» salad @ Not Quite Nigella

Gordon Ramsay Royal Hospital Road restaurant, London

Posted in Cheap Thrills, Eating, NQN's most memorable moments and meals, Outside of Sydney

Gordon Ramsay once said that his Royal Hospital Road is his pride and joy, if all goes bottoms up then he always has that baby. Only open Monday to Friday it’s also the hardest place to get a table, and at up to £120 a meal for just lunch, the costliest of his restaurants. To secure a coveted table one needs to ring exactly one month in advance, and to secure the table give them your credit card details and should you not show, they can at their discretion, deduct £100 per person for the meal missed. It’s all phrased very courteously but you get the feeling that they wouldn’t hesitate in doing so.

Dear sister of NQN,

Firstly let me thank you for your interest in Restaurant Gordon Ramsay.

I am pleased to confirm your table reservation at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, located at 68 Royal Hospital Road, London, SW3 4HP as follows:

Where guests wish to make a reservation, it is the restaurant’s policy to secure the booking with their credit card details. In the event that the booking is cancelled in whole or in part by you with less than 24 hours notice or results in a no-show it will be at the discretion of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay to charge £100 per person to your credit card.
We are sorry that this has become a requirement but, regrettably, our experience dictates this precaution. We would be grateful if you could indicate your acceptance by completing and returning this form in order to confirm your booking by fax on 020 7592 1213
Email us at: royalhospitalroad@gordonramsay.com. Unfortunately, we will have to release the table if we have not received the completed form within 48 hours.As we will call you a day before to reconfirm, may I ask you for a contact number where we will be able to reach you on the working day prior to your reservation. Cancellations must be made in writing and sent by fax to 020 7592 1213 or by e-mail to royalhospitalroad@gordonramsay.com

Verbal cancellations cannot be accepted.
We very much look forward to welcoming you at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay.
On Behalf of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay

Picture in menu

The night before, we were left a rather firm sounding voicemail that we were expected at a certain time. The outside of the restaurant is understated elegance, with a simple plaque outside the door and a simple white building as befits the upmarket Chelsea area it resides in. Walking through the corridor there is a small area for guests to wait which also has many copies of his 3 Star chef book for those to read. There is no waiting though as service is brisk, they know who we are and lead us to our table. As it’s earlyish (12.30pm) the dining room room is about half full but within half an hour, all tables are full of diners.

The menu (excuse the fingerprints!)

The manager Jean-Claude Breton is a smoothie, reminiscent a little of Jerry Orbach. He asks us who is “hosting” the table to which we reply “Umm no-one”. Ahh ok not a problem, he smiles and hands us all menus. My sister and I don’t have prices on our menu but my husband has prices in his which is a first. It’s a nice touch if someone is hosting the table so that other guests feel more comfortable ordering without keeping watch of the price.

On the first pages are the a la carte menu featuring ravioli or lobster, langoustine and salmon poached in a light bisque with a lemongrass and chervil veloute as well as slow braised pied de cochon pressed then pan fried with ham knuckle, poached quail’s egg and hollandaise sauce as well as other fantastic sounding dishes. These can be had for £120. There is also following a menu Prestige or a tasting menu made up of 7 smaller dishes for £90. Then there is the Menu of the day, with 3 courses for £45.

Bread with salted and unsalted butter

We order a bit of everything from the Menu of the Day so that everyone can taste all of the dishes. Whilst we are waiting we receive salted and unsalted butter and are asked if we would like olive, white or brown sourdough bread. The olive is my husband’s favourite whilst the white sourdough thickly slathered with salted butter is my sister’s and mine. The service from the staff is wonderful, quiet and unobtrusive but anticipatory of your needs.

Amuse Bouche: vine riped tomato consomme

An amuse bouche arrives, a tomato consomme flavoured with coriander. It’s poured at the table and is intensively sweet with ripe tomatoes.

Quail and wild mushroom pithivier with confit leg and celeriac remoulade

24 comments | September 8, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Borough Markets, London

Posted in Eating, Outside of Sydney

For Christmas this past year, my sister gave me a book on Borough Markets. I flicked through it eagerly going first to the recipes and even made a couple of them. I didn’t realise that only a 6 months later I would actually be at Borough Markets sampling some of this very fine produce that I was reading about. Borough Markets are London’s oldest markets, incredibly since Roman times when they built the London Bridge, they have been at this location for 250 years and is a market steeped in history and pride of the storekeepers. Artisanal is a term that comes to mind when walking through these stalls (although I hope Artisanal is not a term that become abused as I suspect it might, look out for McDonald’s “Artisan burger” )

Fresh pasta made 15 hours ago

Various cheeses on offer

Mmmm sausages!

Various baked goods

The day after arriving, our first stop is here. We’re taken by my sister’s friend Candy who is an expat from America who has lived in London for 4 years. She shows us around Borough Markets, which are huge, much bigger than I ever envisaged. There are throngs of people everywhere. It seems that either half of London is on holiday or that the neighbouring offices house a great number of people that pour out into the markets every lunch time to wait in long queues to eat delicious home grown locally made produce.

