the ritz restaurant

we had some concerns as you do, when visiting somewhere so prestigious and potentially wallet busting. high profile venues like the ritz all too often live off past glories. fortunately this was not the case here, although there was no getting past the cost factor. the wine was very expensive. don't expect to find bottles at the £30 mark, the lowest price is around £50, but give it its due, the bottle of marlborough pinor noir we ordered was delightful. we very sensibly chose on this occasion to go for the set lunch which consisted of three courses for £45, rather than go a la carte, where you could pay the same price for a single course! i should also say at this stage, that the set lunch was very good indeed, so by going down that route you really are not slumming it.

there was the inevitable champagne trolley to avoid before the meal began. we were quite happy to just go with a jug of tap water (admittedly a silver plated one).

the amuse bouche was served in a champagne glass and we chose some rather nice bacon flavoured home made bread. the set lunch menu was certainly enticing, i started with a rather moreish mackerel dish and my companion had a very tasty salt beef and foie gras terrine. this was followed by main courses of duck and venison, delivered under cloches and revealed with some theatre. this was comfortfoodof the highest order, both were absolutely delicious. then for dessert we had a classic ritz dish, the chestnut souffle with rum ice cream, a real treat. we did not order coffee but were still presented with what i can honestly say were the best selection of petit fours i have had in a restaurant for a long time. so in summary although thefoodis not cutting edge by any means, one of the reasons this meal stood out for us, was that nothing jarred, from the bread right through to the petit fours, everything was uniformly excellent and that is a rarity even in the best of restaurants.

the dining room is magnificent, the atmosphere luxurious, the service immaculate, thefoodsublime. for me the highlight of the meal was the grouse, cooked medium in a sous vide it melted in the mouth. but then the lemon soufflé was very close second.

visited oct 2013
they must be either artists or magicians in the kitchen who create such pieces of art on your plate. the amuse bouches and the starters gave my palate long lasting explosions of flavors on several levels and have therefore set very high expectations towards the main course and dessert. my lamb main course was perfectly fine - cooked just right as i like it and wonderfully presented.

however, ritz still gets only four instead of five stars from me for two reasons:
1) the souffle dessert was way too sweet for my taste so that i couldn't even finish it, and
2) the prices for wines by the glass are simply extreme. to charge £15-30+ for a 175ml glass is just too much. the wines may be great (and mine indeed was), but maybe it would make sense to offer something more affordable to choose from as well.

overall, a very nice evening in a very special atmosphere, amazingfoodpresentation and impeccable service.

for over a hundred years the ritz has stood in its commanding position on the corner of green park, famous throughout the world as the last word in opulence and luxury. and despite my own occasional weakness for a bit of glitz and glamour, i had never been, partly because i'd heard very little about thefoodin the ritz restaurant (and as mostfoodbloggers eventually learn "nothing heard" usually means "nothing good") but mainly because they insist on male patrons wearing a jacket and tie, and i wasn't entirely sure my mismatched "granddad's funeral" outfit wouldn't make look like a bit of a tit. i quite like to feel comfortable during dinner, not like i'm being interviewed. yes, funerals and interviews, the only other times i've worn a tie.

we went to the ritz for dinner a while back for celebratory dinner and i can hands down say that it was the best dining experience i’ve ever had. all of us would agree on this. i would describe the ritz as a dollhouse/fairytale palace - there is something so regal about the whole place. the interior of the dining room is flawless and truly has a wow factor. i was stunned as soon as i walked in and felt privileged to be dining there! the staff were great, very well mannered and sweet. 
the menu looked like any other restaurant menu and i thought this was yet another place you pay for the atmosphere. i was wrong - the quality offoodactually blew me away.

ah, the iconic ritz...not too much else you can say! just kidding, so much to say! 

had afternoon tea and would highly recommend. the tea selection is amazing, and the staff are knowledgeable. thefoodobviously is amazing!

but what actually makes the ritz so amazing is the ambiance. the  table settings are beautiful, thefoodand drink delicate and beautiful,  the floor plan and seating is sophisticated and comfortable. you really feel like you have to put your best foot forward to go here because they certainly do!

experience a typical english afternoon tea  in a royal way! 
the moment you step in till the time you leave feel the royal air around you! dress well before going here- thats a tip :) 
the beautiful piano being played throughout just added to the ambience. 
the tea served in the silver teapots  were constantly being refilled and so as the sandwiches.foodis fabulous but what leaves an impression is the place, service and ambience.
the staff were incredible.
to be honest its something everyone should experience once in their lives. truly amazing experience!
book well in advance as very busy.

a nice place with an old time charm. the atmosphere is enjoyable and the live entertainment program is wonderful, you can even join in if you like. it's nice for a special night, with you loved one, lots of couples here. thefoodis good too,ab bit expensive, but the set menu is good value for money.

i already did my research for this place and i knew in advance that this place is quite expensive, but i was ready to spend that much as it was my nana's birthday. thefoodis although appealing and appetizing but extremely costly. so think twice before going to this place.

