The good the great and the disappointing in London.

The food of London is highly misinterpreted. Many swear that anything consumable is downright terrible and overwhelmingly expensive. Then there are those who know of the old food history in England and feel it can be found and enjoyed within certain restaurants of London. Others say even the simple stuff somehow has something wrong with it. As varied as the claims may be, they all hold a certain amount of truth.
London has its fair share of wonderful restaurants offering exciting food. Many are highly desirable destinations that have grown to international fame. And with that important title, comes the high price tag. Sadly it is a gamble trying to find a nice place that gives an experience worth justifying the evening's bill.

One such location is associated with a name that rarely seems to disappoint. Gordon Ramsay isn't as large of a culinary icon in the states as he is in England. America knows him as a foul mouthed, hot tempered, knife wielding maniac. Just recently opening his first establishment state side last year, America has barely had time to know what the man is all about. In England, they have been eating his food for nearly a decade. Like all chef-turned-busineussmen, Ramsay has his flagship location that is usually booked months in advanced. With any establishment, popularity means bigger numbers, so Ramsay just like Batali, Jean-Georges, Boulud, and even Keller, have created numerous successful locations with one name. Ramsay's title is associated with close to a dozen restaurants within London. One such restaurant is MAZE, one of the newer places within the Ramsay franchise.

Head chef: Jason Atherton has worked in many European kitchens, including the famous El BULLI in Spain. He brings his knowledge and creative force together in a form of sophisticated French inspired small plates. The menu is arranged according to sizes, and the diners are encouraged to order anywhere from 4 to 6 plates. The food was slightly complex in composition but the flavors were distinct and delightful.

After placing my orders, I was joined by small multigrain wheat rolls and mini baguettes. The breads had a very developed flavor that showed a level of expertise I had not yet had in London. Asking where I could find the same breads outside of the restaurant, I was informed in-fact that I couldn't. All the different breads within any Gordon Ramsay restaurant are exclusively baked by the same person, who does not have a retail store. Being quite impressed and yet slightly disappointed (to not get some baguettes within the days to come), all was forgiven when my first plate arrived.

A warm and delightfully smooth truffled swede velute was poured (table-side) over a minced pile of braised duck leg. The braise worked magic into the duck, tender like a confit but much stronger in the natural duck flavor. The velute had such a creamy texture without being at all heavy and the delicate truffle aroma was persistent but not overwhelming. A small piece of brioche with a duxelle flavored butter assisted the soup with similar flavors.

A plate that wanted to be summer but still had elements of spring: Roasted cornish red mullet was laid on-top of a thick emulsification of an English asparagus vinaigrette. In a silly fashion of french style, the candied eggplant and basil was brought out in a little serving vessel which was then spooned into the bowel next to the fish. Trying to impress while only compromising the separation of flavors. The eggplant showed it's young age even while being preserved and 'candied', there was a flavor that didn't seemed completely developed. After three bites everything just became a mash within the dish and some of the lighter elements were lost. Still enjoyable though.

With a touch of humor and sly creative techniques the "Beef 'tongue 'n' cheek' " was a winner. Soft meat of a beef's cheek and a sliced piece of tongue terrine had all the deeply attractive beef flavors so greatly loved by meat eaters. There was a small mixture acting as spicy condiment of 'caper and raisin' layered between the different meats, while 'gingered carrots' had a nice palate cleansing brightness. Again with the table side service, the natural 'jus' was poured as the dish was placed down, releasing an aroma of roasted flesh and caramelized fat. Quite tasty, to the the very last sticky bit.

Dessert was chosen out of curiosity more than desire to necessitate any craving. Coconut panna-cotta, liquid mango, white chocolate 'ice' and a syrup of black olives. Many of these flavors wouldn't have been my first choice when choosing sweets and olives surly wasn't something I was expecting to end a meal, but I must say that everything worked in a complicated harmony. This small dish utilized techniques learned from chef Jason Atherton's time at EL BULLI. Frozen white chocolate was the lightest flavor with the mango acting as the sweetest. The coconut panna-cotta was more like a pudding but the flavor was unmistakable. The best and most desired component was that of the black olives. Working just like salt next to ice cream, the savory aspect actually made the sweet items seem sweeter while cutting through the rich level of the coconut. Quite a different combination of textures and flavors, but one that tasted refined and balanced.

MAZE would be a place that I would return to again. Their flavors were fresh and together with the creative decisions of the kitchen made for an interesting meal. Using MAZE as an example of the higher quality 'new' style of cuisine that is currently delighting the people of London, on the other end of things, my meal at a place named ANCHOR AND HOPE, shows the older and more basic style of simple British food.

