Rocking steak at Roxie

Ladies who lunch/dine/enjoy consuming food are generally well provided for in Fulham. There are tons of options for salads, "light bites", sushi and the like, but when a girl wants steak (juicy, bloody, deliciously carnivorous steak) suddenly the options seem either super swanky, super expensive, or just plain super-size. That's why we thought the concept behind Roxie, on the Fulham Road, was such a good one. A beautifully designed 'steak and wine cafe', it was conceived as a lighter and more casual way to get your meaty fix (with fishy and salad-based fixes too, for those who lean that way) with lighter fillets as standard, and a beautiful selection of wines, cocktails, salads and side orders to build around your meat.

When we were invited down last week, we were struck by the friendly and casual atmosphere, the décor at once sleek, modern and inviting. And once we got over that... we were struck by the food. Although the options are by no means ground-breaking, the steak is done to a T, and because you build a meal out of smaller dishes, it makes for a really convivial evening. The starters and mains mostly come with a small side salad, so for those on a diet, you needn't overdo it: but we recommend you do.To accompany our surf and turf (light fillet and sizzling prawns) and flame-grilled ribeye and fillet strips, we chose some devilishly good (and devilishly fatty, I'm sure) homemade double-cooked chips, a refreshing greek salad and lashings of bearnaise sauce and garlic butter. The starters are also a bit of a must: lemon and herb prawns were sizzlingly flavoursome, and the seared scallops with jerusalem artichoke puree and pancetta had us signalling our appreciation through a series of smacked lips, mmm noises and other (probably unladylike) sound effects.

Washed down with a bottle of Argentine Torrontes, and a healthy splash into the cocktail menu, the evening was spot on for ladies (and gents - all steaks come with the option of sizing up to standard, large or 'ravenous') looking for a much needed catch-up dinner with friends and loved ones. The staff are super-friendly, the service unpressured, and there are plenty of options on the menu everyone should like, so you can sit back, enjoy your food and concentrate on good times with friends. Now go forth, and get thy protein fix.

Roxie Steak and Wine Cafe

803 Fulham Road

London SW6 5HE

For bookings call: 0207 371 5785

Apologies for the lack of interior shots, they came out all fuzzy. But check out Roxie's gallery for an idea - it's really gorgeous!