Petrus (London, United Kingdom)

“The lamb is so under-cooked, it’s following Mary to school.” – Gordon Ramsay probably.  I absolutely love Chef Gordon Ramsay, not because of his crass comments, but because he vehemently knows what the fuck he’s talking about.  Hate him or love him, he’s the subject of greatest Chef’s ever.  I couldn’t come all the way to London without dining at one of his many restaurants.  My decisions were narrowed to Restaurant Gordon Ramsay or Petrus, obviously from the title of this review I chose Petrus.  I’m sure I’ll dine at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, which has Three Michelin Stars, but I wanted to focus on this one first.

Petrus, a Two-Michelin Starred restaurant, focuses on European ingredients and a rousing menu.  The interior of this restaurant is nothing short of stunning.  As you enter the restaurant, directly in front of you, is the most breath-taking wine cellar.  It sits in the middle surrounding white table clothed tables.

During my visit I was able to indulge in plenty of dishes that ranged from Foie Gras Tarts to Duck.  I’ll start off with some of the canopies that were sent out before main courses were provided.  Foie Gras Tart, Lobster Tartlet, Grilled Native Lobster, and Dorset Crab are the dishes that started a very successful evening.  The Foie Gras Tart and Lobster Tart were the two canopy dishes of the night.  The Foie Gras Tart can be described as salty with a hint of sweetness that came from the sugary flavor of the candied apples.  This bite woke my taste buds up because it reassured me the kind of night I would be in for.  The Lobster Tartlet was stuffed with a Lobster mousse and Avocado.  I perfect bite that provided a hint of earthiness with a hint of the sea.  The crunch was a great added texture to the soft interior of the Tartlet.

The next two dishes consisted of the Grilled Native Lobster and Dorset Crab.  The Grilled Native Lobster consisted of Melon, Cucumber, and Verjus.  A beautiful Lobster Tail was presented de-shelled with a buttery cream sauce that worked well with the sourness of the melon and the fruity flavor of the Verjus.  Verjus can be described as a green juice, or something that has high acid and derived from grapes.  The presentation was breath-taking and it made me admire how perfect it was.  The next dish was the Dorset Crab.  It consisted of Heritage Apple, Fennel, and Cider.  The foam broth that was centered in this dish had an apple cider flavoring that went well with the sea flavor of the crab.  The fennel was a bit pungent but eaten with the Crab and Cider it works wonders on your taste buds.

The two entrees of the night consisted of Duck and Lamb.  The Devonshire Duck was presented first.  It consisted of Fennel, Plum, and Spiced Jus.  The Duck was prepared rare and had the most perfect crispy exterior.  The Plum’s added a tart flavor but I’m not quite sure it worked with the saccharine red wine sauce.  The Duck was beautifully prepared and had a great meaty flavor with a hint of saltiness.  Usually duck is a bit mealy and grainy, but this piece was absolutely perfect.  If there was anything I’d change, it would be the Plums.  I’d add another fruit to the dish, maybe.. dare I say.. Apple?  It seems to be the overall fruit of the evening, and I always say; “If it isn’t broke, dont fuck with it.”  The last dish that was presented was the Hardwick Lamb.  This dish was absolutely stunning.  I’ve never seen a medium rare piece of meat without blood.  Not a single ounce of blood dropped on the plate.  Immaculate.  It was accompanied with Artichoke and Marjoram.  The vegetables and flavoring of the red wine demi added a great balance with the Lamb, but the star of this show was the meat.  Perfectly seasoned, juicy, and flavorful.

Overall, this restaurant is a definite go-to.  The plates were detailed oriented and flavorful.  This isn’t a biased review because I’d faint if I ever met Gordon Ramsay, it’s me explaining to you that it’s really worth the star they’ve earned.

OVERALL RATING : FIRST CLASS EXPERIENCE