Restaurant Review: Balthazar London

In case you didn't know, it's snowing. At Easter. While trying not to let this ruin any plans this weekend I took myself off to Covent Garden to take some photos. Now, it feels like everyone has left the island. There doesn't seem to be any Londoners in London. Everywhere is deserted. Covent Garden however was packed.

On the off chance I popped my head into the refuge of Balthazar just in case they could squeeze little old me in without a reservation. I wasn't hopeful - it was packed. On this occasion I was seriously lucky. They could squeeze me in! Hurrah. 

I pulled up a seat at the bar and grabbed the menu. First things first...cocktails or champagne. One of life's toughest decisions. I opted for the very reasonably priced house champagne (£11).

Balthazar Cocktail Menu

Now, having looked on the menu online previously I knew there was mac and cheese, and I had a suspect feeling this was what was going to end up on my B adorned placemat. The burger however looked and sounded amazing. If it wasn't completely piggy I would have had a burger with a side of mac and cheese. Alas, I gave some consideration to my waistline. 

Balthazar Menu

This bread was ridiculous

While perusing the menu a basket of bread arrived. Next door to the main restaurant is the bakery selling fresh breads. If the baguette in front of me was anything to go by, this will be delicious. The bread was to die for. The butter was soft enough to spread but not too melty. I made myself stop eating it before the mac and cheese arrived, thinking I would dip it.

On arrival the size was perfect. not too small I was going to be unsatisfied, not too big I was going to hate myself if I finished it (which inevitably...I would). Now I am going to out on  a limb here and say this was the best mac and cheese I have ever eaten. 

Gruyere and Bacon mac and cheese 

So delicious

The gruyere cheese was perfect and the bacon was massive and so tasty. It was pretty much an eyes rolling back in your head type of experience. It didn't even need the bread. The pasta to sauce ratio was so perfect. At only £11 this was a steal.

As I hadn't completely stuffed myself with bread - and had a reasonably sized meal i was definitely looking at the dessert menu. My natural reaction was to go to baked cheesecake. The only thing throwing my was the cinnamon and apple donut that comes with. I'm not a big fan of cinnamon. I asked for the waiter's recommendation. 

Dessert Menu at Balthazar

One of the most popular desserts? The almond rocher. Apparently like a massive Ferrero Rocher, I was sold on this recommendation. I saw the cheesecake go by, it looked OK... but I held out keeping the faith. My Rocher arrived, it looked perfect, exactly how I wanted it to look, but how was the taste? Amazing. I was so glad I went for the recommendation. First the coffee hits you, then the chocolate then the nuttiness. Every bite was delicious. 

Almond and hazelnut Rocher

To accompany my Rocher I opted for a Bordeaux Blanc (one of their best sellers) the generous serving was an excellent wine. Again, really reasonably priced at only £6.50. Altogether Balthazar completely lived up to my high expectations.

Will definitely be back, and can recommend walking in to try and sit at the bar. It was packed when I arrived around 3pm, but arrive at 4:30ish for the best chance of grabbing a seat at the bar after lunch and before the pre-theatre crowd arrive.

Atmosphere: 4/5, it was buzzing 

Food: 5/5 can't fault it. 

Drink: 5/5, an excellent selection and incredible value considering where you are

Overall: 5/5 highly recommend.

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New York, New York; Day 1

The city so good they named it twice! My favourite city in the world. What better thing to do than round off my birthday week than a very long weekend in the Big Apple? Starting our holiday early at a Heathrow Airport hotel, we had a c. 4am start and headed the entire 5 minutes to the airport.

Welcome to America!

Flying United airlines is awesome. The seat back entertainment system allows you to start your films as soon as you are seated with no faffing around during take off and landing. The selection was also amazing. Over 100 movies including 26 recent blockbusters. I opted for Wreck it Ralph (which made me laugh AND cry, it is fantastic - go and see it if you are young or old) followed by Argo. I wasn't expecting much from this film but it is an edge of your seat thriller. Totally Oscar worthy.

Anyway onto more important things! We landed in Newark around midday (the joys of going back in time) and hopped in a cab to Midtown. Just seeing the skyline is one of my favourite things. You can almost smell the excitement of the city.

The Intercontinental Barclay Hotel

Home for the trip was the Intercontinental Barclay on 48th and Park. Central enough for most things, and close to the Subway for anything else. We dropped our bags and headed to 5th. 5th Avenue is the main high end shopping street of Manhattan. On here you have the elite department stores (Henri Bendel, Saks, Barney's and Bergdorfs). The other two main ones Macy's and Bloomingdales are off 5th.

Bergdorf's is probably my favourite - not just because it is a staple of the Gossip Girl life! It also has fabulous bars and restaurants. I've dined in the basement cafe before, this time we headed up to the bar, with it's fabulous views out on to the Plaza and Central Park. First drink in NYC? Two champagne cocktails coming up.

My Spiritual Home

Champagne at Bergdorf Goodman, We've Arrived

SHOES!

First school bus sighting - and the smokey pot

Carrie's Shoe! SATC Fans...

