One of the cities that I and my friends from the business world visit the most is London. For me, though, it’s not all about work, as I also travel there often just for vacation. But without further ado, here are my top London restaurants, listed in alphabetical order.
COYA
Coya is a Peruvian restaurant that mainly serves seafood – a staple of the country’s cuisine – and vegetarian fare. Being on the ground floor, it doesn’t have much in the way of a view, so it’s best to head there for dinner. At least, though, you can enjoy the lively Peruvian décor on the walls. The restaurant sets out common dishes and then you just help yourself. The restaurant, with a seating capacity of 200, has a bar upstairs that offers live music, so you may as well go there for a few drinks or a coffee afterward.
DINNER BY HESTON
Dinner By Heston is the name of the restaurant that Heston Blumenthal started inside the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London. I once had a lunch appointment with an important customer of mine and wanted to take him to the restaurant. But try as I might (twice, in fact), I couldn’t land a booking for my preferred date. In my hour of need, I turned to İsa Bal, the sommelier of the Fat Duck, Heston Blumenthal’s first restaurant, for help. İsa was able to open the doors, and I finally went there with my guest. The system at Dinner by Heston is different than that of the Fat Duck, as Blumenthal continues to serve a 17-course menu at his first location. For Dinner By Heston, it appears that he has employed his own right-hand person, Ashley Palmer, as executive chef. About 10-12 chefs cook in a tiny glass room that resembles an aquarium; it might make the cooks feel like they’re in a fishbowl, but it allows you to watch your food being prepared. Another great thing is that all of the dishes here are drawn from the cuisine of Medieval England. The menu includes the history of the dish, as well as further elaborate information about how it was cooked. Dinner By Heston has a simpler menu compared to the Fat Duck, but the beauty of this place is that it is open every single day, including Sundays. What’s more, it has a great view of Hyde Park!
FAT DUCK
Heston Blumenthal is the chef, founder, owner and, in short, jack of all trades of the Fat Duck, which is located in Bray, about a 45-minute drive from London. You should go for the tasting menu at the Fat Duck which is itself situated within a historical building that can sit around 60 people. The tasting menu is a four-hour affair, so I reckon it’s best to go there at noon, if possible, as the menu might prove to be too heavy for dinner. And if you go there during the day, you’ll have the opportunity to tour about the pretty town and its centuries-old buildings. Another thing to note is that the Fat Duck had a Turkish sommelier, İsa Bal, a well trained specialist in winemaking. On top of that, he’s acquired his Master of Wine qualification, which is doled out by a council of world- famous wine experts that test applicants once or twice a year. If candidates pass a written exam, they are then subjected to an oral one, as well as a tasting test. Successful candidates are then accepted to the council as fellow brothers. Altogether, it takes years to acquire the distinction of Master of Wine. The wine menu in Fat Duck is as thick as a phone book; it really is all-inclusive. Beyond that, a Blumenthal plate also appeals to all five senses: In addition to tasting it, you hear it crunch in your mouth, smell it, see it and touch it. Blumenthal has also written several cookbooks that feature recipes for various types of food. Here though, they use “Sous Vide,” the technique of low-temperature cooking, so as not to lose any nutrients. All the food is cooked at around 70 to 85 degrees so that it won’t boil. After that, they place the food in vacuum bags, which are then put into hot water at a preheated temperature.
