One of the reasons I enjoy living in London is having access to various restaurants with worldwide cuisine well within my grasp, including living close to 1, 2, and 3 Michelin-star restaurants. A foodieās dream.
In Central London, there are numerous one Michelin-star restaurants, a few less two Michelin-star restaurants and only 3 three Michelin-star restaurants. These are Dinner by Heston Blumenthal (you can only order from the tasting menu if youāre a party of 4-6); The Araki (beautiful sushi); and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay (offering modern French cuisine). In December, I decided that keeping in line with Clos Maggiore, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay would be a great choice. Weāve never been to a Gordon Ramsay restaurant before, so why not start with a three Michelin-star restaurant ;-).
For those not in the know, Michelin-stars are awarded by Michelin (the tire company) on the basis of the food or cooking quality. A one Michelin-star denotes a very good restaurant in its category; two Michelin-stars denotes a restaurant with excellent cooking and is worth a detour; and three Michelin-stars denotes a restaurant serving exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey. Based on this, we had great expectations for Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, especially since we had an memorable experience at the two Michelin-star restaurant, The Midsummer House, in Cambridge.
So expectations were high. As we walked into the restaurant our expectations grew even more. And Restaurant Gordon Ramsay did not disappoint. Once we were seated, we noticed a card on the table with our names on it. We were celebrating an anniversary and the restaurant, very kindly, wrote us an anniversary card. I loved the gesture! What a great touch! And thatās when I knew the type of service we were going to receive. It was going to be noteworthy.
The restaurant itself is styled in art decor, so its clean style sets the precedent for the evening.
So before the menus were even provided, the tone for the night was set. But before getting lost in the splendour of it all, we needed to focus on the food. Thatās the main reason you come to a three Michelin-star restaurant: for the exceptional cuisine thatās worth a special journey.
The restaurant lived up to itās reputation on the food as well. We had the 7 course Menu Prestige and wine pairing. And every dish was better than the last and visually stunning. Let me give you a quick run-down of the menu:
As the menus a provided table nibbles are brought to the table. I guess to start whetting your appetite.
A amuse-bouche of cheddar cheese mousse in an egg shell is then served ā itās magnificent.
This is followed by foie gras that burst with freshness from the clementine and a beautiful ravioli filled with lobster, langoustine, and salmon.
Then the heavier dishes: a delicate Cornish turbot with that was enhanced by potato gnocchi and truffles; well-prepared tender lamb with roast vegetables (most notable was the blue potatoes from Bolivia); and hearty roasted pigeon with beetroot (to provide some relief from the meaty pigeon). Simple dishes but bursting with flavour and excellent technique.
Next was the palate cleansers (the reprieve between the main courses and dessert). First up was a flavourful soup of pineapple, coconut, and kaffir lime served in a flute with a glass straw. The soup was refreshing after the meaty dishes. The second palate cleanser was Granny Smith, camomile, and cider sorbet. Wonderfully light and delightful.
Last was lemon parfait that was elegantly served with a delicate honeycomb ring and sheepās milk yogurt. It looked like it belonged in a museum!
With a menu like this, who wouldnāt be happy?! Every mouthful made me happier and happier (or maybe it was the wine). But at the end of the evening, I was beyond satisfied and felt Ā like royalty.
To end off the evening, we were given a tour of the kitchen which was pristine! There were clean surfaces everywhere.
Restaurant Gordon Ramsay is my second three Michelin-starred restaurant Iāve been to and the first Gordon Ramsay restaurant. So I had high expectations and the restaurant knocked it out of the park. I canāt fault a single thing! The service was precise, the restaurant charming, and the cuisine was spectacular! It was the perfect way to end 3 days of anniversary celebrations. Iād happily come back and canāt wait to see what moreĀ Chef de Cuisine Matt AbĆ© has to offer.
* Restaurant Gordon Ramsay is located in Chelsea, London.
Ā Ā Ā Restaurant Gordon Ramsay One of the reasons I enjoy living in London is having access to various restaurants with worldwide cuisine well within my grasp, including living close to 1, 2, and 3 Michelin-star restaurants.
