Sixty floors up. One Michelin star. Twelve seats. Ten courses. Oh, and £250 a head. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High is a numbers game. A high-end, sky-high spin-off from the original Restaurant Gordon Ramsay – the shouty chef’s first solo restaurant, which opened back in 1998 – is now one of over 90 in the worldwide GC cabal. The best are in London; the lavish, French-accented Petrus over in Knightsbridge, and the gorgeous Savoy Grill, a classy, art deco dining room at one of the city’s sparkliest luxury hotels.
An alchemical oyster is transmogrified into a popping pearl of ice cream
Like most Gordon Ramsay restaurants, Gordon Ramsay is not working in the kitchen at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High. This small restaurant might look like a chef’s table set-up, but the horseshoe arrangement that would usually circle the action is facing the window. The cooks are behind us, beavering away. It sort of makes sense, as a big part of the draw here is the view, but on a dark night, this suffers from a wildly distracting glare on the glass. I am not a structural engineer, but surely something could be done about the fact that my own reflection is far clearer than the twinkling lights of Tower Hamlets and beyond?
There are definitely hits on the tasting menu (served to an NME c.2011 soundtrack of Mumford & Sons and Florence & the Machine), including a fun, alchemical oyster transmogrified into a popping pearl of ice cream awash with a seaweed mignonette. Super savoury and wildly clever, it’s proof that Ramsay must indeed have a sense of humour. A small cup of shellfish consomme is just as punchy, and a fluffy gougere of smoked cheese and Iberico ham comes over like an elite M&S picnic snack. We were warned about the sage and onion parker house bread rolls, which are hilariously great, and wild garlic and rhubarb season are ushered in with giddy aplomb, the former dotting a slab of shimmering John Dory, and the latter the crux of a Percy Pig-pink shaded sorbet. The cheese course is our favourite; an oozy wedge of Brie de Meaux on a fruity malt loaf and drizzled with honey.
Other plates don’t land quite as well. That shimmering John Dory doesn’t taste of much at all, while a slow-cooked hen’s egg is far too soupy, its undercooked whites seeping through a suspicious overcoat of black truffle. Lobster ravioli with langoustine and salmon is pitched as a trademark dish, but is overly sweet and on the far-too-tough side of al dente. And a three-hour meal on a slippery leather bar stool doesn’t make for the most comfortable experience.
There’s no denying the big man is one of the most accomplished chefs ever to emerge from Britain. And with some adjustments, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High could be considered worthy of his name. And maybe even the lofty price.
The vibe City slicker dining in a small, intimate room 60 floors up a massive skyscraper.
The food A multi-course tasting menu with seasonal British ingredients, inspired by Gordon Ramsay’s flagship Knightsbridge restaurant.
The drink Lots of posh wine, including pairings.
Time Out tip For a cheaper experience with the same views, try Gordon’s new Bread Street Kitchen & Bar, opening on the 59th floor of 22 Bishopsgate on May 6.