Review: Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Royal Hospital Road, London.

THE SUN WAS shining on London as we strolled down the manicured streets of Royal Hospital Road for lunch at the three Michelin-starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsay.  Gordon was one of the chefs that inspired me to cook and despite being more of a TV personality now, his hard work, unrelenting standards and sheer determination to succeed are always something I’ll admire.  To say I was looking forward to this would be the understatement of the century.

We debated who would order the Dexter beef tartare with nasturtiums and Manni olive oil starter for weeks (praying it was still on the menu).  Being the gentleman, Sarah came out on top (in the heats at least) as she had a change of heart on the day.  Admittedly, this one a bit of a thinker because I had expected a traditional steak tartare. What I got was a simple dish that largely relied on the star ingredient to do the talking.  I felt that it needed a pinch of sea salt to maximise its potential.

However, the raw beef melted like butter on your tongue and was hit by a welcome peppery note from the nasturtiums.  The required season was there when the fruity, slightly spicy olive oil was added, but there wasn’t enough (perhaps it was the way it was drizzled around) of it to have the desired effect on the whole portion. Worth mentioning the eagle-eyed waiter who offered to fetch me some extra cracker breads as I came to the end  - that's what makes the difference at this level.

Ironically, Sarah’s starter of Buckwheat gnocchi, mushroom, sweetbreads and Parmesan with garlic capers was exceptional.  The skill here was in the creamy, velvety, mushroom veloute where the richness was reigned in to keep the dish on the lighter side.  The little sweetbread nuggets were soft as silk on the inside, housed by a crunchy, yet light coating and the gnocchi provided a tasty vessel to lap up that delicious cheesy, 'shroom sauce.

The dining room was smaller than I had imagined with an army of staff led by Maître d’ Jean-Claude picking up on even the smallest of details.  It wasn’t as stuffy as I’d have imagined (maybe even hoped for with punters turning up in jeans and answering mobile phones in the dining room), which was a sign that this beacon of British gastronomy is more modern than the restaurant featured years ago in Boiling Point, the TV series were a young Ramsay really came to national fame.

I would need to be truly wooed with my main course after a lukewarm starter and thankfully I was.  Fresh from an excellent venison main at Hadrian’s Brasserie, this meat option was a must for me.  The deer was accompanied by Jerusalem artichokes, alliums and elderberry ketchup.  The venison was out of this world, possibly the most tender piece of meat I’ve eaten, it was simply heaven alongside that elderberry sauce.  It did taste like a posh, slightly fruity Heinz Tommy K, and I mean that with the greatest of respects to the chefs – it was the star of the show alongside those slabs of game.  The artichoke came in the form of both crisps, which was sort of modern game chip idea, and an earthy sort of puree that neatly fitted another piece of the flavour jigsaw together. The puzzle was completed with a pleasant, and again light, venison sauce.

Sarah’s plate was a real eye-pleaser.  Norfolk Black chicken leg with smoked bacon, brassicas and three-corner garlic would taste as pleasing as it looked.  The bird was succulent and as tender as one could dream. The brassicas – Romanesco and crispy kale – looked like a little garden on the plate and brought that freshness with it.  The herby sauce was interesting, while the smoked bacon brought an earthiness to the dish.  A real triumph of modern British cooking.

A three-course lunch will set you back £65 (plus service charge) which we enjoyed with a very reasonably priced bottle of Dao from Portugal – a snip at £39.  The wine list, compiled by head sommelier James Peter Lloyd, was an extensive one (as you’d expect) and I wish we’d had more time (and dosh) to get stuck into it.

My final course was an Earl Grey parfait with Yorkshire rhubarb and lemon balm. The parfait was well-balanced flavour-wise, with the right level of Earl Grey to prevent it being overly floral and sickly.  The rhubarb was controlled well, numbing the acidity without losing the ability to cut through the parfait, and not too sweet.  It also brought needed texture.  I didn’t really get much from the lemon balm, unfortunately.

Custard tart with blood orange, mint and mascarpone sorbet was Sarah’s choice.  The tart filling was a little more liquid than expected but tasted great, especially with the orange and mint combo. The pastry was spot on, too. The only criticism is that she felt there could have been more mint because it was such a delicious match with the blood orange.

This was one of those dreaded restaurant critic moments where the weight of expectation can bring an eatery tumbling down from its pedestal in your mind.  I’m pleased that this was not the case and even more delighted to have experienced the outstanding service that Royal Hospital Road provides.  The food here is a truly pleasurable example of modern British cuisine, showcasing the finest of our ingredients in the best way possible. 

Web: https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/restaurant-gordon-ramsay/ 

Address: 68 Royal Hospital Road, London, SW3 4HP

Phone: 0207 352 4441