Gordon Ramsay's at The London

For me, life boils down to three pretty important things. God, friends, food, and the celebration of those continual blessings in my life. Okay, so really, four, but you get the point. This past Thursday I was able to take my beloved painting compadre, Anna, out to Gordon Ramsay's at The London, and all I've got to say is, thank God for reasons to eat out (although we've already seen in previous circumstances that I don't really need a reason to eat lavishly.) I guess I should say, thank God for a reason to bless Anna and love on her :) Glad you entered the world, girl!

The fusion of French, Asian, and... beachhouse(?) decor

We had our own fancy little nook amongst the robin's blue sofas :)

amuse bouche: broccoli purée with potato foam, caviar, and breadcrumbs

48 hr. braised pork belly

Fois gras with peach foam, brioche, port wine reduction, and pears
As much as I adore (and I really mean adore) fois gras, this didn't beat Mr. Voltaggio's rendition, sorry.

Seared diver scallops with cauliflower purée and cauliflower beignets
The purée was excellent. The creaminess countered the acidity of the vinaigrette that sat beneath the scallops, which were seared perfectly.

Sea bass with carrot & ginger velouté, lemon-artichoke, homemade pasta, and bok choy
I'm not too fond of this presentation (or presentation in general here), but it was yummy nonetheless. The velouté was a winner and probably the star of the entire night. The sea bass had little seasoning, but with so many other components, it was probably a wise decision.

Anna couldn't resist her lobster risotto
Delicious! I don't know how else to describe it but it was perfect. Risotto tends to be too heavy for my palette after the 4th or 5th bite, but this one was perfectly balanced with the greens, herbs, and capers sprinkled on top.

For dessert: pineapple soufflé with thai curry ice cream
I've never really had a soufflé, but I'm glad I started with this one. MmMmMmm warm and crisp on top with a spicy and sweet kick as you dive into the center.

:)

Ending quote from our birthday girl, "Damn, they gave me a trick candle! Why would they do that? *as she blows on the candle repeatedly* Ugh. Stay dead, you motherf*cker."

Haha, I love you Anna.
Happy birthday.