Gordon Ramsay at the London

[little ms foodie]

I spoke to reservations today regarding lunch next month. I have to say the woman was extremely nice and went in depth about the 2 different restaurants, smart dress with jackets for men and the pricing on the3 course lunch at $45 (although menu pages says $35)

all in all I have a ressie for lunch late in december..............

[Vadouvan]

Lunch #2 at GR today.

We decided to do the $45 Lunch menu.

A $80 3 course a la carte and a $110 7 Course menu prestige is also offered at lunchtime.

Comlimentary Tastes

2 little ramekins with toasts.

Truffle Goat cheese mousse

Foie gras and Chicken liver parfait

Standard but delicious.

Goat cheese mousse was excellent earthy truffle flavor without overuse or any use at all of truffle oil.

Amuse Bouche

Marinated Beetroots, toasted pinenuts, whipped ricotta cheese.

Nice lite starter, tasty vinaigrette.

1st courses

Ballotine of Foie Gras, Pickled Vegetables,Cauliflower Puree, Toasted Brioche.

The Ballotine/Torchon was excellent and perfectly seasoned, as good or better than any I have had in NY including PerSe, much more of a Foie centric dish than say the more intellectual approach at wd 50 for example.

Brioche was luxurious.

Pickled Vegetables on the other hand lacked enough acid and sweetness to offer any compatibility with the Foie, Idea was great but pickling solution for my tastes could be stronger.

As a whole, the Foie and Brioche were so good it was still excellent.

Veloute of Globe Artichoke, Chicken , Mushroom and Herb Tortellini.

Soup Broth was perfect, not too creamy, great artichoke flavor.

Overall a tasty dish.

Tortellini wrapper could be a touch more delicate but filling was otherwise well seasoned.

The gigantic tortellini which I suppose gramatically becomes a tortelloni looked beautiful sitting on top of some braised cabbage.

Second Courses

Pot Roasted Leg of Rabbit Confit Garlic, Oyster Mushrooms, Roasted Celeriac, Anchovy Jus.

The portion was rather large, if not the most exciting rabbit dish, one has to keep in mind that it is a $45 menu. The leg was wrapped in cured ham either serrano or parma.

This also seemed like the farmed milder flavoured rabbit thus the anchovy sauce and ham handily overwhelmed any rabbit flavor.

Roast Leg of Lamb,Caramelized Chicory,Golden Raisins, Tomato Molasses

Again, a standard tasty preparation, the star of the plate was the unadvertised Lamb Rillette.

I have had more tender and more sweet sour caramelized endive.

I almost feel one needs to capitalise on the bitterness of endive by foiling it with sweetness and acid.

ooops..

Mid course of

Oven Roasted Foie Gras, caramelized Williams Pear, Date Millefuille

A milder sear than I like for Foie, looks like it was seared lightly with a nut crust and finished in the oven. A little underseasoned but easily corrected with some table salt.

The fried sage and poire william made a great combination.

Desserts

Coconut Tangerine Sorbet, Licorice Root, Date puree, Crisp Pound Cake.

Vanilla Poached Pear, Chestnuts, milk Gelee, Casta Diva Cosecha and Chocolate Madeleines.

Both desserts were OK, in fact the dessert amuse bouche was by far more interesting.

Retired to R4D and chatted with Goldfarb.

Closing thoughts....

Certainly not the most creative or most delicious meal I have had but guess what..

Its been open 3 days

it's $45 per person which is an excellent value, however you could rack up your bill in wine.

The staff is extremely professional and behave as if you are spending significantly more $$$ with the same enthusiasm.

Gordon Ramsay walked by, stopped at the table and thanked us for our support in a really gracious tone inconsistent with his TV escapades, even his body language was wierdly contrite.

Came off as a really nice guy.

Stars of the Meal were the Soup and Foie Ballotine.

Wine matches were excellent and we reluctantly asked for half glasses paired with the dishes which they accomodated.

Would I go back ?

Yes, there are tons of more interesting sounding dishes on the menu prestige.

It seems to be priced at about $115 less than the same number of courses at Per Se.

