I shall be sampling "Rules" in London today

[The Monocled Mutineer]

Full report on this quintessential English Restaurant tomorrow.

 

London's oldest restaurant (1790) and only under it's fourth owner! A cheaper option than Wiltons (in St James). Wilton's is superb!

 

(Google Wiltons & Rules for a gander)

 

Located near The Strand - ideal for many visitors stopping off in London.

 

Why dine at chains that don't reflect our nations cuisine when we we have some fantastic traditional and modern British cuisine restaurants in our capital?

[The Monocled Mutineer]

Another restaurant on my "wish-list" ticked off.

 

Highly recommend this establishmenmt both for the natives and our very welcome overseas visitors.

 

The quality is comparable with one of my favouite London restaurants, Wiltons and is of a similiar style in terms of ambiance and cuisine. Prices are about 25% less here than in Wiltons. American visitors should also bear in mind that 12.5% discretionary service is added to bills so there is no requirement to tip further (unless you desire to).

 

Located between Covent Garden and The Strand, Rules has the advantage of being open all day, all week from noon till 23:30. Ideal for both early diners (pre-theatre) or indeed late diners, like our European friends.

 

Friendly, efficient service, without being too familiar, the restaurant "fizzed" with it's full capacity as Val & I enjoyed our late lunch mainly surrounded by "suits"

 

We partook of:

 

Exemplary Pimms No 1, served in a Silver Tankard.

 

Val enjoyed an intense Crab Bisque laced witt Brandy and Cream and was offered and took good yeasty bread.

 

I had a Coronation Chicken Terrine - Chuncks of chicken breast laced with mild curry sauce and apricots served with a herby salad topped with a poppadom. Hit the spot!

 

Mains:

 

Val had a Lobster Pancake - stuffed with intensely fresh lobster flesh in a coral and tomato emulsion. Her "umms & ahhs" said it all.

 

I had a signature dish of Steak & Kidney Pudding served with fresh green runner beans and a side of proper "chips". The meat was flavoursome and tender and a properly full boat was left at my side which contained an outstanding gravy. None of your "jus" and "coulis" here. (Or as Clarissa Dickson-Wright said " a 'jus' and a 'collie' to me is a Hebrew and a Chinaman!)

 

The puddings were very much (from the menu descriptions) nursery to school comfort food but with a modern twist.

 

Val had warm chocolate pudding served with a Pistachio and Spearmint Ice Cream (made in the kitchen). Again a proper boat was left on the table for a breathtaking chocolate sauce made clearly with atelier chocolate (Valhona?)

 

I had Raspberry Blancmange with Candy Floss. This would not cause embarrassment to a trendy Modern British chef and was sharp and intense.

 

Bill in includng glass of wine and bottle of mineral water + service: £117.

 

OUTSTANDING VALUE!

[standby 06.30]

Full report on this quintessential English Restaurant tomorrow.

 

London's oldest restaurant (1790) and only under it's fourth owner! A cheaper option than Wiltons (in St James). Wilton's is superb!

 

(Google Wiltons & Rules for a gander)

 

Located near The Strand - ideal for many visitors stopping off in London.

 

Why dine at chains that don't reflect our nations cuisine when we we have some fantastic traditional and modern British cuisine restaurants in our capital?

Three weekends ago we ate in a restaurant that reflects our nation true cuisine, the one star Michelin Indian restaurant Tamarind, it was very good, the Chef Alfred Prasad even has a mention in Debretts, I cant remember how much I spent, but I find those sorts of comments rather gauche anyway, this weekend we are out for sunday lunch with my 91 yrs old mother, for another reflection, her favorite Dim Sum, Chinese Tea House cooking, also a very current cuisine in the U K, she like my wife and I find dishes like steak and kidney pudding to stodgy( even made by my own skilled hand) she stated that to much gravy makes her fart, regards

[The Monocled Mutineer]

Dear Stand-by 06:30,

 

I very much enjoy Modern, as well traditional cuisine from Britain, France, Italy and Spain. I also enjoy "Indian" and "Chinese" cuisine which has great examples in our capital and around the country.

 

I view Modern cuisine as well as traditional cuisine in our country, can draw (and indeed does) on the various traditions and represents the best that Britain has to offer.

