other party of two – simply useless.
    Stand at reception waiting to be seated for at least 7 minutes
    NO DURKY Sauce
    Order a melt steak medium its not as thick a hamburger patty & cooked to death you could do some serious GBH if you needed a weapon.
    While you are chewing the gristle infested meat some life form appears to ask you how the food is – I have manners and do not talk with a mouth full of food – well food like substance!!
    I also refuse to tip if I am expected to order from the bar.
    Wont be attempting SPUR LEICESTER again in a hurry & hope & pray STEERS launch here soon haha it would have been ideal A Spur 5 Nandos & a STEERS but Leicester soaring eagle Spur is more of a over done Turkey that’s well & truly stuffed.

    Reply
  9. Okkie says

    April 26, 2016 at 7:17 am

    Once got a “free” worm in my ham, cheese & tomato toasted at the local Spur. Have not been back since and I drive 6 Km to another one. Salad bar has disappeared here too.

    Wine prices are for milionaires and I usually settle for a Black label

    Reply
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Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

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