Review: Was Gordon Ramsay’s Top-Rated Restaurant Worth the Visit? An American Traveler Heads to London to See, Spending £519 on a Six-Course Dinner

Gordon Ramsay runs over 80 restaurants worldwide – but it was, of course (in case you’d forgotten), Restaurant Gordon Ramsay on Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea, London, that cemented the fiery Scot’s status as an elite chef.

The eatery has held three Michelin stars for over 22 years, is the flagship of Ramsay’s empire, and most would agree that it has acquired the status of ‘legendary’.

Is it worth the hype? A worthy flagship? American foodie content creator known only as ‘UA’ flew all the way over from New Jersey to the UK capital to find out.

He posted a video of his £519.80 ($652) experience at the restaurant to his YouTube channel – UA Eats – with the footage garnering over 300,000 views. What’s more, he revealed further thoughts to MailOnline Travel.

The verdict? Read on.

UA visits the restaurant with his girlfriend, Tina, with both opting for the £210/$265 ‘menu prestige’.

Proceedings begin with amuse-bouche, comprising cheese bites that taste like ‘upscale Cheez-Its’, a ‘beautiful’ mini mound of peas on a pastry-like base, and beef tartare with a micro salad that UA concludes is ‘fantastic’.

Next, it’s smoked confit egg yolk with crispy shallot, crispy chicken skin, and wild garlic mousse, which UA says is ‘somewhere between a thick chicken soup and a foam’. On the video he cannot contain his delight at the flavour.

American foodie content creator known only as ‘UA’ (above) flew all the way over from New Jersey to the UK capital to find out if three-Michelin-starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsay lives up to the hype

Gordon Ramsay runs over 80 restaurants worldwide – but it was Restaurant Gordon Ramsay on Royal Hospital Road in Chelsea, London, that cemented the fiery Scot’s status as an elite chef

To follow, it’s ‘a taste of spring’ – baby Jersey Royals with asparagus, Lincolnshire Poacher cheese and pickled mustard seeds. The dish, says UA, ‘looks like an elven forest’, and the potatoes are declared to be ‘perfect’.

The restaurant’s homemade bread arrives next. It’s glazed with honey and UA says that it’s ‘one of the best breads of any restaurant’.

There’s also a goat butter that UA finds irresistibly moreish.

A vegetable ratatouille, meanwhile, sends UA into a state of ecstasy, with Cornish turbot and garlic cream preceding the main course – 100-day-aged Cumbrian blue grey steak with morels, leek, black garlic and sauce Diane.

A cherry sorbet and coconut mousse palette cleanser ‘perfectly works’ and on the video leads UA to characterise Ramsay as ‘a mad genius’.

Yum’s the word: Cheese bites that taste like ‘upscale Cheez-Its’

LEFT: Beef tartare amuse-bouche. RIGHT: A mini mound of peas on a pastry-like base 

The final act is a pecan praline parfait – ‘one of the most memorable desserts’.

So, what was UA’s favourite dish?

He tells MailOnline Travel: ‘The ratatouille was definitely my favourite dish. It was the best vegetarian dish I’ve ever had. It was savoury and somehow I was able to taste every vegetable individually, even as they worked together in unison. Absolutely delicious.’

And his least favourite?

UA says: ‘There wasn’t really a bad dish, but I guess I’d say my least favourite was the steak. Its flavour was great and it was cooked wonderfully, but its texture left a bit to be desired. It didn’t have any sear on it, so the meat was tender but without any crispiness to pair with it. But that’s just my take and my preference.’

Smoked confit egg yolk with crispy shallot, crispy chicken skin, and wild garlic mousse

‘A taste of spring’ – baby Jersey Royals with asparagus, Lincolnshire Poacher cheese and pickled mustard seeds. UA says it looks like an ‘elven forest’

‘The ratatouille [above] was definitely my favourite dish,’ says UA

Cornish turbot and garlic cream precedes the main course

Any dishes or flavours that surprised him?

UA remarks: ‘I was extremely surprised and impressed with the quality of the vegetables. Everything tasted so fresh and perfectly prepared. I especially remember the peas. They had incredible texture and were hands down the best peas I’ve ever had.’

What was the service like?

UA comments: ‘The service was excellent. The restaurant vibe also felt warm and inviting. It was elegant but not stuffy or pretentious. I’ve been to other Michelin-star restaurants where the vibe is stiff and suffocating. You feel like you need to be on your best behaviour and you can’t so much as breathe too loudly without getting judged.

‘At Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, the service was great but not at all condescending. Everyone was helpful and kind. I felt very welcome.’

Is the restaurant a worthy flagship of the Gordon Ramsay empire?

UA says: ‘There wasn’t really a bad dish, but I guess I’d say my least favourite was the steak [above]’

A cherry sorbet and coconut mousse palette cleanser ‘perfectly works’

The final act is a pecan praline parfait – ‘one of the most memorable desserts’

Accomplished: Chef Gordon Ramsay

‘Absolutely,’ says UA. ‘It was one of the best restaurants I have ever been to.’

Should we regard Ramsay as one of the world’s greatest chefs?

UA says on the video he’s glad that Ramsay’s football career didn’t take off, adding to MailOnline: ‘He’s definitely one of the world’s most accomplished chefs, at least in terms of Michelin stars. As for one of the greatest chefs in the world? I’m not sure if I can make a statement on that as there are still so many restaurants I haven’t eaten at, and also it’s hard to compare chefs who specialise in different cuisines. What I can say, though, is that his restaurant served me one of the best meals I have ever eaten.’

UA’s final bill of £519.80 ($652) included water, tea and service. To watch the full video click here.