Bread Street Kitchen (London, UK)

Bread Street Kitchen
10 Bread Street
London, EC4M 9AB
Dining date: 5/26/12

After dinner at The Fat Duck, my friend Shawn chose this lunch spot for my last meal in London before returning home. It seemed fitting to try one of Gordon Ramsay’s many restaurants during my stay, and this was one of the few open early enough to squeeze in a quick meal before my flight back to LA.

Ramsay has about a dozen restaurants in the UK and Bread Street Kitchen is his newest, opened in September of last year. While he’s probably best known for his fine dining restaurants, Ramsay does have a number of more casual restaurants (including a pub) in his portfolio. Bread Street kitchen falls into the latter category, with a menu that features a raw bar and items out of its wood-burning oven among a host of other options.  It’s a pretty large space with floor-to-ceiling windows throughout and a long, open kitchen.

Tamarind chicken wings, spring onions, coriander

The wings were covered in a delicious sweet glaze, yet still held up a pretty crispy batter. The meat itself was juicy while the chopped onions provided a little bit of cool freshness to complete the bites. Well done.

Braised pork collar, mustard glaze

I’d have to say this large hunk of meat looked really appetizing as it came out. The pork itself was smoky and sweet, rich with a few gelatinous pockets. I’m not a big fan of the gelatinous part, but anyone who does would probably love this.

Slow-roasted Dingley Dell pork belly, spiced apple sauce

Another meaty dish, this was a generous chunk of pork belly – not too fatty. The skin was delightfully crispy, while apple sauce provided a sweet, fruity (albeit typical) accompaniment.

Steamed bass, braised leeks, razor clams, samphire, shellfish dressing

I ordered this dish, wanting something a bit lighter. The fish was moist, complemented by light flavors of the leeks and a shellfish essence in the sauce. Little pieces of razor clam provided subtle chewy texture, while samphire (a plant I’ve never seen in the US, apparently indigenous to the UK) provided some earthy balance.

Hand-cut chips

Carrot and red onion coleslaw

Macaroni and cheese

We also ordered a few sides to go along with the entrees (all a la carte). They were good, albeit nothing special. I ordered the fries and liked how they came pretty thick-cut, crispy with a fluffy interior. Kind of reminded me of my grandmother’s french fries.

We passed on dessert since we were a little short on time. Plus, we had Oddono’s gelato just before this meal so we kind of had dessert for breakfast.

Bread Street Kitchen provided a casual atmosphere and simple, well-executed food. The food isn’t particularly unique but it isn’t trying to be. After the dinner the night before, it was a welcome sight to come back to something more comfortable. Next time though, I’m ready for Royal Hospital Road.