 

I do not view the vast majority of chains as contributing to British gastronomy and my earlier comments in this thread were to encourage visitors to get away from the "freezer to frier" merchants of Macdonalds, TGI, etc.

 

Incidently, the traditional English cuisine exemplified by the likes of Wilton's and Rules produces a lyrical, light take on English traditional favourites. My S&K pudding was beautifully light and packed with flavour.

 

For a different take on British cuisine I can also wholeheartedly recommend when in London, The Capital, near the back of Harrods, which delivers "cutting-edge" modern cuisine.

 

My informing of readers of the cost (Rules) is to advise and inform on the VFM quotient this restaurant represented.

[FinelyRetired]

Mutineer:

 

Thanks for the review. Just printed it. Leaving today for London.

 

Martha

[standby 06.30]

I was brought up when I was a child to eat in Simpsons, it was and still is on occasion a thrill to watch joints being carved, We would also go to Kettners for a Dover Sole, tubby Isaacs for a pie, etc, then came Le Gavroche, things changed for the better in general, when I visit my brother in Beech near Alton, we do miss the northern fish and chip shops, which some do a very fine steak and kidney pud with chips and peas that, washed down, with a beer, great, the best way to use suet crust, is to top the pie with it and bake, you then introduce another texture, and it becomes more than nursery food, regards

[standby 06.30]

I forgot to mention one thing, trad british cuisine was formed by one thing our mineral wealth, King Coal,ovens,= roasts etc,you can then extrapolate, Ireland peat, =slow braise, Irish stew, chinas southern regions, wood instant heat= wok cooking, U S oil, coal, wood, buffalo chips they have it all,= macdonalds regards

[nancygp]

Thanks for the great review. I'm having dinner at Rules on the 30th!

 

Nancy

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I don't think it was gauche to mention the price. For we North Americans, the UK is dreadfully expensive right now, and it's nice to get an idea what this kind of meal would set us back.

[Bramcruiser]

Thanks very much for the review. All reviews are personal but its of interest to me since I've heard a lot about Rules including business contacts who have recommended it. I've seen the website and the reviews on the net. However, its always nice to see a rather more personal than business-like review. Since I'm flying off to England (from Canada) one week from today this is great timing.

 

Personally I'm looking forward to trying out more traditional British food. I hardly call myself adventurous or exotic when it comes to meals. This was one of the few places on my list that I narrowed down to being "must try".

 

Again, thanks.

 

David

[zaandam_2]

I forgot to mention one thing, trad british cuisine was formed by one thing our mineral wealth, King Coal,ovens,= roasts etc,you can then extrapolate, Ireland peat, =slow braise, Irish stew, chinas southern regions, wood instant heat= wok cooking, U S oil, coal, wood, buffalo chips they have it all,= macdonalds regards

 

you've obviously never been to the US (breadbasket of the world). we enjoy a melting pot of cuisines much like i've read london does now. until recent years, GB was known for its' boiled cuisine. kidneys are nasty, i don't understand why people would eat them. who gets the 'good cuts' over there?

 

monocled, thanks for the review.

[eileen & jay]

standby 06.30,

Love your sense of humor!:D

[spongerob]

MM - your thoughts on any of Gordon Ramsay's establishments, either in London or the US, would be highly appreciated.

[standby 06.30]

you've obviously never been to the US (breadbasket of the world). we enjoy a melting pot of cuisines much like i've read london does now. until recent years, GB was known for its' boiled cuisine. kidneys are nasty, i don't understand why people would eat them. who gets the 'good cuts' over there?

 

monocled, thanks for the review.

Purchased my first house in clearwater about 30yrs ago, lived and worked in west hollywood, about 20yrs ago, toured the US for a numbers of years about 36yrs ago, that is a bit hazy because of the job I was doing, I think it took me to over 15 states, had some training about 30yrs ago in pattiserie in paris, I love food, and coming from Liverpool which has, the oldest china town in europe, and living in the north west of the UK and having a very diverse ethnic cuisine, as well as population, and as the two top dishes in the U K are Chicken Tikka Marsala ( dish that was created in the UK) and a form of pizza, that was created in the U S, we have a very similar "melting pot". Sunday is the day for tradition, I cooked devilled kidneys, kedgeree,for breakfast, the we had dim sum for lunch, regards oh I will try to post a link for the on British tradition I hold dear it is a must if you visit.

