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Saturday 3 April 2010

London Restaurant Reviews - Bob Bob Ricard

Bob Bob Ricard (Updated on 14th March 2011)

If like me you are a lover of small eats like cicchetti, meze, dim sum or tapas, the idea of Russian “Zakuski” will interest you, and there is no better place to have these intriguing dishes in London than Bob Bob Ricard (BBR).


The menu at BBR is eclectic, listing some British classics like Cornish crab cakes, Beef Wellington and Afternoon Tea alongside cheeseburgers, macaroni cheese and Grilled lobster and chips. I was pleased however to have found “Zakuski” in the same menu - the Russian version of small eats traditionally taken with Russian vodka.


Designed by architect David Collins, who also designed The Wolseley, the restaurant is simply resplendent. No one can be indifferent to Bob Bob Ricard’s decor - some might find it slightly over the top, but I loved its lavish, quirky and nostalgic feel.


I was lucky to be invited by Kavey alongside Rejina, Rachel, Mimi and Neil to a Sunday Roast and Vintage Vodka Tasting. It was hosted by the owner Leonid, who showed an encyclopaedic knowledge of the vodkas and accompanying dishes we were to try.


We started proceedings with “Kauffman Special Selected Vintage 2006” vodka (£7.50 for 25ml) served with “Jellied ox tongue with creamed horseradish” @ £7.50. The vodka was light and smooth, and went down well with the aspic and ox tongue. This was a beautifully presented dish, packed with interesting flavours, and the first time I ever got to try ox tongue!


The second vodka we tried was “Stolichanaya Elit” (£4.75 for 25ml) served with “Russian salt-cured Herring, raw onion rings and new potatoes” @ £3.50. Interesting to note was the unusual combination of flavours, and how the salt-cured herring tasted rather sweet after the Stoli.



Our next vodka “Imperia by Russian Standard” (£4.75 for 25ml) was served with “Salmon roe on hard-boiled quail eggs” @ £4.50. Decreed by Czar Alexander III in 1894 as “The Standard of Vodka” for the royal court of Russia, “Imperia by Russian Standard” also got my seal of approval (!) and was the perfect accompaniment to the “egg on egg” canapé it was served with.


Some of the other “Zakuski” dishes that we tried included:

“Chicory, pear and cured ham salad, with olive oil jelly cubes, almonds and olive oil dressing” (a weekly special, price not listed in menu) – beautifully presented, I loved the idea of olive oil jelly cubes.


“Wafer-thin cured Orkney beef with a crunchy celeriac salad, fresh blueberries and roasted hazelnuts” @ £10.50 – similar to the Italian “Bresaola”, this dish had some lovely flavours and textures, and looked great too.


“Wafer thin pickled beetroot and goat’s cheese salad with fresh mint” @ £7.25 – in my opinion this was the most beautifully presented dish, the pickled wafer thin beets tasted fresh and zesty and was counter-balanced by the saltiness/creaminess of the cheese.


“Potted shrimp” @ £8.50 – I am a real fan of potted shrimp, and make it at home sometimes. It can be made a day in advance, and in my experience everyone loves this quintessentially British dish. Again I loved the presentation, and the delicious hints of cayenne pepper and nutmeg.


The next vodka was the “Beluga Noble Vodka” served with “Quail eggs mayonnaise with anchovies” (not listed in the menu). I loved the pairing of this vodka with the anchovies, as with the salt-cured herring and Stoli, the combination of flavours was superb, leaving a deliciously sweet flavour in the mouth.



“Meat Pelmeni” @ £12.50 was served with “Beluga Gold Line Vodka” – I enjoyed these meat dumplings, traditionally served with white vinegar and sour cream, and felt they went well with the chosen vodka.



The “Stolichnaya Gold Vodka” was served next with “Salo on Rye bread” @ £3.50 – I had tried cured-fat before as the Italian version named “lardo”. I love eating these ultra-thin slivers of cured-fat on bread, never tiring of its unctuousness. It was however the first time I had eaten it with vodka, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well they went together.



The “Sipsmith Vodka”, the last we tasted, was in my opinion the most interesting of them all. Copper-distilled artisan barley vodka created in Hammersmith, it was incredibly smooth and with a light spiceness to the palate. To my surprise, it tasted of juniper, giving a strong resemblance to dry gin. It was served with “Malosol cucumbers” @ £2.50 which had been pickled for 24 hours on the premises. Another perfect combination.


Our tasting was followed by a sensational Sunday roast rib of 28-day aged Aberdeenshire Scotch beef with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, caramelised carrots and parsnips. The meat was, as expected, incredibly flavoursome and the accompaniments were cooked to perfection.


We ordered various desserts and shared these among us. All were excellent and included:

“Grand Marnier soufflé with chopped fresh orange in a Grand Marnier sauce” @ £9.50.


“Bramley and Cox apple jelly with cream, corrugated apple and shortbread” @ £6.50.


“Warm chocolate fondant with pistachio ice cream” @ £7.50.


“Raspberry sherry trifle” @ £7.50.


“Plate of BBR cakes (Battenberg, Victoria Sandwich, Rum Baba, Cream Horn Chocolate Baleron, Raspberry and custard tart) @ £8.50.


BBR has a theatrical feel to it, which means an evening there is about much more than just the food. There is a sense of glamour, which makes it in my opinion a great venue for a special or romantic occasion, with a sense of “Brief Encounter” about it. If you happen to visit, I would strongly recommend their signature cocktail “Rhubarb Gin & Tonic” @ £7.50 as an aperitif.



Cost: this was a complementary tasting. However, I have quoted the prices of the dishes whenever they were available. For a tasting of 6 zakuski dishes with accompanying vodkas, I would estimate it to cost in the region of £50 per head including service.

