Kings Road Steakhouse & Grill by Marco Pierre White

Marco Pierre White was the celebrity chef that arguably started it all, mentor to Gordon Ramsay himself. And though he may have descended from the heights he used to reach, his name stops in their tracks those familiar with the British culinary scene. Therefore I was very much looking forward to the opportunity to dine at one of his restaurants  - the Kings Road Steakhouse in Chelsea. 

It was all warm smiles when we were greeted into a restaurant with an ambience that simply exuded elegance and class. I could not help but feel a little under-dressed in my leather jacket. The restaurant serves up honest British fare, albeit with a little bit of pomp and class, or so it seemed. As we were quite hungry, we decided to forego the staters and saddled up with the mains and sides instead.

I had ordered myself a medium-rare grilled Ribeye Steak with a roasted tomato and mushroom cap. It arrived just a tad-bit overcooked - more medium than medium-rare, but reasonably tender nonetheless. It was served up with a side of béarnaise sauce, the tanginess of which aptly accompanied the steak.

My friend had ordered herself a Gammon Steak. Upon having tried a piece of it - I found it a little bit tough for my tastes, and without any accompaniment - proved to be somewhat of a disappointment. I'd have expected a pineapple chutney or something sweet to have been served with it, which to have cut through the flavors of the gammon.

We had ordered ourselves some Mashed Potatoes and Onion Rings (not pictured) as side dishes, because who needs greens right? The creamy potatoes were rich and smooth, but noticeably lacking a form of garnish. Some chives with it would have been perfect. Our onion rings were seasoned perfectly a crispy coating and were satisfying.

I had a Sticky Toffee Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream for dessert - an English classic which was executed wonderfully. The pudding itself was dense and moist, its flavors lifted by the sweetness of the toffee, which in turn was lifted to even greater heights by the smooth vanilla ice cream. Needless to say, I was on cloud nine!

My friend had herself a Bread and Butter Pudding with Custard. Theres a fine line between rustic and burnt, and I believed the dish's surface might have crossed that line ever so slightly. The consistency of the pudding was satisfactory, though I was seriously expecting more from an establishment associated with Marco Pierre. Maybe consider infusing it with a hint of nutmeg next time? 

The bill between the two of us came up to about £50, and all in all proved satisfying for me. I doubt my friend left feeling the same way though. Our time there seemed to have been a hit and miss experience, and I was expecting more finesse in all honesty. It was good, honest food we had that day, but for the price that we were paying, good just was not good enough. I mean, its Marco Pierre White we're talking about!

Address: 386 Kings Road, London SW3 5UZ, United Kingdom

Presentation: 6/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Service: 7/10

Overall Taste: 6/10

General Impression: 6.5/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic