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To lunch at 24 yesterday, the confusingly named restaurant at Tower 42. As usual I arrived at the reception and said "Lunch at Tower 42", only to be told "this IS Tower 42, sir".
"Sorry, I mean, er,..."
"Gary Rhodes' restaurant?"
"Fuck me, is he in charge there now?"
"I believe he's been 'in charge' there for some time, sir".
"Okey-Dokey".
Last time I was at 24 I wasn't impressed, but this time it was top-notch. Perhaps Gary had actually made an appearance, although I doubt that he would stoop to preparing any corporate stuff. Another possible cause could be that there were fewer of us this time, about 16 rather than 24. The ability of restaurants (particularly high-class ones) to cope with large seating plans deteriorates rapidly above 10, I've found.
So, top marks to 24 for their Roast butternut squash risotto with sage and parmesan, served with a Bourgogne Blanc, Les Setilles, Olivier Leflaive 2004, then a main course of Roast duck with honey-glazed parsnips and soft buttered cabbage (Solar De Smaniego Rioja, Crianza, Bodegas Alavesas 2001), and Pecan Pie with banana and white chocolate cream. I mention the wines for academic interest. If you want to know, the sparkling water was nice as well.
Virtually impossible to criticize any of it really, although Rhodes remains steadfastly in the "I hope you didn't arrive hungry" school. You do sometimes feel the urge to say "and a side-order of fries with that, please". Say what you like about Fatburger, you aren't hungry again a couple of hours later after a meal at El Fattos..
"Sorry, I mean, er,..."
"Gary Rhodes' restaurant?"
"Fuck me, is he in charge there now?"
"I believe he's been 'in charge' there for some time, sir".
"Okey-Dokey".
Last time I was at 24 I wasn't impressed, but this time it was top-notch. Perhaps Gary had actually made an appearance, although I doubt that he would stoop to preparing any corporate stuff. Another possible cause could be that there were fewer of us this time, about 16 rather than 24. The ability of restaurants (particularly high-class ones) to cope with large seating plans deteriorates rapidly above 10, I've found.
So, top marks to 24 for their Roast butternut squash risotto with sage and parmesan, served with a Bourgogne Blanc, Les Setilles, Olivier Leflaive 2004, then a main course of Roast duck with honey-glazed parsnips and soft buttered cabbage (Solar De Smaniego Rioja, Crianza, Bodegas Alavesas 2001), and Pecan Pie with banana and white chocolate cream. I mention the wines for academic interest. If you want to know, the sparkling water was nice as well.
Virtually impossible to criticize any of it really, although Rhodes remains steadfastly in the "I hope you didn't arrive hungry" school. You do sometimes feel the urge to say "and a side-order of fries with that, please". Say what you like about Fatburger, you aren't hungry again a couple of hours later after a meal at El Fattos..
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Date: 2006-02-22 03:38 pm (UTC)Please sir, can I have some more?
Date: 2006-02-22 04:44 pm (UTC)If I leave a restaurant hungry, I don't willingly go again. There are surely other good restaurants, even in London, that will feed you properly.
Here in Catalunya, people have good appetites, and it's not usually a problem.
-- Jonathan
Re: Please sir, can I have some more?
Date: 2006-02-22 05:42 pm (UTC)But I fear that a large number of people (particularly restaurant critics, he noted, cynically) go to these restaurants to enjoy taste sensations, but not too much of them. Others go to chin-wag (or to do deals, particularly in the city), so too much food leaves less time for talk.
By way of mitigation, I am sure that if you were hungry, it would be perfectly possible in the main restaurant to say so, and various side dishes would be available to sate all but the most gluttonous customer. Albeit at a price.
PJ
Re: Please sir, can I have some more?
Date: 2006-02-22 09:31 pm (UTC)I remember well, sometime in late 1985, I was finally accepted by Olivetti for a job in Italy, at higher pay than I was accustomed to at the time; and I went for a celebratory dinner at Restaurant Bosquet, which was supposed to be one of Kenilworth's best restaurants. (As you know, I lived in Kenilworth at the time.) I ate a full meal and was really shocked to find myself still hungry at the end of it. In fact I ordered a second dessert; but I went home considerably disappointed.
That restaurant made things worse by serving small portions on large plates, so that the food looked particularly forlorn and woebegone.
-- Jonathan