in both my visits to this place, i opted for their three course lunch. thefoodwas really in line with the opulent surroundings and a lot better than various five star meals you would have had somewhere else. the staff is prompt and efficient. i would highly recommend this place to every one.

this is one of the most alluring place backed by scrumptious and delectable meal. presentation of thefoodwas top-notch and not at all messy, service opulent and taste was divine. you would not ask for more! i have not had such a good experience of fine dining before it where everything was in perfect sync.. food, ambiance and service!

it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. they treated us like royalty and made sure that we are at ease. at first, we went to the bar and ordered a very enjoyable cocktail each. later, we went for dinner and that's what marked a great impression. there was an array of menu choices along with paid entertainment but that was worth it. enjoying such deliciousfoodalong with great dance and music is actually a bliss.
felt it was value for money - definitely worth shedding some money to get this royal treatment.

lovely place to stop by for tea and cakes. thefoodis great too, complete with all kinds of scones, waffles and cakes, which they keep bringing without having to ask. even celebrated sister in law's birthday here, and it was a memorable experience too.

beingfoodbloggers we get to do a whole host of exciting things, meet interesting and passionate people, try a wide variety of food, stay in stunning hotels. never in a million years did we imagine we’d end up in the kitchens at the lavish ritz hotel on a saturday morning for a dessert masterclass. but there we were, joined by a few others a little bleary eyed but very excited, lapping up every second and taking in every sight and sound of the vast kitchens buried underneath the hotel.

head pasty chef lewis wilson was our guide, he explained how we’d help create a vanilla, chocolate and hazelnut ice bombe with hazelnut daquiose and feullatine. easy for him, not so easy for us amateurs (no offence to the others). we whipped ice cream, melted chocolate (not any old chocolate – 63% amedei from tuscany), piped praline, moulded ice cream and glazed the bombe – we finally gave up when it came to the finishing touches of decoration, spindly ‘s’ shaped chocolate curls were as fragile as a house of cards. ade compared the topper to jordan’s wedding carriage from one of her many nuptials. it did look much grander than that, so stunning we couldn’t stop gazing at it, we were full of appreciation for all the stages and effort that this creation went through. whilst in the kitchen we learnt that the ritz serve a staggering 400 afternoon teas a day.

the fun didn’t stop there, we were led back up to the splendour of the hotel and into the restaurant for lunch where we would be presented with the very same bombe for our dessert. the room was like something out of ancient greece, but then it has been there since 1906 – with marble columns, a vast golden glow sweeps the entire ceiling, gilded statues stand proud at the end of the room. this was absolute heaven for people watcher addicts like us (that sounded creepier than it was intended).

after our bread selection and an amuse bouche trio we leapt into our starter of var salmon with beetroot, horseradish and orange. the prettiest and tastiest plate, gently poached fish daintily embellished with dots of roe atop a beetroot smear that wouldn’t look out of place in a beauty feature. for wine loves there’s an infamous wine list, including some of their own wines that can’t be found anywhere else. our sommelier for lunch put us at ease with no wine babble, in fact the head sommelier, tobias brauweiler came in the top six of the uk sommelier of the year competition 2012. we fell in love with the red wine from bordeaux – the ritz pauillac premium selection 2010 baron philippe de rothschild £64 a bottle.

next was loin of lamb with a herb crust, caramelised shallots and peas. a great juicy hunk of meat, balanced by the freshness of the peas and pea shoots. i am not normally a fan of lamb but this was really good, so much so i ate every last morsel. the herb crust was exactly that, a crust, not that powdery coating you can get from lesser kitchens. the peas were crisp and sweet whilst the softened onions offered a little change of texture.

and of course dessert was our chocolate and hazelnut bombe masterpiece, drawing admiring glances (and even a sneaky photo from other diners) when it arrived and served at our table. at table preparation and service, a lost art that the ritz are proud of, so much so executive chef john williams mbe has even introduced a ‘les arts de la table’ menu at £75 per person for three courses. which includes a glass of ritz cuvée champagne and with dishes expertly carved or filleted in front of your very eyes, talk about adding theatre to one’s meal!

we weren’t finished just yet, coffee and ‘frivolities’ were yet to come and i needed a doggy bag. a silver tray of petit fours including macarons and gorgeous raspberry topped cakes complete with a teeny ‘r’ was placed before us. such seamless service throughout, but then we’d expect nothing less, it took me a while to get used to the only man at the table being served last, it’s ladies first all the way here. we’d never have thought about coming here to eat, not because we didn’t think it would be good, but because we assumed we couldn’t afford it. the ritz is about much more than afternoon tea, and at £49 a head for a regularly changing three-course set lunch, it’s not that unachievable either.

we ate at the ritz as their guests, this does not affect our review in any way. we always write with complete honesty.

this place gives an overall relaxing feel to your lunch or dinner. me and my friend usually turn up here after completing our seminar in this city as it is nearby.foodis appealing and appetizing. service is prompt and efficient. i would definitely recommend this place to every one.