[standby 06.30]

www.elegant-lifestyle.com/afternoon-teas.htm

[The Monocled Mutineer]

I have not dined at a Gordon Ramsey establishment.

 

Clearly he is talented but he is also openly foul-mouthed and somewhat over-exposed and rather "stretched"

 

I have no plans to dine at one of his restaurants.

[Bramcruiser]

I have not dined at a Gordon Ramsey establishment.

 

Clearly he is talented but he is also openly foul-mouthed and somewhat over-exposed and rather "stretched"

 

I have no plans to dine at one of his restaurants.

 

You know, I have had people ask me about whether I'll be trying out one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants while in London. I must admit I too have no overwhelming desire to run and try for much of the same as mentioned above. I believe he has talent - otherwise he would never have achieved fame as a chef first. Its just that the persona of a tempermental show off for "reality" television just puts the damper on worshipping him. That's not to say I wouldn't walk into a Ramsay restaurant but it just makes it NOT a must-do. I like the idea behind Jamie Oliver's Fifteen but since its almost impossible to get into I won't bother (besides I'll be on the other side of London).

 

The reality is I probably won't know where I will be until I have done it. We got 5 days in London and as others have pointed out its a gastronomic delight in that London has grown to be such a varied showcase on the food scene. 5 days is not enough.

 

David

[standby 06.30]

Mr Ramsay quite obviously is one of the top restauranters in the U K, when you have Chefs of the stature of angela hartnett etc working with him it is easy to see how he has got to that position www.gordonramsay.com/ regards

[standby 06.30]

standby 06.30,

Love your sense of humor!:D

Thank you, two of my favorite ingredients are Ox tongue, and Ox cheek, put them together Tongue in Cheek regards

[spongerob]

you've obviously never been to the US (breadbasket of the world). we enjoy a melting pot of cuisines much like i've read london does now. until recent years, GB was known for its' boiled cuisine. kidneys are nasty, i don't understand why people would eat them. who gets the 'good cuts' over there?

I have to say that even what I call "pub grub" has always been well prepared and presented in my experience. And, trust me, I've surveyed a large sample. Who'd have thought that sausage and mash could be elevated to something near fine dining? It's the best value around.

 

I have not dined at a Gordon Ramsey establishment.

 

Clearly he is talented but he is also openly foul-mouthed and somewhat over-exposed and rather "stretched".

I doubt I could work for him, but I'm curious to see if the product matches the hype - or the price. I presume that one pays a significant premium to get in the door.

[Globaliser]

I presume that one pays a significant premium to get in the door.

Paying a premium is the least of your worries (although, FWIW, the normal three course menu at dinner is £85 per person, with supplements for some dishes).

 

To get in the door, you first need a reservation. These are taken exactly two months before the dining date. If you don't book on that day, you're almost certain to find that the restaurant is fully booked.

 

It is also said (I don't know how true it is) that you are also required to leave a credit card number. If you no-show or cancel late, you are charged £150 per head for a cancellation fee.

 

But, hey, the restaurant is full every night. There is a lot of money washing around London.

[scottie99]

I have not dined at a Gordon Ramsey establishment.

 

Clearly he is talented but he is also openly foul-mouthed and somewhat over-exposed and rather "stretched"

 

I have no plans to dine at one of his restaurants.

To go off the thread for a second, when I was in St Andrews in May, playing the Old Course, we had a fabulous meal in the Dolls House restaurant and Gordon Ramsey was dining at the next table.

 

I had a second meal there on Monday and it was even better including the best steak (fillet of Scottish beef) i have ever tasted. Bill for 4 £140 inc 2 bottles of very good wine!

[Casshew]

I was brought up when I was a child to eat in Simpsons, it was and still is on occasion a thrill to watch joints being carved,

 

I ate at Simpsons in the Strand last August, they still carve the beef on a rolling, silver domed trolley, it was a nice meal and the price was fair for London.

[scouse mouse]

Standby 06.30, being exiled to Nantwich from Liverpool, I have forgotten how to make scouse. Any chance of a recipe.

 

Reason I was exiled from Liverpool - husband comes from the Midlands, and Nantwich is the nearest place to Liverpool I could get him to move to.:D

[standby 06.30]

Blind or Lob? regards