A week before our London trip (LINK), by some sheer miracle, we were able to obtain seating for 4 at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. To say it was the absolute highlight of our entire trip is an understatement. For anyone living under a rock, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay is one of the highest regarded restaurants in the world, holding 3 Michelin stars since 2001.
We dined with our friends, N & A. We chose the à la carte menu at £120 per person.
We were expecting three dishes each and were quite surprised when these delectables started arriving at our table. We’re posting in arrival order so pay attention to the titles 😋
We dined with our friends, N & A. We chose the à la carte menu at £120 per person.
We were expecting three dishes each and were quite surprised when these delectables started arriving at our table. We’re posting in arrival order so pay attention to the titles 😋
SURPRISE NO. 1
The first of our Surprise No. 1 was this crisp with pickled trout roe and fresh creme and dill. It was a very simple and flavourful dish. It reminded us of an exquisite version of a childhood favourite. The spontaneous popping and saltiness of the fish roe with the dill were refreshing.
We only caught some of the ingredients but this was the Jamón Ibérico ham and pork in a crisp. This was a very intense flavour of ham and saltiness. The Jamón’s richness definitely dictated this bite. The red powder was very fine and dried up the taste, adding to the crunchy texture of the crisp. This was nice but not our favourite out of the three surprises.
The third surprise was this kingfish sushi with yuzu jelly. This was an interesting twist. The fish was super fresh and tasted like it came straight from the fish market. It was a very fatty piece. The yuzu elevated the sweetness of the fish, leaving us with a satisfying bite. The only downside was that the bite ended too soon and we wanted more! It was a really small piece of sushi, probably the size of the cap from a water bottle.
FUNDAMENTALS
The fundamentals of any fine dining, the bread and butter 🧈 The butter was very soft and easily spreadable. The flavour was light and not too overwhelmingly salty.
The sourdough (right) was airy and fluffy with a nice crunchy crust. It was probably the best sourdough we have ever tasted.
The brioche (left) was definitely the highlight of the three. It was savoury with an umami flavour. It was soft and melted in our mouths when complemented with the butter. We actually asked for more brioche three more times (rookie mistake, filling up on the bread 😂).
The sourdough (right) was airy and fluffy with a nice crunchy crust. It was probably the best sourdough we have ever tasted.
The brioche (left) was definitely the highlight of the three. It was savoury with an umami flavour. It was soft and melted in our mouths when complemented with the butter. We actually asked for more brioche three more times (rookie mistake, filling up on the bread 😂).
Sorry for this warped picture. We ordered the 2014 Valdicava Rosso di Montalcino, a red wine produced in the Tuscany region of Italy. It had a bold and strong aroma. It didn’t have a heavy tart taste, making it really easy for a non-wine-drinker, like myself, to scull it down. There was no bitter aftertaste. It paired really well with our protein dishes.
Surprise No. 2
This was smoked cheddar with pickled onions and chives in an egg. The egg and cheese were creamy, like a custard. The cheddar emitted a sweet and nutty aroma, enhancing the tasting experience. There was a fermentation taste to it, giving a slight hint of an alcohol aftertaste. It was a delightful surprise.
ENTRÉE
We finally got to eat what we actually ordered 🤣. Our first starter for our group was the ravioli, with lobster, langoustine, salmon, and sorrel. This was creamy as fuck. It had intense goodness of lobster flavour and a nice chunk of meat filling our mouths. The ravioli pastry was very fresh and soft. The green sauce added a sweet touch to this gooey deliciousness. Great choice by A. Mick regretted not ordering it.
Mick and I both chose the pressed foie gras, with clementine and hazelnuts. If you know French food, you would know duck is their speciality. This reminded us of Heston’s meat fruit (LINK).
For a “pressed” dish, surprisingly it had a light density. The buttery and fattiness of the foie gras still hit us with an intense flavour. The interesting twist was the use of clementine pieces, which cut through the foie gras with their sweetness. Mick said he could eat this all day (and probably why he returned from Europe with a medically diagnosed fattier liver 🤣).
For a “pressed” dish, surprisingly it had a light density. The buttery and fattiness of the foie gras still hit us with an intense flavour. The interesting twist was the use of clementine pieces, which cut through the foie gras with their sweetness. Mick said he could eat this all day (and probably why he returned from Europe with a medically diagnosed fattier liver 🤣).
This was the scallops from the Isle of Skye, composed of Ajo Blanco, Verjus, and Manni olive oil. N loved this dish. He said it was cooked to perfection on the inside and nicely seared on the outside. The sauce complemented the fish very well and the garnish added a fresh element. He still talks about this dish when we catch up HAHAHA.
EXTRA
The boys agreed to order this pasta with cream cheese and shaved truffle dish and WOW, there was some envy coming from the girl’s side. We were all doing Homer Simpson impersonations after having a taste 🤤.
The truffle was not the same strong pungent flavour we were used to at home. It was very light and blended perfectly with the cream and cheese of the pasta. This dish was well balanced and every bite melted in our mouths with goodness. We could taste the freshness of the pasta. It was not al dente but given the flavours of the dish, the soft texture was perfect. It was a simple dish that tasted friggin delicious! The only regret was not getting the larger serving.
The truffle was not the same strong pungent flavour we were used to at home. It was very light and blended perfectly with the cream and cheese of the pasta. This dish was well balanced and every bite melted in our mouths with goodness. We could taste the freshness of the pasta. It was not al dente but given the flavours of the dish, the soft texture was perfect. It was a simple dish that tasted friggin delicious! The only regret was not getting the larger serving.