ANCHOR AND HOPE is a representation of what some classify as a 'Gastro-Pub'. A focus on serving good drink, encouraging good socialization and on preparing good simple food. A restaurant that doesn't take reservations and isn't afraid to turn people away. It's not that they don't want business, it's that they just don't have enough room. As I sat at one of the many communal tables while looking over a menu just hours old, I realized that just like the brasseries of France, the pinxtos bars of Spain, the Osterias of Italy and the pubs of Ireland, when situated around good food, happiness comes easy.

From a small kitchen run by two cooks comes a gimmick-less plate of smoked eel and pickled prunes. While not really being much to look at, the flavors were bold and many. Eel having it's flaky and slightly springy texture, was not muted by the aroma of the smoke. The prunes weren't pickled to the point of canned dills, only a shallow hint of vinegar offset the intense sweetness giving a much more interesting flavor, similar to a gastrique reduction.

Knowing that the only way to properly serve roasted pork is if a large piece is slowly cooked and servings shaved to order. Before my dish came out I saw the chef pull a large side of pig out of the oven, removed the backbone and begin to cut away. The dish was a pork lovers wet dream. Succulent loin meat, chunks of bacon, and the real treat, a crisp piece of skin crackling. The legumes and braised vegetables were made wonderfully delicious from the addition of the chunks of belly. There is such a fantastic savory element to pork fat that really can't me matched or mistaken.

The menu listed this as a "pot of lemon". Hoping for exactly what I got, a tart lemon 'pot de creme' (pardon my french) with citrus creme fraiche. Another dish representing how wonderful the simple style of things are. With just a few elements only amplifying, never contradicting the main flavor of refreshing semi-sweet, slightly sour lemons.
These kinds of meals are the ones that are usually remembered. With nothing to prove but how much they love what they do, the cooks at ANCHOR AND HOPE created food that spoke louder than any book title or furious chef ever could.

There is a fine line between the message of an eatery that requires suits and that which hardly cares if one is wearing shoes. Both can use the same ingredients but the finished product will be drastically different. Some eateries try and find that quality held in the higher end places but with a much less stuffy environment. And then certain big name restaurants will take what is known as usually being simple and recreate it in a complex way. There is just such a restaurant above the Borough Market named ROAST that strives to achieve the style of refined simplicity.

A lovely space within the upper parts of the old Borough building, ROAST has a bird's eye view of what can be found within the stalls of the market. Utilizing the enormous bounty of local foods though fundamental basics of the British kitchen is an admirable direction to go. And it would be a wonderfully tasty one, if only they could first fully understand how important the simple things are.
I was really hoping for a grand night of exciting food and new flavors at ROAST. I wanted to taste the season by way of the chef's interpretation through cooking. I really wanted to like my meal, but sadly things just didn't happen that way.

A nice serving of sweet pea soup sounded like just the way to start the evening. To my disadvantage, the peas were not sweet at all. Very misdirected in flavor, being too salty, ridiculously large and improperly emulsified. As I sat with a mouthful of the sodium filled, chalky textured, baby food, I could see the soup breaking from it's self within the bowl. Nothing seemed to be strained and in a very Linda Blair style, it turned my head.

This should have been the turing point to the evening. Herring roe on toast with lemon, capers and parsley sounded like something so simple, it could only succeed. Sadly, as wonderfully cooked and tasty that the roe was, the sauce fell victim to another case of over-salting. The roe was like biting into the foam at the top of the sea. Fishy like mackerel, briny like uni, salty like caviar and slippery like oysters. I enjoyed the roe but it was the overpowering bitter liquid that coated the bottom of the plate that ruined it all.

Having just recently acquired a taste for kidneys, I was excited to try them in a new setting. This was only the second time of having kidneys and I'm so glad it wasn't the first, for if it was, I don't think I would ever want to try them again. Carelessness destroyed any potential of the organs being at all enjoyable. There was a high level of connective tissue that couldn't be consumed, and had to be detached in a disgusting style of surgical table manners. Undercooked kidneys are texturally close to what raw chicken meat feels like which doesn't bring many pleasing thoughts to dinner. The small amount of vegetables lacked any sense of flavor, worse than bad, they were just humorous. There was a point where I stopped tying to find something redeemable with this course, and just put my fork down and started thinking of dessert.

Dessert was passable but nothing to desire. Treacle tarts are traditional to the British kitchen and are usually quite sweet. One bite of this sugar heavy ending was enough to wish a dentist's phone number was on speed dial. Clotted cream was added as an attempt at cutting through the thick bombardment of sweetness, but the desire for a tooth brush never left.
Leaving nearly in tears, but not from happiness, that night's walk home was filled with solemn thoughts.
London has already proved itself as a great city to eat in. And yet it is the undeserving restaurants that are remembered. With the amount of local produce and fresh ingredients that London has, it is a real shame one has to struggle to find a decent meal. But it can be done, with a little determination and some patient travels, a new world of varied tastes will be found. London has rich traditions involving food and even though there are many imitators, there ones that matter will always remain.