Likes: delicious, sophisticated food (particularly the zakuski dishes), lavish but quirky decor, some stunning vodkas, Soho location.

Dislikes: Despite the excellent wine list, I could find only one option under £20.

Verdict: Excellent cooking at higher than average prices in one of the most beautiful restaurants in Central London. I would highly recommend a tasting of various zakuski dishes and accompanying vodka shots. An experience not to be missed.

Bob Bob Ricard on Urbanspoon

...What Others Are Saying...

Katrina Coulson on 14th March 2011: Thank you! BBR were fantastic...the service and food was exceptional ...everybody who came along keeps raving about the place and have booked to go back. " We loved the experience", Thank you, Katrina.

16 comments:

  1. Not sure I could handle the vodka but the presentation of that food is very tempting. I love stuff in mezze style.

    Must confess though I've been bit skewed against making the effort to go to BBR since they followed me on Twitter and then unfollowed me about an hour later! "Fine! Be like that!" I thought!

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  2. Your pics and descriptions above show a real attention to detail on the part of BBR and I'm intrigued by the more Russian of the zakuski - it seems to me a way of eating perfectly matched to sipping decent and clean spirits in the evening. A bit like Thai and Laotian 'drinking food'.

    What really attracts me here is the quality of the ingredients, the careful and great looking presentation and carefully balanced flavours. And the sly sense of fun evinced by the hundreds and thousands on the trifle. A lovely touch.

    The only think likely to put me off is the sure knowledge that I could rack up an eye-watering bill here...

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  3. Fantastic Luiz!

    There are some awesome dishes there! Very inventive, terrific food combinations. I want to try making that olive oil gelee!

    Your photos are great! What lens/camera are you using to get such clear pics in low light?
    LL

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  4. @ Sarah - it is funny that you mentioned the "unfollow" thingy on Twitter, they did the same to me and Memalee but Leonid explained that he was still learning the ropes with Twitter, he got his account suspended for following too many people at once, or something like that, I can't quite remember what the exact problem was.

    @ The Grubworm - the zakuski dishes are well priced, ranging from £2.50 to about £10, and I also saw a couple of bottles of wine at around £20 so it doesn't necessarily need to break the bank. It is well worth the experience though as the place is stunning.

    @ Lori - I use a cannon lense, not quite sure the name but apparently has a large apperture which means I don't need to use flash even in the dimmest of lights. It does the job for me, but it is hardly a match to your stunning photography @ Taste with the Eyes.

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  5. Hey Luiz, the pictures make my mouth water. I'm stuck in the office but daydreaming about going back to London and tasting the thin pickled beetroot and goat's cheese salad and some of that vodka. But can't help feeling that i'm missing out on a lot. hehehe

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  6. Hey Daeran, lovely to see you here again! We had such a great at that makgeolli tasting in Seoul with you and Lucy, I loved that meeting and meeting you too. Any plans to come back to the UK? We go to Asia once per year, hopefully we will be able to see you next time we are in that part of the world.... Glad you like the post btw! Lx

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  7. Great review, I also love the decor and the waiters in their pink jackets. It's all very Mad Men.

    I was quite surprised by your beautiful picture of the beetroot salad as it looks very similar to the 'beetroot ravioli' they serve at Saf in Shoreditch. Have you tried it?

    I'll definitely have to try the zakuski next time I go!

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  8. I must be one of the few bloggers not to have been here. Just wanted to add that the Old Coffee House pub across the road is an excellent boozer.

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  9. @ TBC - thank you, liked your website too, some interesting entries particularly your Easter post, the pictures were fun. What is your connection with Japan?

    I haven't been to Saf yet despite living very near in Islington. I will find out more about it, thanks. Don't be a stranger now!

    @ Mr Noodles - I was invited by Kavey, she was invited by Leonid and he told her she could bring other 5 bloggers with her... and luckily she asked me. Interestingly, I never noted the Old Coffee House pub, will have a peek next time I am in the area, thanks.

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  10. thank you for you kind comments, your site has been very inspiring for me.

    as for my connection to japan - i'm wondering if there's anyone else who loves the culture/language but isn't an otaku. there must be, right?

    ps. i found saf was original & fresh but wholly unsatisfying...perhaps it's better in the summer!

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  11. Wow, that is very kind of you, weird to think other people are actually reading my stuff....

    Difficult not to become an obsessive otaku when it comes to japanese food and culture, I just wish my nihon go were a little better!

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  12. Top write up Luis,
    what a way to spend an afternoon eh?

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  13. Wow - looks great! Again it is the price that has put me off but I'm definitely keen to go soon! The only Russian meals I've had before have been incredibly heavy - suckling pig or pork with dumplings and cabbage all washed down with a bottle of vodka - this looks so much more delicate.

    As a Scot I have to ask - exactly how drunk were you by the end though??!

    Sasha @ The Happiness Project London

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  14. @ thewellingtons - Hi Ian, thanks mate! Indeed a most enjoyable afternoon ;0). I was surprised not to see you there. Been checking your stuff at Le Cool, love the site.

    @ The Happiness Project London - Sasha, it is not that expensive particularly if you stick to the zakuski dishes and vodka. I think it is an amazing experience I would highly recommend it despite the high prices. Insterestingly, I was not drunk at all, I think because it was a lunch event, we were a little more frugal with the vodka but I have heard from other bloggers who were completely smashed. I wouldn't have been able to write about it if I were! Pls try BBR, it is great!

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  15. Great post Luiz, I am thinking of bringing my parents there. Sounds like a place we'd enjoy.

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  16. you had so much food!
    a lot of people get the "vodka" thing wrong, and with the right 'chasers' it is quite a divine flavour
    We are going tomorrow night for my birthday.. very excited!

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