Food Is Not Just For Fuel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of my favorite pleasures in life is food. My husband knew straight away that the way to my heart was through my stomach!  

We can all eat like Kings and Queens and I don’t mean huge portions, although that’s always a bonus.

Does it have to be expensive?

Well…it is expensive if you visit the top restaurants on a Friday or Saturday evening, however, there are ways in which to experience fine cuisine at a fraction of the cost.

Buying a cook book written by a top chef is one route to saving the pennies. Do be aware that it can become just as expensive to buy all the ingredients that many top cook books suggest; if you can get hold of the ingredients at all. Yes, you can still make many recipes and not include the expensive ingredients, but this blog is about enjoying the best, and the majority of these expensive ingredients are worth their weight in saffron.

It also should be said that the experience of visiting these restaurants with the high service, beautiful decor and lively ambience make it even more worthwhile.

How to dine at the top restaurants for less…

One way is to take an afternoon off work and go on weekday lunchtime and have a set meal. Here are examples from some of London’s finest restaurants:

Maze 

Head Chef - Jason Atherton. Four courses for £28, six courses for £42.50.

Sample menu includes: Smoked eel vichyssoise, spiced leek and poached quail’s egg / Roasted breast of poussin with confit leg, St George mushroom purée, date and bacon sandwich.

Gordon Ramsay at Claridges

Head Chef: Mark Sargeant. Three courses for £30.

Sample menu includes: Game, roasted vegetable and foie gras mosaic, spiced pears, pistachio brioche / Pan-fried fillet of cod, crab tortellini, mussel and apple broth.

J Sheekey

Weekend lunch menu. Three courses for £24.75.

Fillet of Cod,
 buttered savoy cabbage and smoked salmon / Braised ox cheek,
 chanterelles, smoked bacon and parsley mash.

 

Another alternative way to save money fine dining is to go for breakfast during the week or weekend…

 The Wolseley

Mixed basket of croissant, pain au chocolat, danish, amandine, pain sucré au beurre normand, cannelé bordelais £7.25 /  Fried haggis with duck eggs £6.

 

My third suggestion is to go to the less extravagant ancillary eateries of the top chefs such as Jamie Oliver’s Trattoria at Fifteen or one of Gordon Ramsay’s new pub ventures such as The Devonshire…

 Trattoria

Risotto ‘ai frutti di mare’ with cod, brown crab, mussels, cockles, chilli and fennel tops £11 / Linguine carbonara with guanciale, marjoram, garlic and pecorino Toscano £9.50.

The Devonshire

Set lunch Monday - Friday. Two courses £13.50, three course £16.50.

Sample menu includes: Corn fed chicken breast with mushroom and parmesan risotto / Pan fried rainbow trout, purple sprouting broccoli and tarragon butter sauce.

So I say – put on a posh frock and get yourself down to a restaurant that you’ve always wanted to go to… the problem then is getting a table.

 

Do you know of any other ways to dine at the top restaurants for less? Please get in touch and subscribe to my feed to keep updated on the latest news from SaveorSplurge?  

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Tagged as: Food, Gordon Ramsay, J Sheekey, Jamie Oliver, Jason Atherton, london restaurants, Mark Sargeant, meal, restaurant, restaurants, Trattoria