MAIN COURSE
Our first main was the sucking pig: a crispy pork belly, with roasted loin, spiced shoulder sausage, chou farci, and crushed potatoes, picked by Mick. We thought it would be like the Vietnamese suckling pig but it turned out better!
This was like a savoury party, with each component tasting like its own mini dish. From the left, it was a savoury and sweet piece of the pig, with the tender meat falling off the bone easily. The middle was the soft and crispy pork belly and it was nicely complemented by the Brussels sprouts. Mick never eats Brussels sprouts so you know it was good when he eats his veggies 😋.
The top right was the pork sausage which was cooked in a traditional London style, adding a cosy feeling. The bottom right was the pork slices and it was like eating a pork steak. It was so delicious, juicy and flavourful *licks lips*.
This was like a savoury party, with each component tasting like its own mini dish. From the left, it was a savoury and sweet piece of the pig, with the tender meat falling off the bone easily. The middle was the soft and crispy pork belly and it was nicely complemented by the Brussels sprouts. Mick never eats Brussels sprouts so you know it was good when he eats his veggies 😋.
The top right was the pork sausage which was cooked in a traditional London style, adding a cosy feeling. The bottom right was the pork slices and it was like eating a pork steak. It was so delicious, juicy and flavourful *licks lips*.
Our second main was the Herdwick lamb with winter vegetables ‘navarin’, picked by N. There was no stench of lamb or strong aftertaste. The meat was tender and literally disintegrated as it touched our tongues. The outside was a yummy caramelized layer. Overall, this dish was just a very juicy piece of meat, cooked perfectly. The sauce was light and flavourful, not at all oily or greasy.
A and I got the cornish turbot; a type of fish with potato, leek, black truffle and jus gras. The fish was soft, moist and very fresh. It had absorbed all of the sauce in its flesh, creating succulent dimensions with each bite. There was some crispiness too, thanks to the searing on the outside of the fish.
The potato and truffle combination complemented each other and melted in with the flavourful fish. Every bite tasted like heaven!! It was so good I wanted to lick my plate haha.
The potato and truffle combination complemented each other and melted in with the flavourful fish. Every bite tasted like heaven!! It was so good I wanted to lick my plate haha.
EXTRA
Look at the selection! We spent 10 minutes trying to decide on which 5 pieces of cheese we should gouge ourselves on. This was an extra payment of £20 for the table. A loves her blue and aged cheese and was able to devour three of these on her own. I picked the safe choice, a cheddar. It had a light smokiness to it, with a creamy finish.
Surprise No. 3
At this point, we were breathing heavily, trying to keep everything we had consumed to stay inside our bodies. This was a pineapple soup. You drink it through the glass straw, which adds a nice cold touch to the soup. It was sweet, frothy and light. We thought it was such an innovative idea.
DESSERT
We ordered the caramelised apple Tarte Tartin, with Tahitian vanilla ice cream. N & A loved the tarte and their eyes were rolling backwards with each bite of this dessert 😝. It was a warm bite of sweetness, melted into the pastry. The ice cream helped to cut through the sugariness. It was a very filling dessert.
Surprise No. 4
Oh my cheeses, we were metaphorically dying. The number of surprise dishes really knocked us out. We were expecting this entire course to fill us the way any fine dining restaurant would. We never expected to end up 8 months heavily pregnant with our food babies 🤣.
The three surprises were a red jelly bite, hazelnut and chocolate pieces, and a bowl of white chocolate balls. They were not heavily sweet, quite refreshing and added the perfect finish to such a wonderful meal.
SERVICE
The service was spectacular but of course, when you’re dining at the best of the best, you would expect no less. The servers would even push the doors open to the toilet for us! Whenever our dishes arrived, there would be at least 3 servers to help clear the table and present the food in front of all four of us spontaneously and efficiently. It was like watching a robotic army of class and elegance.
The front-of-house, Juan, was a delightful character. He did an amazing job keeping us entertained and he even promised us a meet-and-greet with Matt Abe but unfortunately, Juan went home by the time we finished our meal. We did get invited to see the kitchen…
The front-of-house, Juan, was a delightful character. He did an amazing job keeping us entertained and he even promised us a meet-and-greet with Matt Abe but unfortunately, Juan went home by the time we finished our meal. We did get invited to see the kitchen…
Look at how spotless and organised the kitchen is! They explained that there was never any shouting or chaos in this kitchen during peak hours. Everyone knows their tasks and everyone understands the systematic order of how things get done. We thought we could see Matt but he was in the toilet when we walked through.
REVIEW
Overall, it was an amazing experience! ❤️
The meal was expensive (£370 each) but it’s not like we were going to eat here every weekend. Although if we were upper class, we definitely would 🤣. It was definitely worth it! We dined at the restaurant four days into our 3-month-long holiday and it still remained a highlight and the peak of our cuisine trip and year.
Thank you for the delicious meal, Matt Abe and Gordon Ramsay!
We look forward to our next visit!
The meal was expensive (£370 each) but it’s not like we were going to eat here every weekend. Although if we were upper class, we definitely would 🤣. It was definitely worth it! We dined at the restaurant four days into our 3-month-long holiday and it still remained a highlight and the peak of our cuisine trip and year.
Thank you for the delicious meal, Matt Abe and Gordon Ramsay!
We look forward to our next visit!
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Beers and burgers always go well together, so we recommend pairing the burger with one of our brews. The wheat beer has a special malty flavor that pairs well with the complex texture of the burger and is the most beautiful thing in the world.
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18/4/2020 01:04:52
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