Is it a Ramsay Kitchen Nightmare, or the only place to be seen eating in the City?
I rather like Ramsay, unfashionable though it is to admit it. His US TV programme, where he attempts to save restaurants run by crazy Guidos, is always entertaining, even if the story arc is always the same. Destruction. Penitence. Learning. Success. Tears. Lots of tears.
And I noticed at a press event a while back that he had taken the time to find out something about every one of us. That way he could say something relevant when we were introduced. That kind of attention to detail is what makes successful businesspersons, as well as politicians.
He is a very successful restaurateur of course, his empire stretching from airport food to the finest dining, with everything in between.
Bread Street Kitchens, there are at present eight of them, do what the tin describes as ‘Modern British Classics — Modern British dishes with a twist’. 22 Bishopsgate is undoubtedly the highest of them all, my ears popped as the lift shot us up to floor 59 where, under Executive Head Chef Kamarl Rees John, you can eat lavishly from breakfast to late night dinner.
It shares the enormous space with Lucky Cat, as well as (for me) the modern abomination that is a Sports Bar. They all get an incredible view, although not every table is by a window. Ours is, and it really is breathtaking as the sun goes down to see as far as the Chilterns and look down on the Barbican reduced to model village proportions.
On a Friday evening I rather expect the place to be full of City types, given the location and prices. Instead it’s rather a mixed bag with a lot of Croydon people ( I can say that as I was born and raised in Croydon), so a lot of footballer haircuts, T-shirts and tattoos.
Most of the men are on pints of beer, which I think is a bit odd until I see the wine list. The cheapest (small) glass of wine appears to be £22, while a pint of lager is £7.50. Not a difficult choice to make, then.
Music is playing quite loudly, but it’s also strangely muffled, like the sound of your neighbour having a party when you’re trying to sleep. The nice staff rush around eager to please, which does result in three different people asking if we want water, but it’s early days.
The menu is relatively short with quite an emphasis on steaks, very expensive steaks with impeccable provenance of course. Aged Miguel Vergara Bone In Ribeye (36oz) comes in at £161.50, but if you’re not funding hedges you can get away with Dry Aged Ribeye (10 oz) for just £51.50. Sides will cost you extra.
So we have starters, Seared Tuna, Truffle citrus soy, crispy mushrooms and Lobster & Prawn Toast, Tobiko mayonnaise, salted egg yolk.
The tuna is superb, sashimi grade. I would have liked some more sear on it for texture contrast, two millimetres is about right imho, this has been barely kissed by the grill. The sharp soy is so nice that I take a spoon to it.
Lobster and Prawn toast is basically minced lobster and prawns in a case that’s deep fried. The filling falls out when the case is cut, perhaps it has been too compressed, but it’s a delicious mix that’s accented by Tobiko mayonnaise and salted egg yolk.
I feel that whilst I don’t want steak I do want something OTT and that has to be a 28oz Duroc “Tomahawk” or “cowboy” pork chop at £65. Now that’s a lot of money for a pork chop, but it’s a lot of pork chop for the money. It’s enormous and comes with the bone on the side, real caveman stuff.
Duroc is super pork, the fat is every bit as good as the meat, in the way of Iberican pork. The meat is marbled and moist and pinkly cooked. The exterior is singed beautifully, this has to be the best pork I’ve eaten outside of Spain. The bits still attached to the bone demand gnawing off, but I feel embarrassed doing it,, With it comes a powerful black garlic and walnut purée and a side of mashed potatoes with truffle butter, which is properly decadent.
P is not a steak fancier, she goes for Roasted Cod with potato puree, artichokes, capers and a red wine and tarragon sauce and is well pleased. It’s a lovely hunk of cod, roasting is far more respectful to this fish than smothering it in batter to my mind, and the capers really enhance its flavour. It’s a simple dish in its structure, hard to get right in the cooking. Here it’s impeccable
My chop has cut me down, I can’t do a dessert, so we share a Meyer Lemon Cheesecake with strawberry and basil compote, eschewing that old cliche the Sticky Toffee Pudding. Meyer lemons are a lot less astringent than standard lemons, almost floral and sweet. It’s a touch that elevates the dessert above ‘pub’ level. It’s refreshing too after all that pork fat. I forget to take a picture, though.
It’s all been rather good, the view making it special. The prices are a bit eye-watering, but the place is packed out all the same.
As with Lucky Cat, you’re obliged to leave 22 by the tradesman’s entrance. I wish that could be changed as it’s a bit of a downer, after having dined so high, to find yourself on an industrially lit nondescript staircase leading to a back yard.
Bread Street Kitchen
Floor 59, 22 Bishopsgate
London
EC2N 4AJ
The Culinary Traveller 