You know how London provides a plethora of delicious restaurants that constantly come recommended but often with that ££££ warning on TripAdvisor? Well Bob Bob Ricard has been on my ‘want to go’ list for a while and with the excuse of a friend’s 25th birthday my time finally came, even if my wallet wasn’t quite ready for it.

Bob Bob Ricard is a fusion of Russian and British cuisine, perfectly slotting in to London’s eclectic and adventurous restaurant scene, with vodka served at -18 degrees to raise the hairs on the back of your neck. Famous ‘Press for Champagne’ button that is every Instagrammers’ dream, they apparently pour more glasses of Champagne a night than any other restaurant in the UK. At £14.50 a glass, I am suddenly reminded of the fact that restaurants make all their money on booze. Sorry to disappoint the Harry Potter fans who want more from banquet dining, but I can confirm that Champagne does not materialise on the table once the button is pressed, and you do have to wait for a waiter to pop by and fulfill your request. It is a little bit like a fancy Yo Sushi.

TripAdvisor is littered with mixed reviews, even though they do still maintain their 4* rating. Most commenting on the fact that the service isn’t good enough in comparison to the cost of eating there and the high quality of the decor, dress code and menus. From our experience, it did leave us wanting more. We were a group of 7 who all work within the hospitality industry, which does mean we pay a lot of attention to service. Sadly we did get off slightly on the wrong foot as our table had been given away to a group of four, which meant our host was quite embarrassed after confidently pointing at an empty table for four and declaring it ours, but it was rectified quickly enough, though sadly with no free glass of Champagne or otherwise for us or the affected. Nevertheless, we weren’t there for the service and the evening continued with relatively slow but effective service which suited our relaxed evening out.

Now I have been unable to locate a cocktail list on their website to share the exact ingredients or description, but I had the most delicious Black Cherry Amaretto Sours on arrival. For those of you who don’t know Amaretto Sours is my favourite drink, it is the perfect blend of sweet and sour and I love seeing the option at fancy restaurants. Decorate it with cherry and I’m yours forever, it was honestly so great and I would definitely recommend trying it here.

When it comes to the menu I was fairly restrained in my spending, mostly due to the fact my bank account wouldn’t allow me to be more ambitious, so I skipped a starter and went straight to the main course instead. I selected the Champagne & Truffle Humble Pie which contains field mushrooms, cauliflower, celeriac, black truffle, Champagne and a puff pastry crust and it was absolutely delightful. The perfect balance of richness that wasn’t too much and a creamy filling option that left me not regretting skipping on a starter. I did also order a side of fries, which I certainly did not need. Bob Bob Ricard is a delight for lovers of truffle and Champagne and this dish leaves them beautifully harmonised.

With my cocktail, humble pie and unnecessary side of fries my bill came to £50, which is pretty good considering it could have been double or triple that easily. As an excuse to dress up with it’s ‘elegant’ dress code and gorgeous decor, I would definitely call the evening a success. If you are planning on going yourself, then I would definitely recommend booking. It is also worth knowing that if you want to try the food but it’s too expensive, then the lunch menu is 20% cheaper than the same menu at dinner. Maybe I’ll go back to try dining in the Blue Dining Room with it’s Orient Express design!

Have you ever been and have any thoughts or recommendations for other restaurants in London that should be on my ‘want to go list’? Please do let me know as I would love to expand this!

Kayleigh

If you enjoyed this you might also enjoy P.F. Changs Asian Table – Chinatown or A January Weekend in London.