There might have been no 'donkey cocks' this week, but Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares is still essential viewing in this post-Hell's Kitchen USA times. If you didn't see it, Gordon went to Lancashire and shouted at the landlord of The Fenwick Arms for buying too many plates and having a crap menu. As ever on Kitchen Nightmares the solution was simply to cut the menu down to simple dishes and to use good ingredients. As a high entry on our 'wrong but still hot' people to fancy list, we also really enjoy the gratuitious stripping off scene Gordon seems to throw into the show every week. Channel 4 we thank you.
Seemingly inspired by his trip to The Fenwick Arms and the Real Gravy campaign, Gordon has now turned his very own hand to the idea of pubs with the purchase of two venues in London. First to open will be a revamped Warrington Hotel pub in Maida Vale. Originally a hotel, and some say a brothel, the pub was built in 1859 before being completely refurbished in 1900. It has a lavish Victorian/Art Deco interior and formerly served Thai Food in it's upstairs restaurant. Locals don't seem to be too impressed with their new circumstances though with one claiming:
Get yourselves into the Warrington and enjoy it while you can - well kept ales, friendly & attentive staff and an amazing interior make it a very special place indeed. If the newspapers are to be believed(!) this wonderful pub is about to get a tiresome gastro pub revamp courtesy of Gordon Ramsey. He's about to buy it and no doubt strip it of its appeal and whack up the prices. Tragic news in my opinion - the Truscott down the road has just closed down - can't he go and interfere with that instead?!
Whizz over to the other side of town, and Gordon has also taken control of the Narrow Street Bar & Dining House in Limehouse, due to be revamped for the Easter period. Already rather an upmarket pub it has an amazing view of The Thames, perfect for watching hazy winter sunsets on a Sunday afternoon.
However, Gordon's spokesperson is claiming that he does not want either of these venues to be described as gastropubs stating "It conjures up images of somewhere bland." He continued, "They are proper pubs as you would expect with excellent food and real ale."
As long as these proper pubs stick to proper pub food prices, we can't wait to try these out next year.
