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The Gilbert Scott at St. Pancras

August 13, 2011 6 Comments Filed Under: Uncategorized

 Arabian night sky ceiling.
Hand painted walls.
Glasses of British champagne to start.

Finally London has a place to match the Musée D’Orsay in Paris! This vast renovation of St Pancras hotel is heart stoppingly dramatic: the combination of pattern, on the carpet, walls and ceiling is daring, conveying the exotic adventurism of British colonialism. The Victorian gothic architecture is matched by sweeping staircases, tall cathedral windows, arched vouted ceilings, brass door fittings and ghostly corridors. Marcus Wareing’s restaurant dishes at The Gilbert Scott intelligently match the era and decor. I have seen reports of poor service, but I found the French imported front of house perfectly sufficient. I imagined them getting on a Eurostar at the end of the evening.
It’s not cheap however, we spent about £75 each but there are early supper and lunch deals. Both the teen, my friend Mary and I really enjoyed our evening there. I even met my lovely friend Shelley von Strunckel tucked into a booth, but then, she is a local! We chatted about the astrology of the riots, theatre, travel and food. Her companion has a farm in Sri Lanka, he described the avocados “like footballs”…I must go there.
I would love to stay at the hotel but I read that the rooms are less baroque in decor, more corporate which is a shame.

A cured mackerel, potato salad with soup. The ingredient that made this dish sing were the pickled grapes.
I liked the idea of this English dish, a baked onion with thyme and cheese but it lacked umami. Maybe it should be simmered in Marmite, that would be very British.
Stylish waiters with braces and arm garters.
Oyster with pickled lemon slices, I stole the lemon slices off my friend’s plate, they were so moreish.
Artichoke tart for mains for me. Basically a big posh vol au vent with one of my favourite vegetables. 
My architect friend Mary had sea bream (I think) with a vongole sauce, an intense liquor you wanted to mop up with bread. We also had a side of nutmeggy cauliflower cheese and chunky crisp chips. Lovely.
The teen’s fish n chips. Very good. More of the super crispy battered fish would have been appreciated however. Sarson’s mayonnaise a good addition. Sarson’s vinegar, a traditional British ingredient, is used extensively throughout the menu, which I liked.
My Jaffa cake desert was very good and reflected the intricate patterns of the decor outside. The teen had the “delicious” chocolatey cornflakes: a warm chocolate mousse with cereal that was a clever updated twist on children’s nursery food.
An elegant dining room that I would happily eat in every day.
The staircase, a jumble of structured colour and pattern.
The ghostly hallways with Minton tiled floors.
Wouldn’t you like to don a bustle and suck on a cigar?
Maybe they could film an update of The Shining here? Kubrick would have approved. Every carpet is designed specially. 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Henry North London 2.0

    August 14, 2011 at 2:16 pm

    Those carpets are divine…

    Reply
  2. theundergroundrestaurant

    August 14, 2011 at 3:31 pm

    Aren't they?

    Reply
  3. Tasting Pages

    August 14, 2011 at 9:14 pm

    It's such a grand and stunning hotel, I visited for the first time recently (for cocktails) and was very impressed. They've done and amazing job, inside in the public areas (haven't seen any of the rooms yet) and out. Hope to eat at the GS sometime, need to save up! In the meantime I'll continue to stop in for a cocktail and swoon at the decor.

    Reply
  4. Wilhelmine

    August 18, 2011 at 9:28 pm

    Hi, I just bought your book, and I just love it;) We are travel a lot to London and just love London and all the great food. We are real foodies. How can we find out more about the underground restaurant and be a member of the fanclub? We have today send an email (probably not right) on the website, looking forward to eat at some places…and I will for sure follow your blogg. (sorry for my english.;)) Kindly regards from Nina in Norway. You are also welcome to visit my blog if you want;)

    Reply
  5. theundergroundrestaurant

    August 18, 2011 at 10:53 pm

    hi Wilhemine, you can check out the events tab on marmitelover.blogspot.com…for my next events x

    Reply
  6. thejulep

    January 24, 2012 at 6:26 pm

    Looks divine… but most of all I need to know where that gorgeous black and white top/dress is from – WANT!!!

    Reply

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MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

