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Gordon tastes defeat... again
By Rashid Razaq 18.09.07
Ramsay's The Narrow failed to pick up an award
The Narrow
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Gordon Ramsay's restaurant empire has suffered another blow after his new gastropub was passed over for a major prize.
The Narrow, which opened in Limehouse in March, has been beaten to the title of best gastropub in the latest Time Out eating and drinking awards. It is the latest example of Ramsay falling out of favour with major food guides.
The 32-table venue, which is in a Grade II-listed former dockmaster's house, lost out to the Rosendale in West Dulwich, which is run by Mark and Sharyln van der Goot, the team behind The Greyhound in Battersea.
Cath Phillips, the Time Out guide's co-editor, said: 'The Narrow came the closest to beating the Rosendale but in terms of quality of food, service, all-round dining experience and an exceptional wine list the Rosendale had the
edge.'
'We're not knocking Gordon Ramsay — he is a gifted chef and clever businessman. But with his money and experience, he would be in trouble if couldn't run a successful gastropub.'
'There has been a bit of a public backlash against Gordon Ramsay but these things tend to go in cycles.'
'It's good to have competition and not have one style of food dominating London eating.'
Last week, Ramsay's eponymous restaurant at 68 Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea lost the title of London's best restaurant in the Zagat London Restaurants guide to Chez Bruce in Wandsworth.
Last month, the three Michelin-starred restaurant failed to hold on to two of its three crowns in the annual Harden's awards, having won all three for seven consecutive years.
Although Restaurant Gordon Ramsay was named the top gastronomic experience, Chez Bruce was voted best for food and Pétrus in Knightsbridge, part of the Gordon Ramsay Group and run by Ramsay protégé Marcus Wareing, was given the guide's highest overall rating, based on food, ambience and service.
The guide's authors said the chef had spent too much time on TV and concentrating on the restaurant in New York that he opened last year.
Ramsay also lost out in the Good Food Guide 2008 to Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, although his restaurant was named the best in London.
Last week, he decided to close his Michelin-starred operation with Angela Hartnett at the Connaught after a row over providing room service food for hotel guests.
However, the Narrow was praised in the new Michelin guide to pub food this month as 'a handsome pub in a grand spot ... as you would expect, the kitchen knows what it's doing and, what's more, the prices are competitive.'
The guide said it was at the vanguard of a shift back to traditional English cooking in pubs.
And the winners are...
Best bar — The Rake, 14 Winchester Walk, SE1
Best British restaurant — National Dining Rooms, National Gallery, Trafalgar Square
Best cheap eats — Kiasu, 48 Queensway, W2
Best family restaurant — Tate Modern Café, Level 2, Tate Modern, Sumner Street
Best gastropub — Rosendale, 65 Rosendale Road, SE21
Best local restaurant — Trinity, 4 The Polygon, SW4
Leffe best new restaurant — Wild Honey, 12 George
Street, W1
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Reader views (4)
I am regular to the Rosendale and for its wine list alone it should win this. The food is on the whole of a good standard too. My one gripe is they should have a wider beer selection.
- G, London
Not surprising - I have eaten in the Narrow and it's great on expectation and fails on delivery. Mine was not the only plate sent back with food still sitting on it. I gladly go to my local gasdtro pub - the Hill in Greenwich - where the food and service are sublime.
- Richard, London
It's a shame we're not all privy to the expert insights of Becks, It would be edifying for the rest of us to know what these mysterious other good venues are?
Regrettably having to make do without these pearls of wisdom, I have only found Trinity an interesting and skilled kitchen. Good quality produce at it's core, clean, modern flavours, without West End prices. I'm surprised that an experienced diner would find the flavours or combinations confusing in any way, which is an unnecessary on a strong, local business.
- Scott, London, UK
This merely confirms my suspicions that the great British public can be completely clueless when it comes to good food.
The food at Trinity is as confused as its menu and the execution sub-standard. And Tate Modern a serious contender for family restaurant - are they serious? Perhaps if the Nappy Valley contigent are content to feed their little darlings cake that could qualify as an exhibit - the last slice I had there, I was tempted to take home as a door stop.
Frankly I'm rather pleased that the good venues remain the haunts of those who know quality when it's on their plate.
- Becks West, London England
