The Best Damn Plane Food E-Vah!

A close up on the bottom of the menu please, if you would kindly indulge me for a moment. There, simply, priceless words: Exclusively created by Gordon Ramsay, London.

Holy cow! Was my London bound meal also touched by his great hand? Was I too distracted by the cheese boards to have missed it? It's time to atone for my folly.

Chilled Malossol Caviar
With Melba Toast & Condiments

This is my first go at caviar, one of the many, many foods I have wanted to try, not for the sake of luxury but simply coz it exists and I gotta know. We all live to eat and learn.

It wasn't pungent, tasting simply of...salty fish eggs. I would gang it right up there with foie gras and sea urchin, the exotic tasting organs you either love at first bite, can learn to enjoy, or simply feel repulsed from the get go.

Oven Roasted Butter Squash Soup
Garnished with Cheese Ravioli & Brown Butter Sage Crouton

Fine Field Greens Salad

Braised Beef Short Ribs with Boulangere Potatoes,
Chanterelle Mushrooms & Caramelized Shallots

The dish of Gordon Ramsay. Up till this point I have admired him for his ways about the kitchen and could only conjure images of his legendary palette, and today I learn my humble impressions do no justice to his gift.

I am no die hard fan of meat, but this hunk of beef ribs, what can I say? The ribs held firmly but barely, giving way to a meltingly tender texture that can only be achieved with a long, slow, braising process. The sauce was light and gave body to the ribs, but ribs held were perfectly moist on its own. I have never enjoyed meat like I did today.

Next up, the sides. Supporting roles but achieving no lesser accomplishments. I usually avoid onions due to their pungency, but the harmony of the sweet shallots and woodsy chanterelles was joyfully achieved and I will have it as a main vegetarian course anytime.

Last but not least, the boulangere potatoes. This held the greatest surprise for me, for the usually blend tatoes were raised to new heights in this preparation, seasoned to precision and baked to crisp and moist perfection.

If you can make everyday staples taste unexpectedly out of this world, from the testy beefs ribs to the humble potatoes, you deserve every culinary accolade laid upon your crown. GR is indeed, da man.

Warm Walnut Financier with Poached Pear,
Vanilla Ice cream , Raspberry Coulis

The financier was okay, nothing to write home about. Desserts usually make or break a meal for me, but fortunately I just had the perfect dish to concluded my London trip, the ribs and totoes perfect conclusion to this leg of my culinary quest around the world.

Gourmet Cheese

Chocs

Interlude & Breakfast

Chicken & Mushroom Ragout Crepes
With Roasted Tomatoes & Sauteed Roesti with Parsley

With this plate of very good crepes (which I am a big fan of as well, but that's another post) and a good cuppa, my London trip concludes. What a whirlwind trip to the other end of the Earth and back, eh?

London...Day 3 In the Big Smoke & Still Soaking It All In

Last day in London, and though I am all for trying new things, sometimes revisiting the good ol' familiar does it for me too, so it's back to my friendly neighborhood pub. (It's more of a franchise than an organic pub, I reckon, but hey, if the local crowd keeps going back then so will I.)

Steak & Ale Pie

Solid chunks of meat I love that I could taste the Guniness strong and sound.

Apple & Rhuburb Cobbler, with Cinnamon Ice Cream

...but of coz...

Every road trip starts and ends with a good cuppa, and by now I figured London to be a tea drinking city. So where's the one place I can find salvation furthest away from the city but still within? The airport, of coz. I'll take it anyway, anywhere. Ah, good one.

London...Day 2 & Munching

Innocent in Winter Hats...I couldn't resist

Vegetarian Brekkie

I am in London to attend a seminar, and had a good breakfast jump start my system. Vegetarian English breakfast, with soy sausage and bacon. The sausage was good, the bacon, like the real bacon I disagree with, reminded me of tree bark, not that I ever had to try one, till this morning anyway. But hey, all else was...alright.

It would've been cool if they had vegetarian "eggs" as well.

Onto the seminar, a 3 day, all day event.

Dessert Plate

Cheese Platter

Gosh! I absolutely love this about the English way of dining, they finish every meal with cheese, and for the first time, I am happy to choose this over desserts.

Chips & Chilli

I was eager to try the local cuisine, and pub food is the way to go. Found a charming one packed to the doors, always a good sign, and ventured in.

Chips and Chilli was...alright, like a Mexican version of chips. Not English.

Toad in a Hole

Oh this is a gem of a find, Toad in a Hole, now this name I recognize. The serving was huge, sausage flavorful, veggies cooked with care, (unlike the usual boil and toss in treatment most sides are given), and the yokeshire pudding holding them all in, light, moist on the inside, crisp on the out. I am pleased with what I've seen and tried so far.

London in 3 Days & Back...Blimy!

I took a quick trip to London recently, another great first for me. & flying in Business, we mean Business, baby! Forget the extended leg room, enhanced personal space & leading edge technology, I'm in it for the in flight food, & Why? Pray tell! you ask. Coz the menu was created by none other than the Great Man Himself, The Big Kahuuna, my ManGod, Gordon Ramsay.

A quick low down on my lunch...

Starter
Salad of Scallops & Baby Leaves

Main Course
Panfried Seabass on warm poached Asparagus

Cheese Course, of coz

Biscuits & Tea (Or A Frothy Cappuccino for me)

Ever been served so many scrumptious Truffles on a plate?!?

For dinner, I went with the Japanese Keiseki meal, which evoked a knowing smile of approval from the steward. I have never tried Keiseki before & he was very pleased with my choice. I soon learned why.

A kaleidoscope of colors, spring on a plate. Every portion was distinct in flavor & texture. Designed to satisfy without over stuffing I could not find a dish I wasn't pleased with. Who knew, one of the best Japanese meal I have ever had, was on a Plane. To London. God bless globalization.

Another cheese course, before the landing.

And dinner later that evening...

Gnocchi Gratin.

This dish was well made on all counts: I love gnocchi, when done right, they are chewy without being too dense and heavy; I love cheese (if you haven't gathered by now) and the gnocchi was blanketed amply in the thick, creamy cheesy sauce for the gnocchi to soak up; I love anything prepped in baking dish (similar to claypot) which keeps the dish warm and adds that homely, wholesome dimension to the dining experience.

After Meal Chocs & Palmiers