The Plaza, one day I will own one of these apartments

Post cocktails and a slightly tipsy browse around 5th Avenue we headed back to the hotel to unpack and get ready for a chilled night out in Midtown. We weren't looking for anything fancy as we'd been up for so many hours. Bubba Gump is a kitsch themed restaurant based on 90's favourite Forrest Gump. Good seafood and enormous cocktails, with a view over times square. Every time I've been to New York I've been here and it kind of never gets old! These sort of places in London I'd generally avoid like the plague but being a tourist in someone else's city means you can get away with it.

Times Square from our table

Bourbon Mahi Mahi and Shrimp - Bubba would be proud!

We ordered Sangria - which when you do you get to keep the cocktail shaker it comes in! Yep we are those people. I was torn between a couple of things on the menu but opted for Bourbon Street Mahi Mahi - which is charbroiled cajun spiced Mahi Mahi (a fish you don't see enough of in the UK) with bourbon sauce, grilled shrimp and mashed potatoes. M opted for fish and chips. Yep. My Mahi Mahi looked totally divine when it arrived. The fish and chips also looked awesome. The taste? Just what the doctor ordered. I wolfed it down - totally delicious and we were starving. It also called for another massive cocktail!

Perusing... 

First cocktail (of many) the size of my head

After dinner we headed along 44th Street to the Royalton Hotel. Within the Royalton is Bar 44 (you'll find a lot of venues named after their street name or address in Manhattan). A divine fire divides the bar in two, you have the raucous end where you will likely find a band, lots of loud drunk business men post work and some very young, thin ladies accompanying them. On the other side of the fire is the more chilled relaxing area.

We opted for this and ordered more cocktails. Almost midnight we dragged ourselves back to the hotel after a very successful first day - and ready for our first real day as Upper East Siders. On the way home I couldn't resist snapping some shots of the night time skyline, it never gets old...

For now...XOXO

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Restaurant Review: Bob Bob Ricard

When planning my birthday this year it had to be somewhere special. I've eaten in some fabulous places this year, what to trump it? Bob Bob Ricard.

Welcome to Bob Bob Ricard - Trolley Service will pass through the train!

Decked out like the inside of a train - old fashioned and almost prohibition-esque. The wait staff wear pink waistcoats and hurry over at the press of a champagne button. I'm thinking of having one of these installed next to my bed...

The Modern Day Alice in Wonderland

The menu is varied and exciting. Pasta, fish, meat (even pies) are the order of the day. For starters? Seabass Ceviche, scallops and black pudding.

Starters at Bob Bob Ricard

Bob Bob Ricard Menu

Mac and Cheese should be on all menus everywhere

Meat mmm

The seabass was really light, which is good as I wasn't planning on eating lightly for the rest of the meal. The tomato salsa was really fresh and I ate it in about 15 seconds flat.

Seabass Ceviche

Seabass and black pudding and scallops

For mains I was completely torn between the lobster burger and seafood linguine. M opted for a chicken, mushroom and champagne pie. After much deliberation and basically soul searching it was seafood linguine. To compromise? Lobster macaroni cheese.

Seafood Linguine, clams, mussels and prawns

Lobster mac and cheese

BBR striped fries

When the pie arrived it looked like it could feed a family of four. Obviously we were going to polish it off. I was glad I'd opted for the seafood linguine as it was a nice size. This meal was a marathon, not a sprint. It was delicious. Again everything tasted so fresh. The pie was delicious. The crusty top made way for a smooth chicken-y mushroom delight. Inside it wasn't full to the brim, so predictably did not feed a family of 5 or small army...just us.

I'm so impressed by this pie topping

On the side? The lobster mac and cheese was as good if not better than expected. Definitely a weakness of mine. The fries were slicker than your average, and in a nice candy striper box. So far, so good. Not full up yet so onto pudding. Crepe Suzette with fresh oranges, trio of creme brûlée and the signature chocolate glory.

This was on fire honest - Crepe Suzette

I was expecting the crepe suzette to be the most impressive of the three. It's not often I like to admit that I'm wrong, but in this case I was wrong. The crepe suzette was good (I missed the photos of the blow-torching), the creme brûlée was delicious. Of the three flavours the chocolate was the best. The earl grey was good, but not so much as a home made chocolate cake with earl grey.

Trio of Creme Brûlée

Chocolate Glory Mark Two. What to expect from a dessert with chocolate mousse, chocolate brownie, passionfruit and more chocolate...well on arrival it looks like a hard almost plastic shell. I was almost expecting it to be like a Kinder Surprise. When the hot chocolate sauce is poured over the shell something pretty amazing happens.

Isn't it divine? Everything was completely delicious, and the champagne button got some serious usage.   Pol Roger was our bubble of choice. Such a refreshing change.

By this point I was happy stuffed. OK make it fairly stuffed. Champagne was still flowing and then...

Desperation - right there.

MORE FOOD! Such a nice touch. I love sparkly things! As I mentioned, the champagne button got some serious attention. We wondered how the waiters managed to be so attentive as soon as you press it, turn out there are tasteful lights above the bar with your table number on, lights are pressed? Pink waistcoat clad champagne fairies appear.

When we got home there was even more cake! Colin didn't feel up to coming out in the restaurant.

Happy Birthday to me!

Honest it's not pizza express, this is the reflection BBR = Subtlety

Atmosphere: 4/5
Food: 5/5
Drink: 5/5
Overall: 5/5 LOVE LOVE LOVE

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