As I watch Food TV I often wonder, is the food as good as I imagine it to be? On a recent trip to London, I decided to check out outlets by Gordon Ramsay, the despotic foul-mouthed bully, and Jamie Oliver, the sweet boy next door with a cute lisp.
Like their TV personas, their restaurants are at opposite ends, Jamie’s Fifteen in London is a casual and rustic while Gordon’s fine dining outlets are in the toniest of addresses.
Boxwood Café — Now I get why people put up with Ramsay’s horrible offensiveness.The tasting menu was a fine introduction to Gordon’s exquisite food. The terrine of foie gras, duck confit and potato, served with toasted brioche and grape chutney, was a perfect, comforting, and unforgettable bite. It’s the kind of thing that will revive you even from the deepest emotional funk. The rest of my meal was just as fine and superbly executed, and the staff was attentive without being overbearing. The experience was so lovely I would go back on my next trip to London.
Fifteen London — You have to remember that while at Fifteen, the operative word is rustic. I didn’t expect anything refined, but I didn’t expect everything to be aggressively salty. You can always balance with pepper and lemon juice, but I didn’t expect to do it myself. The only bright spots in the meal were the antipasti platter with roasted summer vegetables, and the papperdelle with lamb ragout (this I had seen him cook on TV, and it was as good as I thought it would be). It may probably be best to wait for Jaime to open his eponymous restaurant in Oxford Circus this August.
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Though not by celebrity chefs, these are great options while in London : La Fromagerie — A quaint breakfast café with irresistible goodies for foodies. The highlight of your visit will be the cheese room with a well-edited selection from across Europe. The cheese room is not for the faint of heart or of nose, but it is heaven for true cheese lovers. La Collina — This Italian bistro in the neighborhood of Primrose Hill (where Kate Moss and Ewan McGregor live) is as authentic as it is chic. The menu is brief and seasonal, and the cooking adjudged good as anything you can get in Italy. Try the rocket, fresh mozzarella and cherry tomato salad, which was so beautiful in its simplicity.
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Ria blogs at fastfoodie.net and can be reached at annaria@gmail.com