Huge slabs of chocolate and truffles

Pick your own truffles

Nuts, dried fruit and chocolate coated goodies

Prices vary but on the whole they’re generally at a premium. Most of the providores are artisans proud of their produce and there are many samples proffered to the waiting public in an attempt to seduce.

Huge mounds of butter

Slices of cakes, eclairs and strudels

Delicious sounding jams

Along with picture perfect fruit and vegetables, there are vividly coloured flowers and a range of seafood, some of which I’ve never seen before like the long cylindrical clams.

Wild things!

Seafood on offer

Huge lobsters

Big crabs with fat claws

Impressive mushroom medley

Different kinds of tomatoes

How perfect do these tubs of redcurrants look?

Even French food gets a look in

“Harry Potter No. # 3 filmed here” You didn’t think I’d miss the chance for a Harry Potter moment?

There’s even a sign near the pub saying that a scene from Harry Potter was filmed here-one look at the pub and you can definitely see that it could have been.

Free range Basque Pig Salami

Enough of this browsing, we’re ready to eat and it seems so are most of the markets as the queues stretch out long for most of the hot food. We tried to get a table at Tapas Brindisa to no avail so we settle with one of their Chorizo rolls (a double with two sausages £4.75). I line up at another stand whose name escapes me, just look for the queue, and get a roll filled with Wild Boar sausage and a Devils on Horseback roll filled with cumberland sausages wrapped in bacon and prunes (both £4.00 for large £3 for small). The Wild Boar sausage was guaranteed at least 90% meat which is a refreshing change for English sausages from what we’ve seen on The F Word.

Brindisa’s stall-for those who can’t get a table at the restaurant, which is… everyone

Brindisa’s Chorizo roll (double sized) £4.75

The chorizo roll is small-ish although the double amount of chorizo is good for chorizo lovers like me. It’s a good sausage although I feel as though something is missing from the roll. My husband and Candy however are thoroughly impressed by it.

Devils on Horseback roll £ 4

The Devils on Horseback roll with cumberland sausage wrapped in bacon and prunes is very good and absolutely enormous filled with caramelised onions and salad. The roll however is very floury and we find ourselves leaving the roll behind and eating the filling.

Wild Boar sausage roll £4

The Wild Boar sausage on a roll, also filled with onions and salad is a strongly flavoured and very meaty as promised. Adding a cranberry sauce to it helps to sweeten it and ease off the intense edge off it.

We dust the flour off our face and hands, stomachs full of all sorts of exotic goodies.

Borough Markets

Southwark Street London SE1 1TL
In front of London Bridge subway station, use “Borough High Street” exit.
http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/
Thursdays: 11am - 5pm
Fridays: 12pm - 6pm
Saturdays: 9am - 4pm

20 comments | August 27, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Foliage at the Mandarin Oriental, London

Posted in Eating, NQN's most memorable moments and meals, Outside of Sydney

Sometimes the only thing that will do when one is stressed is some coddling, charm and civility. So where does one turn but a 5 star hotel for lunch.The best part of dining in London is getting to try Michelin starred restaurants. Michelin doesn’t bother with Australia so whilst Tetsuya’s would be worthy of a Michelin star, he remains untouched with the fairy wand. So now is my chance to consume as many Michelin stars as possible. Housed in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel at Hyde Park London, never a shabby place to stay, Foliage has 1 Michelin star. This lunchtime Blythe and I are battling traffic congestion due to two tube lines being closed down and numerous roadworks near by. In fact we’re half an hour late for our booking and when we finally get there frantic and exhausted, we feel like we’ve really “earnt” our meal in effort.

We’re rewarded by broad smiles, soft welcomes and soothing tones. Foliage is a small room with enormous windows that offer a lovely view of Hyde Park, up close and personal. Guests are welcomed by not 3 but 4 courses. And for a price that’s an absolute steal in what can be a criminally expensive city £29. Yes you read right, £29 for lunch.

The menu has 4 choices which is generous and all of them call out in some way. We finally decide on some dishes after a little deliberation. We’re given bread, a choice of white, sourdough or walnut with salted and unsalted butter (walnut the clear winner, singing with walnut flavour through the copious amount of chunks).

Amuse Bouche: Chive Vichyssoise

We’re then bestowed with our Amuse Bouche, a Chive Vichyssoise. It’s creamy and smooth with a light mascarpone quenelle floating in the centre. A delicious start.

Starter: crab, mango, cucumber and coriander

Our starters then arrive, mine was the crab, mango, cucumber and coriander. The crab meat is delicate and sweet, the thing mango slices swirled on the plate with cucumber flavoured pasta and coriander sprigs. It all works beautifully together, never overwhelming the delicate crab. There are two delicious fried crab balls to give an alternate texture and taste.

Starter: Foie gras, beetroot, ginger bread and pecans

Blythe’s starter, a Foie gras, beetroot, ginger bread and pecans cleverly resembles rhubarb stalks. I do like Foie gras although sometimes I find it too strong. Not in this case, it’s beautifully balanced and beetroot goes wonderfully with the foie gras mousse. There is also a ball of foie gras rolled in pistachios which is also wonderful with the walnut bread which is thoughtfully topped up for us.

