Celeb chef Gordon Ramsay’s second Hong Kong dining establishment is a decidedly more grounded affair than his Bread Street Kitchen and Bar, which opened to much fanfare in Central last year. London House is located on the Tsim Sha Tsui East waterfront, a two-storey eatery with non-fussy surrounds that takes advantage of the sweeping views with its glass shutters that open out to the alfresco terrace. As the restaurant has only just opened at the time of writing this review, it only serves an à la carte menu in the evening and there’s a simple three-course lunch set during the day, with roughly three choices in each category. It’s no-nonsense stuff at the moment and we actually appreciate its unpretentiousness.
So, we begin with a onion and cider soup ($118), which comes with crunchy sliced baguette toasts. The onions are flavourful and the aromas of the soup are rich and fragrant, freshened by subtle hints of cider that add a complex dimension to standard pub fare. Next up is the fish and chips ($198). We tuck into a flaky barramundi that’s coated with a soft batter which doesn't leave an oily taste in the mouth. Smothered in a mild tartar sauce and accompanied by crispy fat fries, it’s a solid rendition of a much-loved dish. Next up is the shepherd’s pie ($198), which reminds us a bit too much of our boarding school days. It’s probably a creation worth rethinking, but the Dingley Dell pork chops with red wine marrow sauce ($238) are comfort food heaven. The lightly pink chops are tender, with a mild flavour and a ring of surrounding fat that melts in the mouth.
The service at London House may not be the most attentive but the food arrives efficiently, so while you may not feel like you’re dining in a celebrity chef’s restaurant, the beauty is in the lack of pretense. Good pub grub, after all, needs no fancy trimmings. Leslie Chan
Dinner for two: $750.