Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
Alain Milliat Apricot Nectar
Sourdough, Onion Bacon Brioche, Pretzel, Oatmeal Rye Bread and Bordier Butter
Baby Radish, Heirloom Tomato, Chive, and Tomato Consommé
Pressed Foie Gras with Green Apples, Turnips, Watercress, Smoked Duck, Brioche Baton
Ravioli of Lobster – Langoustine – Salmon poached in a light bisque, oscietra caviar, sorrel veloute
Gougeres
Isle of Gigha Halibut with Atlantic King Crab, Finger Lime, Cauliflower Cous-Cous and Ras El Hanout Infused Broth including Coriander, Fennel Seed, Cinnamon, and Clove
Bresse Pigeon Breast with Confit Leg, Smoked Pork Belly, Grilled Polenta, Mascarpone, Beet Root, Braised Shallots, Baby Carrot, Dates
Selection of Cheeses including Camembert Calvados, 36-Month Comte, Holland Goat Bleu, Napoleon – Haut Pyrenees, and Ami du Chambertin with Oat Cakes and Chive Lavosh, Fruit Bread, Local Honeycomb, Grapes
Cucumber Sorbet, Salad Burnet, Lemon Verbena, Mint, Lemon Balm
Assiette de l’Aubergine – Lemonade Parfait with Honey, Bergamot, Sheep’s Milk Yoghurt Sorbet / Smoked Chocolate Cigar with Blood Orange and Cardamom Ice Cream / Bitter Chocolate Cylinder with Coffee Granite and Ginger Mousse
Caramelised tarte Tatin of Apples with Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream
English Peppermint Souffle with Bitter Chocolate Sorbet
Strawberry Ice Cream Bon Bon, Milk Chocolate Ganache, Rosewater Turkish Delight
Undeniably a caricature of his own creation, and perhaps nowhere more than back home in Las Vegas where his most highly regarded restaurant flaunts “a fury for flavor,” it was with a cautious sort of optimism that I approached Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and thankfully sparred from any semblance of shtick nearly every moment of my three hour lunch would prove a delight. Still Ramsay in name but maintaining three stars from Michelin under the direction of Clare Smyth as each of 45 seats are pampered by formal yet friendly service amidst an art deco décor bathed in white it obviously comes as no surprise that a visit to Royal Hospital Road proves a far more elegant experience than fans of the Scottish chef’s celebrity might expect and although some may call the cuisine a touch too ‘safe’ I prefer the term precise, not a single element of the “Menu Prestige” out of place as a parade of ornate plates shined bright. Admittedly not the best way to showcase Chef Smyth’s skills yet at the same time far more broad in scope than the shorter prix-fixe it was of several Ramsay signatures that my meal comprised and with courses such as the tender ravioli and delicate halibut every bit deserving of their legendary status served alongside Milliat nectars, a top tier bread program paired to Bordier, plus a cheese cart rich in selections from Antony not a single detail seemed overlooked. Delving into a few modernist flairs as the meal transitioned to sweets it was only here that I diverged from the “Prestige” path and although commanding a £20 premium the Assisette de l’Aubergine was every bit worth the price – a trio of the restaurant’s daily desserts paired with an individual portion of the restaurant’s signature tarte and capped by a full sized soufflé, itself bearing a £20 tag if ordered a la carte. Beleaguered by some due to its namesake’s antics but every bit worth its celebrated status suffice it to say that whether Chef Ramsay himself has cooked on Hospital Road recently is irrelevant, the kitchen remains in good hands while the front of house flows with an effortless affability far too infrequently seen amongst Europe’s mostly highly ranked.
RECOMMENDED: For first timers I think the Menu Prestige is a must as items such as the Ravioli and Halibut offer a lot of insight as to how Chef Ramsay ascended the culinary ranks. Additional attention should be paid to the Tarte Tatin, reportedly ‘for-2’ but available in an individual portion if you ask, and the handcrafted Bordier butter – Ramsay being the only restaurant I visited in England that offers it.
AVOID: Water carries a hefty upcharge at £6/bottle and for that price one is far better off with the impeccable nectars, each £9.
TIP: Gougeres are generally only offered to ‘friends of the family’ or those waiting for the rest of their party to arrive but with a simple inquiry I was delivered a basket of four, the choux itself literally melting on the tongue like some sort of modernist trick; request them and don’t worry about ‘getting full’ as the plates trend small and you’ll have plenty of room…though the bread program itself will also tempt most.
http://www.gordonramsay.com/royalhospitalroad/
