Having only been to London on an all-too-brief two-day stopover a few years ago, I did not get to sample anything of note in one of the most exciting food destinations in the world. This time however, with a little more time on my hands, I was determined to eat at one or two Michelin-starred restaurants. First stop was the three Michelin-starred eponymous flagship restaurant of volatile celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.
Mention Gordon Ramsay and the first thing most think about is his infamous temper. His emergence all those years ago as a result of his documentary Boiling Point has rendered his image as a chef who is all about wild outbursts in and out of the kitchen. Never mind that he is a great chef and his attention to detail is second to none.
His celebrity status has also made him one of the most well known TV chefs in the world, with his involvement in food-related shows such as Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, US MasterChef, and his newest project Gordon Ramsay's Best Restaurant currently airing in the UK.
With so many commitments to television on both sides of the Atlantic, it is a wonder he has time to devote to restaurant-running, considering he has almost ten nosheries in Britain bearing his name and dozens more internationally (including one in Melbourne).
There was not much point travelling halfway around the world and not eat at his flagship restaurant, so we decided to try our luck securing a booking online. The restaurant takes reservations three months in advance, and unable to obtain a dinner reservation at two months before our trip, we settled on lunch instead, which was much easier to procure. Mind you, we really had to be sure to make that booking because any cancellations too close to the date incurs a rather hefty penalty - a private berating from the man himself! No, it is much worse - 100 pounds per person, which is a big "Ouch!" even though the Australian dollar is relatively strong at the moment. Fortunately for us, it was a fine day in London (for a change) and we arrived at the externally unprepossessing noshery a few minutes before our scheduled booking.
As we entered through the black door and into the narrow hallway, we could see the restaurant's interior was rather elegant with a slight tinge of opulence about it. The dining room is small indeed, with about ten tables evenly spaced around the room. Everything was immaculate, from the crisp white tablecloths to the carpet to the table settings; the only thing which seemed a little imperfect were the mirrors, some of which had those stains or splotches that you see on old mirrors. Maybe they were there for character.
We were greeted very warmly by our waiter then the restaurant manager, who explained to us in his thick French accent Gordon's philosophy and his food and even his current television show. Everything was handled extremely well, from the timing of the drinks to the menu to the amount of small talk from the staff, of which there were many.
Being lunch, we opted to order from the Menu of the Day, which offered three courses for a decent 45 pounds (about A$70). Each course had three interesting choices, and apart from the dessert, K and I ordered different entrees and mains so we could taste more dishes.
First up was the bread, of which there were numerous choices. The one I chose was the interesting sounding potato and honey bread roll, which was absolutely delicious and probably the best bread I've tasted in all my years. I'm not really a bread person but this one was so nice I asked for a second roll. The two types of butter which came on silver dishes were also great; one was normal butter and the other a goat's milk.
I didn't think we'd get an amuse bouche but I was wrong, as a little dish of tomato consomme was brought to the table not too long after we had placed our order. The soup was wonderfully flavoured and clean-tasting, and the little morsels of seasonal vegetables paired well with the perfectly cooked prawn and decadent caviar. With its vibrant colours, it also looked as good as it tasted so that's all one can ask for. We were really impressed.
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| Quail and wild mushroom pithivier with endive, toasted walnuts, celeriac and apple salad |
My entree was definitely a wow moment as it looked incredible. The pithivier was dainty but it was clever of them to cut a wedge out of it before serving, because it looked impressive with the filling exposed. The pie casing was done to perfection (light and buttery) and the quail and mushroom combination was sublime. There was a quail leg as well which was delicious, and the celeriac and apple salad was refreshing, cutting into the heaviness of the pie, meat, and lovely sauce. It was truly an outstanding dish.
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| Warm salad of chargrilled and marinated octopus, chorizo, preserved lemons, green olives and salsa verde |
K's entree was less complicated but still beautiful visually. The colours were similar to the amuse bouche's and full of vibrancy. Everything tasted so fresh and each mouthful was a joy, from the tasty salsa verde to the moderately intense chorizo to the supernaturally tender octopus. K remarked that the octopus texture was unlike anything he's had and I had to agree, as it was deliciously moist and not at all chewy.
After the delightful excellence of the two entrees, we were very eager when the two mains arrived at the table.
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| Roasted fillet of pork with smoked ventreche, Morteau sausage, black pudding, caramelised apple and choucroute |
My pork fillets sat on a bed of choucroute (sauerkraut) and they were simply beautiful: tender, moist, and full of flavour. The piece of pork belly was as good as I've had and everything was so well balanced, from the slight sourness of the choucroute to the sweetness of the caramelised apples to the lightness of the black pudding. At that stage, we'd only been in London for two days and I was not sick and tired of black pudding yet, but this was the best I had throughout the trip, needless to say.