Intermediate: Scallops, squid ink, orzo, green almonds

8 comments | August 25, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Cafe Sopra, Waterloo

Posted in Eating, Sydney - CBD and inner city

Cafe Sopra was one of those places that I had always wanted to go to but never quite made it to. I don’t really live locally and they’re only open during the day which means that whilst I’ve pined to go for a while, it’s only recently that I’ve made it there. I’m meeting a business associate P here, on this threateningly rainy day. Arriving at almost 2.30pm I knew that I was getting there late (they close at 3pm) but we were greeted with friendly service and a blackboard with a lot of items that had finished for the day which is somewhat comforting to know that everything is at least made fresh every day. We choose some dishes to share and without waiting very long at all, they arrive.

Orange, passionfruit and pineapple juice

I start with a mixed fresh juice which is deliciously with fresh sweet oranges shining through.

Antipasto-Caponata; Caramelised Witlof; Mushroom, celery and Provolone; Fennel and Salsa Verde$14

The Antipasto plate arrives with 4 ice cream scoop sized mounds. The fennel is deliciously soft and lightly fragrant, the ultra thinly sliced raw mushrooms interspersed with thin slices of provolone, the caponata soft and unctuous with the only bitter tone being the braised witlof.

Buffalo mozarella with vine ripened truss tomatoes $18

10 comments | August 19, 2008 - 8:00 am | Not Quite Nigella

Jazz River restaurant, Tumut and going to the Snow!

Posted in Eating, Outside of Sydney

Let me start off admitting that I had to be somewhat wrangled into going to the Snow this year. My husband and his equally sporty family couldn’t wait to go skiiing whereas all I could think about was how damn cold I would be and given how bone-chillingly cold Sydney has been lately, why on earth would I want to go somewhere even colder? I’m no romantic, starry eyed snow virgin either, having lived in Tokyo where it does snow and my firm belief is that snow is awfully pretty to look at - when you are inside. When you have to face it directly, it’s nothing but a pain in the bottom - literally - when you fall on your ass.

However my interest grew when my friend M gave me the low down on skiing. Being Austrian, she grew up skiing at school and her tips were:

Carry a chocolate bar with you at all times. If you get cold, eat it and warm up and then you can keep skiing
Never ski when you are cold
Stop by positioning your ski tips together in an inverse V

But like the saying “You had me at Hello” goes, she had me at “Carry a chocolate bar with you at all times”. I confirmed the chocolate point with her and she nodded emphatically saying that I will eat lots of chocolate as I’ll need it. OK sign me up for 4 days of this! And hardly a whimper was heard from me again.

After some cross country skiing, tobogganing (we became Champion tobogganers, is there an Olympic division?) and tube riding, we worked up a very hearty appetite. So with the help from a Vogue forum member rainbowcloud who asked her mum for the lowdown on where is good to eat, we converged, hungry and cold, on Jazz River restaurant in Tumut, reportedly the best place to eat in town. Housed inside an arcade, a sparkling glitter sign announced its presence.

We are directed to our table. It is a still little cold there and we were hoping for a warmer restaurant. The menu on the blackboard has some tempting dishes. I choose the sirloin with mash, my husband chooses the veal scallopine, Figaro chooses the pork and Anneli chooses the salmon. When I had rung ahead to make the booking, I told them that we had some vegetarians in our party and asked whether they had any dishes. They were only too happy to make up some meals so A, Tuuliki and The Assman choose the porcini risotto and a vegetarian tapas plate.

Grainfed sirloin with creamy mash, greens and caramelised onions $29

It’s a while until we get our meals and as we are next to the glass doors, it’s a little chilly. When the meals arrive we are ever so grateful and pounce on them. My sirloin, despite one or two gristly corners, is delicious with a sublime sauce and a huge serving of mash.

Veal Scallopine with baked polenta, greens and herb glaze $28

My husband’s veal Scallopine is tender, thinly pounded pieces of veal with alternating pieces of crumbed veal. Despite its simple description, it’s well executed and satisfying.

Tasmanian Salmon with warm potato salad and beurre blanc $28

I try some of Anneli’s salmon and it’s divine, moist and perfectly cooked inside with a delicate side of diced potato salad. She is in raptures over this having just recently become a Pescatarian (fish eating vegetarian) for health reasons.

Pork fillet with baked vegetables, greens and red wine jus $27

Figaro’s pork is reportedly “ok but nothing special” and something that he feels he could make at home.

Porcini risotto $22

I try some of the porcini risotto, it’s not bad although as a confirmed omnivore I would want for something with more meat, however the vegetarians seem very happy with this.

Vegetarian Tapas plate $22

I sample some of the vegetarian tapas plate, the spinach omelette is a little dry but the semi dried tomatoes are a serious slice of heaven - sweet and deliciously juicy but still full of flavour, they’re probably the nicest I’ve had. The baked polenta is delicious, crispy on the outside and soft inside.

Vegetarian tapas plate

On the way back we saw lots of kangaroos near the road, emerging through the misty thick fog. There’s even a sign warning us of Kangaroo and Emu on the way although we were out of luck Emu spotting!