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Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
This vegetarian met the worlds most famous butcher This vegetarian met the worlds most famous butcher @dariocecchinimacellaio whose shop is located in Panzano, Tuscany. He trained my favourite food writer @bill.buford in butchery. I told him I didn’t eat meat & he twinkled ‘to beef or not to beef’. He has a Clark gable elegance: moustache, slicked back hair, charm, & a designer shirt depicting cows from @cotondoux paris. I instinctively wore a red & white striped dress which matched the colours of his shop, the red & white of the surgeon. They serve you glasses of Dario’s own Chianti Classico complete with straw bottomed ‘fiasco’. Now where else do you get that? When I return I will try the vegetarian menu at his restaurant opposite. #butcher #panzano #tuscany #chiantishire #chianticlassico #foodsiena #foodreportage
On a very steep street in siena, Tuscany. They’v On a very steep street in siena, Tuscany. They’ve had to be creative with the table legs. We went to the Palio horse race in the shell-shaped piazza where the passion & downright enmity of the different contrada or districts, each represented by an animal or mascot, was on display. The riders go bareback. It’s the horse that wins not the jockey. A riderless horse can win. There are many false starts, a massive explosion going boom in the square each time which led kids to cry. We waited for hours in the cheap seats- the burnt ochre brickwork of the centre. While tourists at windows paid 600 euros for the privilege. I loved the singing, like football chants but operatic- lots of finger pointing at each other. After I went to a contrada dinner on the streets of Siena, a rare opportunity. For 35 euros you attend the largest ‘supper club’ ever- 800 people, 4 courses, generous helpings of chianti. The servers are local teenagers. I wore my ‘Oca’ or goose scarf around my shoulders, looking like a girl guide. A bucket list item ticked off. I only wish my daughter @siennamarla was with me. #travel #food #italy #chiantishire #siena #palio #supperclub #oca #contrada
Looking at vegetables in Italy. Photo by @loredana Looking at vegetables in Italy. Photo by @loredanaparisi72
My piece in the @hamandhigh about the 3 day @heat My piece in the @hamandhigh about the  3 day @heathostile training course. Incredibly interesting & challenging. Link: https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/things-to-do/hostile-environment-training-9037980 to read more #hostileenvironmenttraining
Supper club dishes from Saturday: pickled beetroot Supper club dishes from Saturday: pickled beetroot eggs, cheeseboard, stracciatella & cucumber, tomato/strawberry/peashoot salad with real balsamic & spruce oil, home cured dill gravlax, smoked salmon, homemade sourdough crisp bread, potato salad with wild fennel & lots more! #supperclub #midsummer #eattherainbow (miss you @linnsoederstroem)
Last nights supper club. My first supper club in 2 Last nights supper club. My first supper club in 2 years was great fun. I’m pleased with my food, the guests were lovely, it looked magical in the garden. But the weather! I even had to bring my duvets from the bedroom out. They looked like refugees. But this brought even more laughter! Next event September
My first supperclub in two years will take place t My first supperclub in two years will take place this Saturday 18th June starting at 7.30pm. Tickets are £50 byo you can book here: https://msmarmitelover.com/product/midsommar-supper-club there are still a few places left. Pescetarian menu. Scandi and botanical influences. #gettingbackonmyfeet #postpandemic #smallbusinesses #supperclub #london
I recently completed the 3 day @heathostile train I recently completed the 3 day  @heathostile training course. On the last day I was kidnapped by ex-special forces for a few hours & learnt how to deal with compliance training & a hostile environment. It was one of the most interesting experiences of my life. 3 intense days of combat first aid, navigation & how to survive in a war zone. I handled short, long guns, mortars, grenades, bullets, and tourniquet & bandaged an amputee. I learnt where to sit in a car, where to hide from a bullet, where to protect myself if in a car. It was brilliant. Highly recommended for any journalists, photographers, cameramen, charity workers, paramedics going into any difficult environment say a disaster or war. The stories from the tutors & the other participants were so interesting. My piece on it out soon. Book a course: https://hostile-environment.co.uk/  They also do jungle & desert training. I’d love to join the Antarctic expedition. Anyway that’s me hooded in the front. #adventures #het #hostileenvironmenttraining #experiences #travel
Bundoran beach, Donegal. I spent a week knocking o Bundoran beach, Donegal. I spent a week knocking on doors, going to libraries, searching through graveyards for my Irish forebears. It’s really hard to find information prior to 1850. I found this in last years trip to Arbroath in Scotland. Headstones wear out, records are lost or burnt in a fire, everybody has the same name and are known by nicknames, successive children have the same first name, that usually means they died and the next one is called by the same thing. Women did have children out of wedlock, and people remarried more often than you’d think, plus families fall out & never see each other again. I learnt that my Irish great grandfather michael went to Glasgow & met a woman who came from a similar place: somewhere wild & beautiful by the sea. Then they and their children came to london. Chasing the work & the money always. Politics and economics matter for they push people around from rural to city. And now we rodgers are Londoners. #ireland #scotland #family #travel #roots
How some of us celebrate the Queen’s jubilee! My How some of us celebrate the Queen’s jubilee! My sister & a random Irishman come for the Rory Gallagher festival in ballyshannon. Sis has pulled already!  #getyourcoat #sexpistols #ballyshannon #rorygallagherfestival #ireland
Tullaghan, county Leitrim, Donegal, where my grea Tullaghan, county Leitrim, Donegal,  where my great great grandfather john Rodgers was a postman, then a tailor, then a pawnbroker. #irishheritage #donegal #myancestry #irish #rodgers #travel
I’ve taken down the previous post as it’s poor I’ve taken down the previous post as it’s poor timing considering what’s happened over the last 24 hours. Being British I’ve not grown up around guns. It’s interesting to be on this course and find out more about the reality of them, although my focus is learning the ‘golden triangle’ of first aid, communications and navigation. But at the same time It’s depressing how in America nothing will ever change regarding gun law. RIP.
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in June I’m having my first supper club in two y in June I’m having my first supper club in two years: here is the link to book: https://msmarmitelover.com/product/midsommar-supper-club £50 18th June  Saturday night. Byo.
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A Simple tomato, goats cheese and basil salad, spa A Simple tomato, goats cheese and basil salad, spanking fresh asparagus / fried in olive oil, season, then add a little boiling water, not too much, put on the lid, dressed with lemon zest & Parmesan, @fenfarmdairy baron bigod cheese, good bread. This is how I like to eat. Claire’s plates found at the beccles brocante. #suffolk #suffolkfood #supper #dinnerwithfriends  #vintageplates
Can’t wait to see what they will be like when th Can’t wait to see what they will be like when they are fired. All my favourite themes: gingham and scallops. Thanks to @clairebelljar for a wonderful weekend and pottery workshop. Such fun! #workingwithyourhands #playtime #creativity #ceramics #pottery #suffolk
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