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2014-09-18
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I think I should start this review by saying ... I love Gordon Ramsay. Like seriously...LOVE this man. When I first started my adventures in cooking, I started with Jamie Oliver. Trying his recipes in his cookbook, following along to his cooking shows. Then one day, I watched Gordon Ramsay make scrambled eggs and I followed along. His method was simple, perfect and yet mindblowingly delicious. From there, I followed along to his Cook Along Live and Ultimate Cookery Course and now his newest show
As I had the weekday off and had to do some errands in Central before my vacation, I booked a table for me alone for lunch using his official website booking system as I did for his other restaurants. The day before my reservation, someone called me to reconfirm in a very efficient manner.
The location of the restaurant is not exactly inside LKF Hotel. In fact, it's located in the steps below the hotel, above Hard Rock.
The restaurant is bright and chic. It had an extensive wine cabinet and bar with an open kitchen. I noted an actual stone pizza oven.
The menu was small with a few but varying items to choose from. I watch enough Kitchen Nightmares to know this menu works.
The waiter was attentive and I asked for a recommendation. He suggested I order the potted beef brisket with grain mustard, piccalilli and buckwheat cracker as a starter. So, I chose that and the slow roasted Dingley Dell pork belly with spiced apple puree and apple relish. Staff do ask if you want sparkling or still bottled water but you can request regular water. I noted that every drink on the menu had alcohol. I asked if there was any nonalcoholic drinks and the waiter informed me, no. Which is sad to me as I have low alcohol tolerance and I don't drink alcohol without a friend with me in case I pass out.I was given a bread basket. The bread was warm and soft with crunchy crusts. The butter had a sprinkle of salt on it. Interesting. Though I don't like putting butter on my bread so, I used it to soak up the sauce from my lunch instead.
Appetizer was potted beef brisket with grain mustard, piccalilli and buckwheat crackers. This is defintely a good spread for crackers. Eating it separately is not a good idea. The beef brisket on it's own was salty though very tender. The piccalilli was a mixture of cauliflower, pearl onions and pickles and on it's own was super sour. But mixed together on the cracker, the combination of salty and sour was fantastic. This is truely finger food.
Main course was slow roasted Dingley Dell pork belly with spiced apple puree and apple relish. Presented on a rectangular square plate, it was simple to look at. But it tasted amazing. The skin was crunchy like potato chips. The meat was so moist, it melted away. But the most amazing thing was the spiced apple puree and apple relish. The combination of sweet apples with the spices of nutmet and cinnamon made it seem like eating Christmas. It complemented the pork belly perfectly. The only complaint is I wish there was more!
Portion size was ok for the price. I was quite full so couldn't tackle dessert. Service was amazing and attentative. I was checked on by not only my waiter but another person each and every time I put something in my mouth. It seemed all staff spoke English. I don't think any one spoke Chinese. I suppose Gordon Ramsay is focusing more on a different clientale unlike Jamie Oliver who went bilingual right down to the menu. Gordon Ramsay's food is much more refined, more delicate and a challenge to the tastebuds. I will be return, but since price was a bit more than the normal, it would be more for a special occassion.
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