GORDON RAMSAY
One of the most famous British chefs in the world, Gordon Ramsay is a man who owns restaurants around the globe, even though he doesn’t cook anymore. Ramsay, of course, is a notoriously angry chef that treats his staff horrendously. And before he was a cook, he even claims to have played in the first team of Rangers in the Scottish Premier League. In London, he was once the cook of the illustrious restaurant Aubergine. I tried to make a reservation there once, but they were only accepting bookings for six months in advance – and charging upfront to boot. Nevertheless, I did make a reservation this way, only for the man himself to leave Aubergine to open a new restaurant in Chelsea named after himself. I duly canceled my previous reservation at Aubergine to book a table at Gordon Ramsay’s new Gordon Ramsay. The restaurant known as Gordon Ramsay is a cramped establishment next to the street that can sit 45 people. It’s a good place for both lunch and dinner, although like all places in London, its lunch menu is somewhat cheaper. Boasting three Michelin stars, the restaurant displays a particular understanding of food presentation and design. And as a popular and award-winning public figure, Gordon Ramsey also sells his cookbooks in the restaurant. When truffles are in season, the restaurant offers a wide selection of truffles. Also, anyone that wants to get their hands a bit dirty can take a cooking lesson with an advance reservation and help the cooks prep from 9:30 a.m.
LA PETITE MAISON
La Petit Maison is a fine French Mediterranean restaurant that serves up a characteristic cuisine. Along with its French fare, it shares some similarities with Zuma and Roka in that it serves dishes in the sharing style of dining; that is, the dishes are brought one after another to the table and shared. In that, it actually suits family dining customs as well. Although it’s a French restaurant, the founding executive chef is Raphael, who hails from Nigeria. Interestingly, he doesn’t seem to use any butter in his cooking; instead, he leans heavily on olive oil, salad and fish. The restaurant certainly has the influences of Italy and Southern France, but it might be more appropriate to call the food Mediterranean. The dishes served here include socca with Côte d’Azur origins, pissaladière, Italian burrata, mozzarella, marinated raw fish, green lentils, and bulgur salad.
MARCUSWAREING
Following a bitter falling-out with Gordon Ramsay, Marcus Wareing left his job as head chef of the aforementioned restaurant Gordon Ramsay to open his own establishment, which, appropriately enough, is called Marcus Wareing. Wareing said he will never speak to Ramsay against in his life, but admitted that he does admire the celebrity chef’s cooking. Marcus Wairing is a one star Michelin restaurant now but deserves two, which is located in the Berkeley Hotel, is extremely comfortable and roomy. The restaurant’s chefs tend to use a considerable amount of vegetables and herbs in their cooking. And one more thing: There is also a chef’s table for eight that gives you a perfect glimpse into the kitchen while you’re eating.
NOBU
Nobu, owned in part by Robert De Niro, has 30 locations worldwide, 10 of which I’ve managed to eat at. Of these, my favorite is the Nobu right below the Metropolitan Hotel in London, thanks to its wonderful view over Hyde Park and the variety on its menu. The owner was born in Japan, but he lived for many years in Peru – something that gives the cuisine a notable Peruvian influence. The place even has sushi of his own invention, a factor that makes him a god among Japanese sushi chefs
ROKA
Situated on Charlotte Street in central London, Roka is a two-storied restaurant. It’s got a Robata grill setup on the main floor, where nearly 100 people can dine. They also have an al fresco dining area for 40 on sunny days. On the lower floor is a bar that is livelier in the evenings. This section, where you can both eat and drink, gives one the general impression that you’re at a nightclub. The bar, which also offers live music, is ideal for private parties of 40-50 people. Roka has other locations in London. Although it resembles Zuma, it’s more contemporary and attracts a younger crowd.
ZUMA
Zuma now has many branches worldwide, but the very first is located in London. The location in Dubai gives the London branch a run for its money, while there are also branches in Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, New York, Bangkok, Rome, Las Vegas, Phuket, Boston and Istanbul. Zuma was co-founded by an Indian entrepreneur and an experienced German chef, Rainer Becker, who learned to specialize in Japanese cuisine when he worked in Tokyo. The location can currently serve up to 250 customers at a time using Robata-style grilling. Open seven days a week, Zuma serves both lunch and dinner, yet it’s always a good idea to make a reservation. As for the seating style, you can eat around a table, at the sushi bar, or even at the grill counter. When Londoners were asked their reasons for going to restaurants, they listed the ambiance, the ability to socialize, and the chance to enjoy themselves, and only then, in fourth place, did they list the food.