[BryanZ]

The interweb has been surprisingly quiety about this much-anticipated opening. Augieland posted a short but nice recap of the Menu Prestige, Eater has covered whatever bit of gossip (true or otherwise) they can find, but largely there's not a ton being said. Yes, it's true it's been less than a week, but weren't people already up in arms about Ducasse by this time? Wasn't Per Se literally on fire?

I'm looking forward to my visit.

[cchen]

It's interesting to see that Augie has pics from his dinner on his blog, considering the statement that GR made before the opening....

Edited November 19, 2006 by cchen (log)

[johnder]

I assumed his rule, if they did decide it was true, is there to cover themselves. I would expect they would enforce the rule if someone was taking excessive photos with flash, disturbing other diners. I can't see how a casual non-flash shot of the food here and there (especially if done discreetly) would be of issue to them.

When I go there on the 27th for dinner, I fully plan on taking a few discreet photos.

john

[johnder]

While the London website didn't update anything yet, Gordon Ramsay's website has all the menus downloadable as a pdf.

A La Carte

Prestige

Lunch

The London Bar

A La Carte

Chef's Menu

Interesting passage at the bottom of the main dining room menu:

We would respectfully request that your party is ready to sit at your table at the time of your reservation.  Should you wish to enjoy pre-lunch drinks in our bar, we would recommend arriving in advance of your reservation time to ensure a timely service.  Please note our dress code is smart.  Jackets are required for gentlemen.

[Vadouvan]

I wouldnt take the jacket thing too seriously, strangely more than half of the gents took off thier jackets after a course or two and hung it right behind thier chairs and that was just fine with the restaurant. They are far more interested in you being comfortable than any silly dress codes.

Servers actually said "can we hang it up for you or do you just want it behind your chair"

Edited November 21, 2006 by Vadouvan (log)

[BryanZ]

I saw that note about being on time, too, but I think that's entirely fair.

On another note, I'm going tomorrow for lunch and am very excited. I've eaten in the casual bar room of GR's in Japan on the second day of its opening. I found the food well-prepared but very simple. Service there was top-notch, but that could be more a result of Japanese service ethic than the Gordon Ramsay training program.

Edited November 21, 2006 by BryanZ (log)

[johnder]

I agree the note is fair. I think it was worded very well too.

Good luck at Lunch, I expect a full report back! A very good friend of mine had dinner there last night but she gave me very mixed reports on service -- specifically around the bread service and how it was particularly bad. The food otherwise she said was great.

John

[little ms foodie]

bryan I can't wait to hear about it!!!

[21clubber]

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!

[rich]

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!

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Excellent report 21C.

On the surface it does appear a steal. However, it's rare that anyplace performs well on New Year's Eve. I liken NYE to Mother's Day, Father's Day, Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas Eve or Day - never go out, the quality rarely, if ever, matches that of "normal" days.

Edited November 21, 2006 by rich (log)

[algy]

and generally speaking, the Times is better on accuracy than its more partisan rivals like the Guardian or the Telegraph.

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you might like to check that fact

[Nathan]

I stand by it.

[algy]

I stand by it.

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Hillary stood by Bill, but that didn't mean he was always telling the truth.

[docsconz]

Before this point gets too far off topic let's keep this topic to Gordon Ramsey at the London.

[johnder]

Bloomberg has a quasi-review of Ramsay. I say quasi as it is mostly talk about the room and atmosphere as opposed to the food.

Click here.

I guess this quote puts to bed the no pictures rule.

Everyone in the room was spying on one another -- and so was I, except when temporarily blinded by a nearby food blogger who insisted on taking flash pictures of her red beetroot over white ricotta.

[BryanZ]

Just returned from lunch. All-in-all a great experience. Traffic throughout Manhattan is not fun right now, so that put a slight damper on my day, but I have no real complaints about the restaurant.

I will post a full report later tonight. For now, I will say that GR is already executing at a level higher than but a select few restaurants in the city. The food is not ambitious in itself but the execution of it is so on point that it almost makes the food seem more ambitious than it is. I'm still full and tired from the drive, so clarification will be coming later.

[robyn]

While the London website didn't update anything yet, Gordon Ramsay's website has all the menus downloadable as a pdf.

