A terrific dinner in the main dining room Monday evening A friend of mine and I had dinner at the main dining room Monday evening. On the whole, we were impressed with the food and extradorinarily impressed with the high level of service. I love the dining room: it's square with no columns, large plants etc. hiding any of the tables---truly a "see and be seen" room reminiscent of someting from the thirties or forties. We ordered à la carte because my friend wanted the turbot and I the roast chicken. Here's our menu: APPETIZERS: me - Lobster ravioli, poached in its own bouillon with celery root cream, shellfish vinaigrette and chervil veloute my friend - Caramelized calves sweetbread withcreamed artichoke, ceps and a Cabernet Sauvignon sauce shared - Oven roasted foie gras with caramelized William's pears and a date millefuille --- MAIN COURSES: me - Corn fed chicken, roasted on the bone, with a fricassee of bacon, onions and prunes, sun choke puree and roasting jus (for two) my friend - Line caught uurbot poached in St. Emilion with creamed potato, braised salsify, braised baby leeks and civet sauce Portions on the whole are quite generous. The lobster ravioli - a GR signature dish - was delicious. Being a single ravioli, quite large, the lobster was the sort of preparation that American chefs of yesterday might have baked in puff pastry (back in the days when Americans ate lots of puff pastry) instead of utilizing pasta. We loved the foie gras! Coated with some toasted hazlenute, it had the richness and intensity of flavor one expects from a great FG preparation. And the pears and pear puree were nice accompaniments. I also enjoyed the roast chicken. The breast was especially tasty. (My friend took about 2/3rds of the second portion home to his girlfriend.) But by far the most interesting dish from the turbot. Here one gets a glimpse of how chef Ramsay's approach to French cooking differs from some of his peers. The sauce was rich and full flavored, interwoven with the taste of the turbot to create a unique - and very delicious - taste. How different this approach is from others such as Keller and Ducasse, who generally avoid sauces such as this, preferring to use herbs, light sauces, etc. to better showcase the natural flavor of the fish in all its glory. For dessert we had a tarte tatin for two, sliced and plated tableside. Again, the portion size was generous. This was also very good. For wine, we had a half glass with each course. The pairings were good, if unremarkable. As for the service, we had the good fortune to have a woman named Jade as our captain, who came over to the US from the flagship Royal Hospital Road restaurant. Her service was flawless - as good or better than the other four star restaurants. After dinner, we were invited to see the kitchen, where we had the chance to meet and chat with Neil Furgeson, the chef de cuisine. (Chef Ramsay flew back to the UK Sunday evening.) We also saw the chef's table - a REAL chef's table, right in the kitchen! I was, oddly enough, unoccupied. (How fun it would have been to have taken that table for opening day service, with Gordon in high gear right before your eyes!) I'm returning in two weeks, so I'll do another post. I also have a reservation in the main dining room for New Year's Eve--a STEAL at just $250 per person!