This afternoon, I visited Restaurant Gordon Ramsay with another friend who was also about to leave London. He decided that he couldn't leave without having had a meal at this iconic chef's flagship establishment, and I was only too happy to accompany him. I noticed that some items on the Prestige Menu had changed so I was eager to try those, and I also emailed the restaurant beforehand to substitute some of the staple dishes on the Prestige Menu which I'd already tried last year - this was organised without any hassle. (My friend had the standard Prestige Menu which you can see from my first review of this restaurant last November.)
We were both late for almost an hour due to unforseen circumstances, and had to call the restaurant at the last minute to inform them about pushing back our early reservation time, which was both embarrassing for us and probably troublesome for them to organise, since the restaurant is always fully booked, with customers potentially coming in for a late lunch and needing the table after us. However, we were met with an extremely warm welcome from the front-of-house staff and maître d' Jean-Claude, none of whom displayed signs of irritation or impatience. (Well, they knew we were both going for the long tasting menu so probably wouldn't have allocated our table to later customers anyway!) Some of the staff recognised me immediately despite a long absence of nearly six months, and our main server (a lad from Bournemouth) said he had a surprise for me in the desserts since I'd requested some menu changes - mmm, I love surprises!
Amuse-bouche: mint-infused ricotta cheese, topped with pea mousse, cucumber, tomato, radish, pansy petal and rocket garnish.
A very nice change from the chestnut velouté offered for the chilly climate last year. This was an exquisite opener to the meal showcasing all that is good about summer produce. A velvety layer of ricotta was topped by feather-light sweet pea mousse, and the small chunks of vegetables had an appealing juicy and crunchy texture. The subtle infusion of mint, and rocket garnish were complementary breaths of fresh air within this light and wholesome dish.
First starter: slow-braised pied de cochon (pig's trotter) pressed then pan-fried with alternating layers of black pudding and ham knuckle, poached quail's egg on a muffin base with melted cheddar and a slice of Bayonne ham, hollandaise sauce and red wine reduction.
In contrast to the amuse-bouche, this was a wonderfully indulgent dish, with a tender, succulent texture and incredible savoury depth provided by the generous slab of meat. The black pudding (two thinner layers) had a delicate, slightly gelatinous, almost melt-in-the-mouth kind of texture. The pig's trotter (thickest bottom layer) was firm yet moist. Generous lashings of creamy hollandaise and red wine sauces further enhanced the richness of this dish. The accompanying mound, a posh take on Eggs Benedict, had the most amazing execution - an egg with a fragile, gelatinous white layer, and a perfectly runny yolk, was draped over with a layer of melted cheddar so thin that it appeared translucent (I didn't figure out it was cheese until I asked a server!), served on a rather dense muffin base with a small chewy piece of ham for a good bite. I detected a refreshing whiff of lemon somewhere; this could have come from the hollandaise sauce. The presentation of the dish was bold and fun, with a striking contrast of yellow and brown.
Second starter: poached Scottish lobster tail with lardo di colonnata, baby vegetables à la grècque and coral vinaigrette (lobster roe, tomato, tarragon, olive oil, touch of sambuca).
Another eye-catching dish with bright colours effectively highlighting the freshness of the centrepiece. This was not bad, but I did find the lobster a tad overcooked and rather tough to cut through (especially since it was a very thick chunk); thankfully it was still reasonably moist and retained a spring in the bite. The tender poached vegetables complemented the subtle sweetness of the lobster very well. The coral vinaigrette was the component I had real reservations about - the olive oil base had an excellent fruity aftertaste, but this was nearly overwhelmed by the extremely sharp-tasting red mixture consisting mainly of roe and diced tomato (I couldn't decide whether it was too salty, or sour, or both). I did like the grainy texture of the dressing though.
First main course: Isle of Gigha halibut with Atlantic king crab, cauliflower and pine nut couscous, finger lime and ras-el-hanout infused broth.
This was an incredible dish, luxurious yet delicate. The texture of the fish was amazing - meaty yet tender and moist. The surrounding Moroccan-inspired clear broth had some lovely aromas that, unlike a similar dish I tried at Le Gavroche recently, enhanced rather than overpowered the typically subtle flavours of white fish. The king crab topping was nice and sweet, but too insignificant a portion to discuss further (find it on this picture if you can!). The bed of extremely finely-chopped cauliflower had a nice grainy bite to it, while pine nuts in the mix contributed a delightful crunch and further depth in flavour.