A La Carte

Prestige

Lunch

The London Bar

A La Carte

Chef's Menu

Interesting passage at the bottom of the main dining room menu:

We would respectfully request that your party is ready to sit at your table at the time of your reservation.  Should you wish to enjoy pre-lunch drinks in our bar, we would recommend arriving in advance of your reservation time to ensure a timely service.  Please note our dress code is smart.  Jackets are required for gentlemen.

←

Some of these preparations seem somewhat simplified compared to those at RHR. If someone is a chocolate lover - try the bitter chocolate cylinder. Tell me how many layers it has. At RHR - it had about 6 - starting with the ginger mousse at the top. It was truly a spectacular dessert.

Of course - there are some items available in the UK that it would be difficult (or impossible) to get here - like scottish lobster tails and Bresse pigeons (although I don't think that pigeon would be very popular in the US). Robyn

[emsny]

(although I don't think that pigeon would be very popular in the US).  Robyn

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Note, Robyn, that the first listing on the a la carte menu is indeed pigeon, quite a lot of which appears on US fancy-restaurant menus.

[docsconz]

(although I don't think that pigeon would be very popular in the US).  Robyn

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Note, Robyn, that the first listing on the a la carte menu is indeed pigeon, quite a lot of which appears on US fancy-restaurant menus.

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True. On most menus it is called squab rather than pigeon. Of course the pigeons are generally not from Bresse.

[robyn]

(although I don't think that pigeon would be very popular in the US).  Robyn

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Note, Robyn, that the first listing on the a la carte menu is indeed pigeon, quite a lot of which appears on US fancy-restaurant menus.

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True. On most menus it is called squab rather than pigeon. Of course the pigeons are generally not from Bresse.

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Never knew that a squab was a pigeon. Of course - I don't think I ever thought about it before . Anyway - here's what's on the NY menu:

Roasted squab with truffled cabbage,

fondant potato, sweet onion purée, girolles

and roasting juices

And here's what I had in London:

Oven-roasted pigeon from Bresse with sauteed foie gras, creamed spinach and mushrooms, braised root vegetables, truffle jus

Of course - the menu in London was pricier - 65 pounds for 3 courses at lunch.

I am pleased to hear the good reviews though - I thought RHR was the best restaurant I've eaten at in a couple of years. Hope the place in New York does well enough to "kick it up a notch". Robyn

[BryanZ]

To make a long story short, lunch at GR was a solid NYT three-star experience. These are not Bruni stars, but rather my own. I've not had better a better version of this style of food in New York. With that said, nothing completely inspired or enlightened. The best was simply really, really, really tasty and perfectly executed, but I was never in total awe. This to me signifies a three-star experience. With that said, dinner if elevated just slightly could move into four star range. And with Bruni awarding three stars to Cru, Country, Del Posto etc, GR blows these restaurants out of the water.

With the star business out of the way, I'm going to ramble on about this meal. Talking about food, service, and other less significant musings.

First, the room is quite attractive if not completely striking. Tables are very well-spaced, giving the illusion of a dining room that feels bigger than it actually is. The swiveling chairs make me wonder why other restaurants haven't come up with this before. Ingress and egress are actually made that much easier. The rotating wall panels aren't that cool. One side is like marble green, the other an etched wood. I should also note a very small detail that the dining room isn't completely finished yet. If you look up at the molding, one section actually isn't place, so you can actually see the occasion wire up above. Just a minor detail I noticed, kind of like sections of worn carpet at Jean-Georges that also bother me to no end.

Service was quite good, if slightly unorganized. Nothing was wrong by any means, but I felt somewhat unsure as to who I should be asking for certain things. A couple people dressed like captains stopped by at various times to see to some issues while we were helped primarily by what seemed like a backwaiter not part of the British staff.

A couple minor miscommunications and quirks also kept the service from being truly top notch. When I wanted only to order two glasses of wine right off the menu our captain went immediately to fetch a sommelier. Although I made it clear that I knew what I wanted and wanted to order immediately (to go with the canapes), he still made us wait to place the order from the sommelier. If anything, he was probably being over anxious and wanted us to have a better wine ordering experience, but I also feel like any member of the floor staff should be able take a simple request without having to search out someone else.

They passed the napkin test each time, but only refolded and did not replace. Again, not a problem but an interesting choice.

Bread is really not good. Like shockingly not good for a restaurant of this caliber. Two types, neither all that interesting. I was severely disappointed since I love bread so much. At least the brioche with my foie was tasty.

