The Ritz
Perhaps nowhere is quite so quintessentially London, so steadfastly British, as dining at The Ritz. Visitors to London and denizens of these storied streets alike will have passed The Ritz in all its glory; hop off the picadilly line at Green Park Station and there it is, the gateway to Central London, beckoning you in to walk the arcades and the best that theatreland has to offer (ignore all the shit sweet shops on Oxford Street mind you). While most everyone has passed The Ritz, what lies behind its collosal facade is not evident from a passing glance.
Through the manned rotating doors and there you have it, a seemingly endless pastel pink corridor with ornamental busts, statues, chandeliers and grand pianos demarcating turning off points as you go; here a powder room, there the former ballroom now playing host to Afternoon Tea. My destination, however, is at the end of the corridor: The Restaurant itself, helmed by Executive Chef John Williams MBE.
Gaining entrance is a feat in and of itself. As The Ritz is a functional hotel that caters to a rather high-brow clientele, formal jackets and ties are compulsory, where jackets are required to stay on during service. This crossed the line into pretension if you ask me, but I suffer it for the food.
The restaurant atmosphere and surrounds are exquisite; the room is large and airy, with a grand piano player tinkling away during service. Hearing the dour theme of The Godfather played during my Bresse Duck certainly gave it an unexpectedly sombre dimension.
I jest; The Ritz is a stunning restaurant, and is a joy to behold in its own right. But now, does the food match up to the infrastructure?
As it was my first time at Michelin-starred The Ritz, I went for the A La Carte. Prior to my starter course, I was served two Hors D'Oeuvres: A Goat's Cheese tartlet and a duck liver parcel. The tartlet was particularly nice, though the most interesting thing about the duck liver was the appearance.
For the starter, I had the Red Mullet with Basil Emulsion and Menton Lemon. This was an excellent course, the freshness of the basil underpinning the zesty tanginess of the lemon, going well with the salt and brine of the Red Mullet, which itself was pan-fried to perfection.
For the main course, I had the Bresse Duck with Honey, Apricot and Almond, and a seafood Jus. The almond didn't really bring much to the table (was nuttiness needed? I'm not sure), but the Apricot provided a burst of flavour that worked so very well with the crusted Duck. The additional elements never detracted from the absolute star of the show though, which was the duck. Thinly sliced and pink with just the slightest indication of fat, I've never had a more well-prepared duck. Amazing.
For dessert, I had to go for The Ritz Chocolate Soufflé. Decadence incarnate, the soufflé came with a layer of dark(er) chocolate emblazoned with The Ritz logo a hundredfold, and chantilly cream on the side. You certainly get your money's worth with the soufflé - rich and delicate, it's a shame there was eventually an end to the pot.
Finally, the dinner ended with some petit-fours: raspberry, vanilla, and hazelnut ganache. These didn't blow me away (what petit-fours truly do?), but they were a suitable end to the meal.
I am so glad to say that the quality of the food at The Ritz is outstanding, and easily matches the grandeur of the setting. This is a Top 10 restaurant, of that there is no doubt.
Value for money? £160 for three courses and the rest, including service charge. On the pricy side, but what an occasion of a meal!
Would I return? Yes. I absolutely will.
