My life seems to be filled with very special and unplanned moments. This post is about one of them. After waking up early on a Saturday, traveling to the other side of town and spending the whole day at a conference, I was tired and fancied going home in the evening. But, it wasn’t to be… we met up with the lovely Jen and her husband, my companion’s friends from L.A.; who were staying at one of my favorite places in town, the InterContinental Hotel. First, we went to The Arch bar, also located at the hotel, for some awesome cocktails.
Our friends left to enjoy their last night around town. My companion and I decided to pay a impromptu visit to Theo Randall at The InterContinental Hotel triggered by my hunger and crave for proper cooked meal, the first of that day. The entrance to the restaurant is on the left-hand side of the grand hotel lobby. The luminous modern and clean lines entrance is very inviting and the front of the house staff was very welcoming and accommodating as we didn’t have a reservation that Saturday night.
To my surprise my companion, who had consumed a few too many cocktails, told one of the staff about my blog and we were invited to the kitchen so I could meet the chef. The first OMG moment of the evening!
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| Theo Randall preparing bruschetta freshly made bread |
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| Theo’s kitchen |
The Restaurant
The deco is neutral with muted colored walls and furniture. Strategic lighting showcase the bright colored vases. The atmosphere was elegantly vibrant. When we arrived some tables
were taken but soon the restaurant was packed.
were taken but soon the restaurant was packed.
Antipasti
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| Glass of bubbly, Zucchini Fritti and bruschetta alla Romana freshly made – I saw it being prepared! – |
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| Insalata Mista with goats cheese and bursting with flavor Italian tomatoes, simple and rustic |
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| Insalata di granchio – Devon crab with fennel, dandelion, celery, radicchio and Sardinia Bottarga – very fresh and citrosy dish. The Bottarga adds an extra dimension to this dish. We had our antipasti (Insalata & crab) with a very light, fresh glass of white wine, which was recommend by the sommelier. Unfortunately I didn’t get the name of the wine. |
Primi
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| Capelletti di Vitello – pasta filled with slow cooked veal, pancetta and porccini – we shared this dish – it’s huge and robust dish made with fresh pasta. |
Secondi
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| Agnello – roast rack of Somerset lamb (pink) with wood roasted carrots, artichoke, zucchini, fennel, beets and salsa d’erbe |
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| Capetino di Cape Sante e Coda di Rospo- monkfish and scallops with red chilli, parsley, aubergine, yellow zucchini – very light and flavorsome dish, the chillies were not overpowering, just adding taste and a bit of heat – perfect! |
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| plate of pasta – huge portions |
Desert
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| It would be rude to have one desert each so we opted for a selection of deserts to share: panacotta raspberries and grappa, soft chocolate cake, vanilla ice-cream with chilled espresso, Amalfi lemon tart, a glass of Port and espresso. Another OMG moment of the evening : Chef Randall handed me over himself, at our table, a copy of his book signed : Pasta |
My companion bought a copy of Theo Randall’s book for our friend’s forthcoming birthday. |
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| The Bill – worth every penny! Theo Randall serves seasonal, fine and yet rustic food with flare! The service was amicable and cordial. The suggestion of wine was spot on, even though it was on the expensive side @ £14/glass. However, I appreciate that matching wine and food is quite important and part of fine dining experience. Verdict: I will be back on a special occasion! |
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| Theo Randall’s restaurant bar |
I made pasta using recipe from Theo’s book at home -successful and delicious!
Theo Randall’s cooking classes : cooking class
wow! how nice of him to give you a book and everything!
Sounds like a place worth visiting!
Hi Kelly, I know! I got a bit emotional actually, silly me.
Fede, Fab Italian food. You will like it!
Can't believe you got to meet him you lucky thing!