Another amusing occurance was that of the flying crumber. While crumbing the table, with great gusto I might add, our backwaiter lost grip of her crumber. It proceed to ricochet between of two glasses and lodge itself magestically in our butter. She apologized, we laughed. It broke any remaining stiffness between her and my party for the rest of the meal, and it appeared she invested more in our table after that.

As I mentioned, this is simple food, but it is very well executed. I went in not knowing what to expect--my personal tastes shade toward the modern but numerous Michelin stars count for something--and ended up with reaffirmed faith in a style of cooking I previously found boring. Chef Ramsay's cuisine is quite different than that of his NYC rivals; it's far heartier for one and relies more on a synthesis of deep, enriching flavors than striking contrasts (JGV) or laser-like focus (TK).

Vadouvan noted that the appetizers outshone the mains and desserts, and I would certainly agree. The foie ballotine is a beautiful plate both in appearance and on the palate. The artichoke veloute and trout were also very, very tasty if not completely memorable. The same could be said of the mains of lamb and rabbit. Both were incredibly satisfying "restaurant food" of a very high calibre, but months from now I won't remember them. A plate of dourade with sweet corn and fig gastrique was more memorable probably because its flavors were radically different than those of the lamb and rabbit. I really enjoyed my pear and chocolate dessert; a chesnut puree with milk gelee was also tasty and thankfully not too sweet; the coconut sorbet with tangerine was different than described on the menu, as a couple components listed were not present. We did not receive the same number of extra courses (only the duo of canape spreads and an amuse of white bean soup) as Vadouvan, but then again we're nowhere near as cool.

Whores of Chef Ramsay's UK television shows like myself will undoubtedly notice Jean-Baptiste (not that imposter Jean-Phillipe from US Hell's Kitchen) manning the dining room. I'm guessing he's the GM right now, because he was moving throughout both dining rooms and seeing to many business-related manners rather than schmoozing with guests. He's the cute Frenchman and the g/f has the expected crush on him.

In an amazingly entertaining series of events, much of the GR FOH staff dealt with a very eager and very out of place woman on her own self-guided tour of the main dining room. Walking in a flannel shirt, backback, "trainers," and baggy jeans she proceeded to engage several members of the dining room staff about the menu, room, and mignardises cart. How the hostess ladies did not intercept this woman is beyond me, but the staff in the dining room entertained her graciously. J-B, upon reentering the dining room and seeing her, does something of a double-take and ever so sweetly and encouragingly, with a guiding hand, escorts her out of the room after her thorough inspection. He then proceeds to close the frosted door between the London Room and the main room that had remained open for the previous two hours. He utters something in French and puts on quite the bemused face. It was endearing.

So I hope everyone's visit to GR can be as eventful as mine. While the restaurant was not eye-opening in the intellectual sense, it was immensely satisfying. How it will stack up to Bruni, Michelin, and its four-star competitors, however, remains to be seen.

[Sea Urchin Ragout]

Whores of Chef Ramsay's UK television shows like myself will undoubtedly notice Jean-Baptiste (not that imposter Jean-Phillipe from US Hell's Kitchen) manning the dining room.  I'm guessing he's the GM right now, because he was moving throughout both dining rooms and seeing to many business-related manners rather than schmoozing with guests.  He's the cute Frenchman and the g/f has the expected crush on him. 

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Small, pedantic point but JB is Belgian (and proud )

Interesting review though. How do you think GR will be received overall on the NY dining scene now you've been and eaten there?

[BryanZ]

Really, I had no idea. I could've sworn that Chef Ramsay has called him a frog on his shows, but maybe that's every other French person/thing he encounters.

You'll have to excuse the length and meandering nature of my review. There was a lot to say, and it was late, and yeah.

I think GR is fine restaurant with mass appeal. As I said, I wasn't blown away but found the food and experience to be without major fault (save for the bread). Given that this is safe food, I think it will remain popular with both the NY dining cognoscenti and tourists, as Chef Ramsay is perhaps the chef who best balances his media image/brand with the restaurants to back it up. Add in the central location, and I can't see the restaurant failing. Should it get four NYT stars and three Michelin? As of now I'd say no, but that doesn't mean it will have failed from a business perspective.