Every dish at the newly opened Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill Philippines, from the beef Wellington to the fish and chips, is quintessentially British, but given a fresh, hearty and zesty take by the colorful and award-winning chef himself.
By Alex Y. Vergara
The long wait is over for foodies in general and fans of British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay in particular. A year after Newport World Resorts chairman Kevin L. Tan announced its impending arrival in the Philippines, the highly anticipated Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill Philippines at Newport World Resorts finally opened its doors to the public last Aug. 31.
And this early, the restaurant has been attracting its fair share of diners for lunch and dinner. Even on a typical weekday, the place was packed. Part of its allure, of course, is the man behind the concept, an internationally renowned, multi-Michelin-starred chef who drew inspiration for his namesake restaurant from the royal borough of Chelsea and the affluent neighborhood of Mayfair in London.
With 85 such restaurants the world over, Gordon Ramsay’s Manila restaurant is the second of its kind to open in Asia. Apart from its elegant and cozy interiors, an homage to its cool Britannia roots consisting of dark wood panels with cherry red and forest green accents, including Spanish tiles, hand-laid wood panels and bricks, as well as bespoke Philippine-made furniture, the restaurant offers a range of unique and flavorful dishes not readily found in most places in the metro.
People behind the establishment, including several key personnel from London, recently invited several lifestyle journalists to sample a curated set of dishes from the main menu, which Ramsay himself created and perfected in his London kitchen.
Even before appetizers were served, the staff, led by a British chap named Ryan, brought out the bar and grill’s famous Seafood Tower, which consisted of a medley of some of the freshest, barely cooked and even raw seafoods such as oysters, mussels, lobsters and shrimps. Only the best and freshest oysters for Ramsay, as his staff endeavored to import and fly in the oysters, for instance, from Australia.
From appetizers such as Ramsay’s version of the classic Caesar Salad, Crispy Crab Cake & Caviar and Aged Steak Tartare to main courses like Gordon’s Signature Beef Wellington, Gordon Ramsay’s Fish & Chips and Iberico Pork Secreto, every dish is quintessentially British, but given a fresh, hearty and zesty take by the colorful and award-winning chef himself.
For dessert, the Sticky Toffee Pudding with vanilla ice cream and butterscotch was an ideal ending to a hearty meal, but there was more. It wouldn’t be a Gordon Ramsay restaurant without a show, as a food server torched twin servings of the aptly named Flamed Bombe Alaska, which consisted of chocolate and honeycomb ice cream and Italian meringue, right before our eyes. And when is Ramsay flying to Manila to personally meet with and greet his Filipino fans? Well, they just have to wait a while longer, but as one of his associates assured, he’s definitely making the trip sooner than you think.
Located on the second floor of the Newport Grand Wing, Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill Philippines at Newport World Resorts is open daily from 12 noon to 3 p.m. for lunch, and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner. Dress code is smart casual.
