Having enjoyed a spectacular opera around the corner we chose Rules as a late-night post theatre option. I visited last time over 10 years ago and was keen to see how it was doing in 2024. We sat down at around 10.30pm, earlier than expected and this was not a problem. The dining room hadn’t changed (Nor should it). To be able to eat in these surroundings late in London is a treat.
We were handed the menu, and our drinks order was taken. I took a ‘lucky lady.’ It was to my taste. My guest ordered a whiskey. This is a dining room that you do want to sit in, the decor has history seeping out of its walls.
We took the roast rib of beef for two as it seemed a suitable choice. To accompany- Jersey Royals, peas with mint butter, buttered greens, watercress salad, Yorkshire pudding, horseradish cream and red wine jus. Unfortunately, the chef thought they could get away with serving the Yorkshire puddings on cold plates (And the puddings themselves were cold) Well made, tall and risen, good colour, yet I could not help thinking that they had been reheated (Mise en place is important but they didn’t taste fresh). It was a shame because I thought they were promising.
The beef was cooked as it should be medium rare. No problems here. The jus had not been reduced enough, it was insipid, and watery on the plate. If I had done the spoon test it would have run right off it. The horseradish was excellent, the waiter served it to us himself from their sauce boat.
The jersey royals were nicely seasoned, as were the peas, they were warm too. The buttery greens were typical, but more care was needed in the preparation there and the cold salad alongside was inappropriate. We ordered chips afterwards and they came late. The waiter apologised and gave them to us on the house. I thought this was a nice gesture, he was paying attention to detail. They were served piping hot.
Did the restaurant lack a plate warmer here? The plates and everything the food was served on was cold. This then resulted in the food not being warm before it reached us. An especially important basic thing in hospitality. Touching on the service, I found it to be efficient both for drinks and food.
For dessert I took the Bakewell tart. “Good choice” The waiter said. It was served warm inside. Slightly more jam compared to the ratio of frangipane would have improved it as I couldn’t taste the jam at all. I enjoyed this with the clotted cream and the coulis, but I didn’t bother with the brittle as I found it to be unnecessary on the plate.
Overall, as an experience, I would recommend Rules for a post theatre dinner only. To be able to eat in these surroundings at this time of night is a big plus. It could have been a lot better food wise if tiny details and the execution of certain elements had been addressed because the food wasn’t terrible.
