Gordon Ramsay at Claridges

I last dined at this stalwart of classic haute cuisine a few years ago for a rather hushed but memorable evening meal, and I was very much looking forward to the return visit. This time it was to be a busy Friday luncheon with the chaps from The Arbuturian.

Service was predictably smooth, courteous and attentive. Some breadsticks were placed on the table along with two dips; a kind of aioli with truffle, and something delicious with salmon. Amuse bouche arrived as an intense little parsnip soup, again with truffle; a most delightful and warming start. The bread was a simple selection of mini-baguettes.

After perusing the hefty wine book, a veritable Bible of spectacular grapes from around the world, we decided to plump for a Chilean cabernet sauvignon at £29. It was a good example of a New World red, being full bodied, rich with blackcurrant aromas and a decent finish.

To eat, we chose to dine from the set lunch menu, very well priced at £25 per head for three courses. I began with a smoked mackerel salad with crispy bacon and tiny cubes of sautéed potato, and a mayonnaise dressing. It was very tasty, well presented and executed. For a main we all had the beef fillet with confit shoulder, accompanied by some courgettes, potato and a rich parsnip purée. Again, well cooked, nicely presented and a good combination of flavours. Portions were predictably small. Walk a block along the road to Le Gavroche and portion sizes increase for the set lunch menu, but then so does the price.

I asked the waitress if the Head Chef, Mark Sargeant, was in the kitchen, and she replied that no, he doesn’t cook all that often and that he’s away with Gordon working on recipes for their new book. Fair enough, I suppose. Mark has been working for Gordon since the days of Aubergine and like many of Gordon’s protégées, he’s been rewarded with a prestigious restaurant and minor celebrity status.

For dessert we chose the immense cheese trolley, along with glasses of Tawny port. We were very impressed by some of their cheeses, and the waiter kindly brought over their cheese list so that we could make a note of the names. As is standard procedure at these luncheons, we asked the waiter to place a selection of different cheeses on each plate, so that we could each sample a little of everything. A handy tip if you’re into your cheese and can’t decide what to have.

Of particular interest was the Mont Briac, an extremely potent blue cheese from Auvergne, ripened in caves. The next was an equally potent Venaco, the killer from Corsica, made from sheep’s milk – make sure you’re sitting down when you try this one. A milder but no-less interesting cheese was a Morbier, made with a layer of ash through the middle. Highly recommended.

We couldn’t face coffees but were given some petit fours nonetheless. Little balls of ice-cream in a crispy biscuit shell and glazed with chocolate. I’ve no idea how those are made, but they were delicious.

In summary, portions were on the small side but that is the norm for set lunches in central London. Service was excellent, as it should be. So in all I would say that it lived up to expectations. The grand art-deco dining room was buzzing with atmosphere despite the apparent credit crisis. And it must be true what they say about cheese and vivid dreams. That night I was practically hallucinating.

Gordon Ramsay at Claridges, Claridge’s Hotel, 55 Brook Street, London W1S 1EY. Tel. 020 7499 0099.

For a comprehensive review of the wine list, please visit our chums at WineChap.