Which Gordon Ramsey Restaurant?

[Ochowie]

I'm going to be in London in a week and I have already booked The Wolseley and Quo Vadis based on reading these forums and the recently posted trip reports. I was hoping to do one night at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant. Currently RHR isn't showing any availability online but both Claridges and Maze are available. I was hoping to get an outside opinion on which is better between the two. They seem pretty different but does either restaurant operate at a consistently higher quality than the other?

Thanks.

Edited July 17, 2011 by Ochowie (log)

[nikkib]

Maze would be the most different of the two but it would be better to go to pollen street social as that is where previous chef patron Jason Atherton has moved to. I would say hit up Petrus or Claridges for a true "Ramsay" experience personally

[Ochowie]

Thanks for the advice. Also, maybe I should spell the man's name correctly. So between Petrus and Claridges is it a toss-up or does one stand out?

[nickloman]

If you're gonna do Ramsay properly it probably should be Royal Hospital Road. I'd avoid Claridges personally.

Ramsay has lost many of his flagship restaurants now - ex-Ramsay chefs doing their own thing include Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley, Angela Hartnett at Murano and Pollen Street Social as already mentioned.

[nikkib]

Oh I completely forgot to add the savoy grill too - the menu there might be similar to quo vadis though... Petrus is certainly more fine dining, check out the menus online and see which you prefer...

[Broken English]

I have to say I enjoyed Maze Melbourne more than RHR, though now Josh Emmett has left I'm not sure. RHR is excellent food and service, but there's definately nothing cutting edge or risky there. If you want straight classical food, it's a great place. I was expecting a little innovation, especially at 3 michelin star standard, but you can't fault what is on the plate.

[Jon Tseng]

As people said, RHR is worth it for the set-piece siege-gun three star experience. It isn't the most original cuisine on the planet, but I think they guard their three stars jealously.

I wouldn't bother with the other ones; I think they tend to offer a fairly identikit offering (posh protein + slick silkily reduced sauce + veg) but lack the exacting standards of the flagship.

Otherwise I would go to Maze as I think its the one restaurant in the group where the food has its own distinct personality. As people have said Pollen St Social (founded by Jason Atherton the ex-Maze chap) is just as good if not better, but it may be harder to score a reservation.

J

Edited July 20, 2011 by Jon Tseng (log)

[felixhirsch]

I would avoid Pollen Street at all costs. I went and had a terrible experience, where I felt deeply unwelcome and looked down upon by the staff. It's not only me, as a few managers of highly regarded, Michelin-starred restos told me the same.

For Ramsay, of course RHR is the real deal. It's a very nice restaurant, especially for lunch when it is not so expensive, and you actually have only one sitting. Otherwise, Petrus is nice. Nothing to blow your socks off, but a very solid restaurant, a great sommelier and a beautiful room. The food I had was very safe and classical, but more than enjoyable.

Wareing is a bit of a stiff experience, its a nice restaurant, but the food is too complicated and the atmosphere a bit dead.

So, if it has to be Ramsay, it should be RHR or PEtrus!

[nikkib]

I had one of the best meals I gave ever had at pollen street, between my sister and myself we ate most of the menu in tasting portions and thought the service was truly outstanding, from the bar to our extremely charming French waiter who is the first waiter in a very long time who managed to add to the enjoyment of a "fine dining" meal. As my sister wasn't drinking, I went by the glass and they were great in recommending wines for each course too. Really can't recommend it enough

[cheeekymunkey]

My experience of Pollen Street Social was closer to felixhirsch's, than nikkib's...

[felixhirsch]

The problem with Pollen Street is not the food, although it's far from being creative or exciting, but the service. Perhaps you were lucky, perhaps a lot of people I know weren't. It's a great place for a quick meal, efficient and pleasant, but hardly anything special. If you look at the other big opening of the year, which would be Dinner, the difference could not be bigger.

I certainly would not go back to it. You can do much better in London.

Edited July 20, 2011 by felixhirsch (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

Ok, I hate to add to the confusion, and also it’s going to start sounding like a classic Columbo line, but here we go…

My husband, the business traveler and amateur photographer, who still does not have an eG membership, tells me that RHR (Ramsay Hospital Road) has the reputation for being the most “gastronomic” of them all, and is priced accordingly. He has eaten there and enjoyed the experience. Frankly, the most disappointing thing about it was the bill at the end. Considering the difference in price, he didn’t find it to be THAT much better than what he typically gets at Claridge’s, where he has eaten on multiple occasions. He also loved Maze but hasn’t been back since the chef left so can’t speak for it now. In any case, it was a less classic experience than Claridge’s. If he had to pick just one Ramsay restaurant to go back to, Claridge's would be the recommended option if price is any consideration (and it's also easier to get a reservation). Petrus was very nice, as well, but also fussier than Clarridge’s – and more expensive.

[felixhirsch]

the difference in price between Claridge's and RHR is minimal. WHilst one is a very solid restaurant and enjoyable, the other is not doing well at all. GOing to Claridge's would be throwing money out the window.

If you don't want to spend 90quid for dinner, then go for lunch, at 45 it's hardly expensive for a three star.

[Jon Tseng]

Stylistically the two restaurants are quite similar; I think claridges would be the closest to rhr of the others.

BUT bear in mind claridges is much bigger. Off the top of my head I think it has roughly twice the covers. This makes it very hard to maintain the quality of RHR.

A felix said I don't think the price difference is that heinous. I'd stick with RHR.

J