On May 6, Gordon Ramsay's 100th restaurant is set to open in London. Part of his Bread Street Kitchen chain, the latest addition is a little different from the others as it sits high above the capital, on the 59th floor of 22 Bishopsgate. The imposing building, which is the tallest in the City of London, boasts unreal panoramic views, and I can confirm it is a sight to behold, as I was recently invited to preview the restaurant by the chef himself.
Gordon kindly invited me, and several other journalists, to join him for breakfast ahead of the restaurant's launch, and how could I possibly say no to an offer like that? So earlier this week, I made my way to 22 Bishopsgate and was one of the very first people to eat in the new Bread Street Kitchen. Here's how it went...
Unreal Views
After going through security in the lobby, I was ushered into a lift, which rises so fast (taking less than 60 seconds to get to floor 58), it makes your ears pop. Recovering quickly, I stepped out into Bread Street Kitchen, and my jaw dropped. The space is huge, with ginormous pink glass chandeliers dotted all around, and floor-to-ceiling windows everywhere you turn. Aside from the dramatic lighting, the rest of the decor inside is chic but simple, which really allows the sprawling backdrop of London to be the star of the show. I'd recommend going on a sunny day if you can, as the warm light makes everything look and feel 100 times more special and means you can really see for miles.
When it came time to eat, I was sat at the bar, which is usually a spot I try to avoid, but it proved to be a great seat. Credit where credit is due, some thought has gone into the barstools. They're so comfortable, and they have a high back, so you aren't teetering the whole time precariously, or having to be hunched over the bar like a gremlin. You also still get to enjoy the views, and as a bonus, you have a front row seat to watch staff do their thing. I got to watch trays and trays of delicious pastries being plated up before my very eyes. Speaking of pastries, there's one I heartily recommend people try – the double chocolate swirl (£5.50). It was everything I'd want from a chocolate pastry, and more, thanks to half of it actually being coated in milk chocolate. Not only did this add to the visual appeal, but it tasted as good as it looked!
The Standout Dish
The standout from the morning had to be the Hot Cake (£15). Meant for sharing, it's essentially one big pancake, topped with blossom honey, berries and a dollop of vanilla chantilly cream. Texture-wise, I'd say it's somewhere between a pancake and a cake. It's chunky, but I was pleasantly surprised to find this didn't make it too dense and chewy. Instead, it was wonderfully light and fluffy, and I could have easily polished off a whole one by myself.
I'm sure it's obvious by now that I've got a sweet tooth, but there's plenty of savoury stuff on the menu too, including Lobster Benedict, Avocado on Toast, and a Full English. People raved about the Lobster at the event, but I'd opted for the Full English. Priced at £19, it's much more expensive than your average fry-up, so it's fair to say I had pretty high expectations for it. But if I'm completely honest, it was a bit of a mixed bag and left me underwhelmed. Sure, the 'fancy' Full English looked great on the plate, but I didn't enjoy it as much as some of the ones I've had in my local greasy spoon caf. I think a big part of this came down to the ratios, which, for me, were all wrong. The breakfast went hard on the mushroom and black pudding, which are my two least favourite components, and skimped on the ingredients I love the most.
The hash brown was delicious but far too small, the scrambled eggs were cooked perfectly, but there were hardly any on the plate, and there wasn't a slice of toast in sight (apparently it does usually come with some). I was a big fan of the beans being served in a separate pot, so that everything on the plate didn't get soggy too soon, and I also liked the very generously sized sausage, though at one point I did end up with a mouthful of gristle, which marred the enjoyment slightly.
Final Verdict
I think the restaurant itself is stunning, and Gordon and his team have done a fantastic job with the space, and it felt truly special to be one of the first people to be there. I can't say it was the best meal I've ever eaten, but it was certainly one I'll never forget. After all, it's not every day you get to eat breakfast while looking out at The Shard and St Paul's.
