Restaurant Review: Maze at the London NYC

I went to Maze on Tuesday night with a friend from work, also called Richard.

It was the first time that I have been to one of Gordon Ramsey's restaurants and was very excited at the prospect. I was lucky enough to do some work experience with Ben O'Donoghue and Jamie Oliver once and there were lots of respectful comments in the kitchen made about Gordon's food. Other professional chefs seem to respect him a lot, which I find quite surprising considering how rude he is about everyone else!

Maze is the less formal of Gordon Ramsey's two restaurants at the London Hotel. The menu is based around the concept of tasting dishes. Small, but elegant, plates of classical French food that are designed to wet your appetite.

Having recently been in the papers in the UK for saying there should be a law banning restaurants serving fruit and vegetables out of season I had a quiet chuckle to myself seeing tomato and mozzarella salad as the first dish on the menu. Are tomatoes in season? I think not...

We shared nine of the tasting plates. Six main course, two deserts and a cheese course. The dish that sticks most in my memory was the cured duck breast with crispy tongue and foie gras. I've never eaten duck tongue before!

We also ate our way through tasters of seared tuna, lobster, roast lamb and pork. All delicately put together and a delight to east. You know you've been in America too long when you look at the portions and think they are a bit small! However, after sharing nine courses I was pleasantly satisfied by the end of the meal.

My only criticism would be over the rather pricey wine list.

On the way out we saw the long suffering Jean-Baptiste, who wished used a pleasant evening as he gave us our coats.