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| 'Saltimbocca' with English Rose veal, sage, Parma ham, linguine and coco beans |
K's veal looked wonderful, and you can see the minutely-diced vegetables underneath the skin. It was perfectly cooked veal, and the sweet capers and coco beans were delicious pairings, along with the great presentation of the linguine neatly twirled adjacent to the veal.
After such decadently rich savoury courses, we were ready to see how the dessert was in comparison, but having seen the quality thus far, we knew we were in for a treat.
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| Banana parfait, peanut butter mousse and bitter chocolate sandwich with caramelised bananas |
Owing to the previous two courses, I have to be honest and say the presentation of the dessert did not quite match up to their amazingly high standard; it was a little messy and looked haphazard, in particular the thin chocolate wafer on the bottom. The chocolate was still warm when it went on the plate and so one corner had melted over the slice of banana; it looked like the kitchen was in a rush to assemble the dish and couldn't wait for the chocolate to cool. Still, presentation can be forgiven if the taste is great, and it was in this case. The caramelised banana slices were good, the chocolate wafers were just bitter enough to balance the sweetness, and the peanut butter mousse was smooth and creamy, but the piece de resistance was the banana parfait. It was scrumptious in every way and a surprise too because K thought it was ice cream, as he did the peanut butter mousse.
After three courses of such phenomenal quality, we thought that would be it, but we were so wrong! Not only were we given petit fours, but we were treated to one last hurrah worthy of such an outstanding meal.
When this silver mini Christmas tree was placed on the table, we did not know what it was (a decoration perhaps?), until we were given the explanation: the little baubles were edible chocolates! Instead of being just placed in a dish as one would expect, the painted and perfectly spherical balls of chocolate were pinked onto the 'branches' of this 'tree'; what an ingenious way of serving them! Decorative and functional! The chocolates were yummy as expected but the joy was in the eating: just like plucking berries off a tree, except chocolate ones!
At the same time, we were served our other petit fours, and this one was a mini spectacle, in the form of CO2.
As the dry ice became subjected to accelerated sublimation, the smoke-like fog clouds shrouded the metal bowl and streamed out and over the sides, giving a visual punch like one of Heston Blumenthal's bizarre culinary creations. After a short moment, when all of the dry ice had finished sublimating, the contents of the metal bowl were revealed.
Four dainty balls of white chocolate emerged from the fog, and because of the clouds of carbon dioxide 'smoke' which briefly enveloped them, they were chilled. I don't really like cold chocolate as the taste tends to be subdued, but after one bite into a ball, I realised they were actually strawberry ice cream encased in white chocolate, which were truly moreish and delicious. Another triumph from the patissier!
Sadly, that was the last of the meal, but one that left a lasting impression. Our lunch was a truly outstanding meal of fantastic flavour, uber-fresh produce utilised beautifully, and innovative cooking. Combined with the grace and elegance of the dining room, the wonderfully warm and efficient service, and the superb value for money, this was truly a dining experience to savour. Gordon Ramsay harks on about providing an experience for his diners, and in this case he has succeeded in every sense of the word; I can see why his flagship restaurant has consistently earned the maximum three Michelin stars, and if we are ever back in London, we will be sure to visit this magnificent restaurant once again.
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| Pierre enjoyed the experience also, in particular the desserts |
I'll finish this post with an interesting observation. Those who are familiar with chef Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares television show would realise his meticulousness regarding cleanliness, most notably in the restaurant kitchen and restrooms. One particular restaurant in the show he visited even had a restroom so bad he used ultraviolet lamps to reveal the level of filth. Therefore, I wondered what state would his own flagship restaurant's restrooms be? A visit to the men's restroom was therefore needed, bladder volume notwithstanding.
My initial thoughts? It was an unremarkable looking restroom, with a urinal, one toilet, and one vanity. I noticed there were a few screws or bolts missing from some panels above the urinal, which seems a little sloppy, but it is a minor quibble. As I was washing my hands, I noticed the hand towel disposal basket was empty, which was peculiar because K had been earlier and I did notice other men use it also. Then I realised the restrooms are visited regularly by a staff member whose job was to check the state of the restroom and no doubt clear the disposal basket as well; a little over-zealous but an indication of Gordon's standards. Then my final test: the dreaded white glove dust test. As I did not have any white gloves, I used the white hand towels provided, and I tested two places: the thin edge on top of the vanity mirror and the top of the toilet door, and I remarkably came up with no visible dust or dirt, which showed the level of cleanliness of the restroom. I wish my bathroom was as clean!
