Entree: London
Ritz Restaurant
150 Piccadilly
I had to dress up for the Ritz because dining there is as much about the experience as it is about the food. But I was glad I made the effort as I entered what looked like a ballroom complete with chandeliers and huge windows overlooking a fringed garden. The baked salt crusted squab pigeon served with saute fois gras and Madeira jus, at GBP35 (HK$567), captured the essence of this gamy bird and indicates this 101-year-old hotel's desire to experiment more with new British cooking.
Lanesborough Hotel
The Conservatory
Live piano music and a vast glass-roof ceiling make the Conservatory a soothing escape from modern life. Seated among the towering plants, I began to feel as if I wasn't in the city. The service can be a tad leisurely, but dining at one of London's grand hotels shouldn't be rushed. After all, you want to take your time with mains such as veal chops with walnut cream. The wild garlic gnocchi with Provencal vegetables is also a good choice for vegetarians who might feel left out of England's current love affair with meat. And with the average price for a set dinner at about GBP70, the Conservatory is also one of the better value restaurants to visit in the city.
Savoy
Simpsons-in-the-Strand
100 The Strand
Disraeli, Dickens and Gladstone were all enthralled by the rich flavours of the Savoy's first restaurant. Opened in 1828, Simpsons-in-the-Strand is still the place to go for classic British cooking free from the grease that has unfairly attached itself to one of the country's most famous dishes. The roast Scottish beef on the bone (GBP24) is the undisputed highlight and the joint was carved from a silver-dome trolley at my table. This 150-year-old tradition makes a visit to Simpsons a thrilling experience at a famous hotel that's close to London's theatre district.
Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's
Brook Street
Mayfair
Ramsay has established himself in the hotel that sheltered European royalty during the second world war. And thanks to his culinary talents this hotel's restaurant is proving to be much more than just a must-do on the tourist circuit. Try the tortellini of sea bass followed by the Romney Marsh lamb, finishing with the light citrus and passion fruit jelly - good value at just GBP65 for a three-course a la carte. The wine list is expensive but first rate, and the atmosphere is welcoming.
Petrus at The Berkeley
Wilton Place
I feasted on lightly sauteed Scottish scallops accompanied by some crispy fried shallots and slabs of creamy potato, before moving onto a turbot poached in red wine with a lightly wilted side of spinach. The pudding of red berries in Champagne jelly was a refreshing finish after a main course that was slightly rich. Not bad value at GBP60 a head on average and a good choice if you want a slice of modern British cooking among rich, theatrical surroundings. Its two Michelin stars have made this century-old hotel popular, so book ahead.