Second main course: suckling pig, crispy belly (cooked for 36 hours) with fresh and caramelised apples, homemade sausage, roasted loin on a bed of crushed potatoes, spring onions and ham knuckle, apple purée, chou farci (minced pork cheek wrapped in Savoy cabbage).
This was totally out of this world. None of the parts of the pig are wasted in this dish, and like the pied de cochon starter, was proof of what gastronomy at the highest level could do with a seemingly common pub dish. This sophisticated take on the classic pork-and-applesauce combination had something different to offer in each component, from the roasted loin medallions that were so lean, yet tender in texture and velvety in mouthfeel, that they tasted almost like a liver paté, to the sausage that was well-seasoned, succulent and juicy, to the chou farci that was packed tightly with smooth minced pork cheek. The best component and worthy of mention in its own right was the crispy pork belly; this was execution at a level any chef should aspire to. An incredibly delicate crispy layer of skin tops the most melt-in-mouth meat one could ever taste, and the juicy apple bed was the perfect foil to this intense and luxurious morsel. I wished that the Sunday roasts I've tasted were even a fraction as good as this. Unforgettable.
First dessert / palate cleanser: green apple and lime sorbet with shiso sugar sprinkling, diced green apple, avocado cream, eucalyptus jelly, eucalyptus and shiso leaf garnish.
This was my first 'surprise', and I hadn't expected the kitchen to make me a dessert that was on the more expensive Seasonal Inspiration menu (available only during dinner). This was a real pleasure to have after the pork dish - so amazingly refreshing, with the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. The sorbet was intense in flavour yet unimaginably light and smooth in texture; this was well complemented by the rich and slightly sweet avocado cream. The one component that really made this dessert stand out was the shiso sugar sprinkling - I am extremely partial to the distinctive preserved-plum-like aroma and flavour of this Japanese mint, and with its well-known anti-bacterial properties (hence its usual function as a garnish for sashimi), it is also very good for you! What a masterpiece to behold, a perfect harmony of colours and flavours.
Second dessert: smoked chocolate cigar with blood orange purée and cardamom ice cream.
The chocolate cigar itself probably isn't a new idea for desserts in fine-dining restaurants, but what made this really special was the savoury and smoky flavour that was infused into the chocolate, and this addition worked perfectly with the deep and rich taste of high-quality cocoa. The cardamom ice cream was another unusual flavour, but the spiced pairing was an entirely appropriate concept for this distinctive chocolate. Dollops of rather tart blood orange reduction provided the balance for this luxurious dessert. Needless to say, this was also such a pleasure to look at; I almost couldn't bear to start eating this exquisite piece of food art.
Third dessert: banoffee pie soufflé, vanilla ice cream.
A relatively down-to-earth way to end this wonderful meal after two fancy items. On the surface it might have looked pretty ordinary, but as they say in English, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and on that count, this dessert certainly didn't disappoint. The texture of the soufflé was amazing - all at once smooth, creamy, light and airy. The fragrance of baked bananas was unmistakable and intoxicating. I was looking for the toffee part of the dessert when I finally noticed a generous amount of the melted stuff at the bottom of the container - how wonderfully and unashamedly decadent! The ice cream was very good too, but hardly a match for the formidable soufflé.
Petit fours: strawberry ice cream in white chocolate coating, dark chocolate ganache, rosewater-flavoured Turkish delight; violet sorbet.
Not much to comment since these are the usual petit fours, with the exception of the violet sorbet which was a nice little extra; this was richly perfumed, with an unusually thick syrupy texture but fortunately didn't taste too sweet - very nice indeed.
I had arranged for a kitchen tour beforehand and Jean-Claude brought us there after our lunch. This was the first viewing of a Michelin 3-starred kitchen for both of us. I was genuinely surprised by how compact the kitchen was, compared to that at Marcus Wareing's flagship - I guess size really doesn't matter! We also had a brief but nice chat with Head Chef and Ramsay protegé Clare Smyth.
Two behind-the-scenes photos to give you an idea of what it's like in the kitchen...
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| With head chef Clare Smyth |
I think I've just about covered most of the signature dishes in this stellar restaurant, but I certainly wouldn't mind going back as soon they have something new to offer with the changing seasons. Excellent food and service all round - what's there not to love about this place? I feel fortunate to be living in London for the moment.
