What a beautiful space! Our service that night was great! Our server was courteous, attentive and knowledgeable. 10/10 for service!
We decided to go with one set menu (Scallops, Wellington, Sticky Toffee Pudding), and a la carte items: Seafood Tower, Rack of Lamb, Chocolate cake.
There was a very noticeable flavor/quality difference between the set menu and a la carte options.
Starters:
- Seafood tower presentation is stunning! Red lights illuminate the ice that cradles the seafood on 3 different perches. Fresh. Briney. No hint of fishy or rubbery seafood. One of the lobster tails however had no meat in it. 8/10
- Scallops - 5 scallop halves (not full scallops) were a bit disappointing. I'd rather have two full scallops (seared on the outside, velvety on the inside) than a plate that is meant to look plentiful by cutting them in half. But that's just me. Flavor was good but nothing worth raving about. 5/10
Mains:
- Rack of Lamb - perfectly cooked! Medium Rare. An absolute flavor explosion. The seasoning was not overpowering the delicate lamb and the whip that it was served on is a highlight on its own. 10/10
- Wellington - such a disappointment! Admittedly, along with the scallops, these two dishes are the highlight of any Gordon Ramsey feature. Don't dare get these wrong. But they did in every way, at least for us. The fact that he's so adamant about his Wellingtons really raises the bar on expectation and, in turn, just highlighted its flaws, all the more! When it arrived it was overcooked (medium/well, but more well than medium), although we ordered medium/rare. Secondly it tasted completely unseasoned. No hint of the mustard/salt/pepper around the meat. The Parma ham was practically non-existent and flavorless. The pastry did not have any hint of salt sprinkling or flavor. Although the presentation was beautiful, the flavor was so disappointing. 2/10
Desserts:
Both desserts were delicious. The warm sticky toffee did not taste microwaved, as you find with many restaurants. But beware, it's filling and you will want to finish it! So save some room for it. The chocolate cake had a red chocolate pitchfork that was a nice tie in to the overall theme of the restaurant. 8/10
Last, but certainly not least - Cocktails!
These were the highlight (alongside the seafood tower presentation and rack of lamb).
- The Roman Spritz is not just delicious and beautifully presented, but it was perfectly balanced. Presented with two large olives & a rosemary sprig. So good, I wish it were bigger. 9/10
- Smoke on the Blvd is a showstopper. Served in a whiskey glass with a Hell's Kitchen branded orange rind, it's served in a glass box that is filled with cherrywood smoke. Presented tableside, the server opens the box and the table is quickly enveloped in the aromatic smoke. Great flavor and aromatics! Definitely worth ordering. 10/10
- Notes from Gordon adds a bit of Gordon humor. The drink itself is mild on the palate and tastes more like a lemonade - perfect for those who do not fancy a strong alcohol punch in their drink. The drink is served with a rolled up note, that has an iconic Gordon Ramsey quote/insult on it. That night the quote served with the drink was: "This food is so frozen it just started singing 'Let It Go'". Lol. Love it. 8/10
Overall, I would certainly recommend to experience it at least once. The open kitchen with Red/Blue team chefs and design add a gorgeous flair.
Highlights: Presentation/Service/Cocktails/Lamb
Let Down: Wellington & Scallops really tanked it.