There are times when we all need an alternative to the BA lounge even with status or when travelling in Club. If you are travelling with several people and can’t guest them all into the lounge, for example. Personally, having spent a lot of time in the BA Galleries First lounge at breakfast time, I fancied something a bit different and frankly, a bit quieter. So I decided to try the newly reopened Plane Food by Gordon Ramsay for breakfast earlier this month.
In this post:
Plane Food – my previous experience
I have to admit I only went to the previous incarnation of Plane Food once. I was decidedly unimpressed so never returned. When you eat in a Gordon Ramsay restaurant you expect it to be good, even if it is in an airport terminal. On the previous visit, I had ordered exactly the same dish as this time, Eggs Royale. The service was very slow (not ideal when catching a plane) and the eggs very undercooked. So how would it fare this time?
What’s changed?
It is 10 years since Plane Food at Terminal 5 by Gordon Ramsay opened. A couple of weeks ago the restaurant reopened after a redesign of both the decor and the food, including the picnics I talked about here. The restaurant now has a new Asian bar, where chefs prepare dishes in an open kitchen and a new cocktail bar, with cocktails that take inspiration from around the world. The restaurant also features the new ‘Plane Food Grab & Go’ which has pre-prepared food to take on board.
Gordon Ramsay said “Plane Food has been setting the standard for airport dining since T5 opened in 2008. Since day one, it’s brought together the Groups passion for high-quality food, amazing flavours and service and in its stunning new form, will take it all to another level. I’m excited for travellers of all ages to experience the new-modern Plane Food that has been inspired by influences from all around the globe, and don’t be surprised to see me tucking into the glorious butter chicken before my next flight!”
The Experience
The entrance looked very impressive with its starburst lights and I only had to wait a few seconds before being greeted and led to my table. The waiter swiftly approached me with a menu and welcomed me to the restaurant. The service was excellent throughout the meal and was paced to get you out quickly if that’s what you wanted. The waiter was very professional and also had the right degree of friendliness versus formality. I have to say for an airport restaurant, I was impressed. The breakfast menu had a lot of choices and it took a while to decide what I wanted from all the tempting options. Dishes include 3 types of eggs benedict with Burford Brown eggs, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and ricotta pancakes with honeycomb butter, bananas and maple syrup.
I like to think I am something of an Eggs Benedict connoisseur which is surprisingly difficult to get right, so I decided to test out the Eggs Royale (which is with smoked salmon instead of ham). I also ordered a cappuccino to test out their coffee and a side of avocado. I was offered water in addition which is good prior to a flight to stay hydrated (mainly due to the champagne to be honest!). I was slightly confused by the 2 prices offered on the menu for the eggs and wondered if it was for 1 egg or 2. When I asked, it was for one muffin or two. Thankfully I went for one muffin which cost £9 as it was the biggest English muffin I have ever seen but it still came with 2 eggs. I thought for the quality of the product and surroundings it was a fair price.
I was slightly confused by the 2 prices offered on the menu for the eggs and wondered if it was for 1 egg or 2. When I asked, it was for one muffin or two. Thankfully I went for one muffin which cost £9 as it was the biggest English muffin I have ever seen but it still came with 2 eggs. I thought for the quality of the product and surroundings it was a fair price.
I have eaten an awful lot of eggs benedict in some very fancy places and I have to say overall this was the best that I have had. The only thing I could fault was that I personally would have liked a touch more of the hollandaise sauce, but that is my own preference. The eggs were cooked to perfection and were an amazing runny golden yellow inside and firm on the outside. They also had a fantastic flavour compared to the normal eggs from a supermarket. The hollandaise had just the right hit of acidity to cut through the richness and wasn’t congealed like many Benedicts I have had. The avocado was also excellent as far from just being sliced avocado as I imagined, it was mashed with some paprika and lime juice which really lifted the dish.
My cappuccino was also great with a silky, creamy foam and a robust coffee underneath which wasn’t too milky. The bill came to £18.51 which wasn’t cheap but I did have a side dish plus the optional service charge was already included.
Conclusion
I shall be reviewing the daytime selections and cocktail bar on my next visit later this month, but from first impressions, Plane Food is back on top form. There is a good choice on the menu, the new additions to the restaurant are perfect for grabbing a quick snack or drink and the service was excellent. I shall be interested to see what the new Grab & Go is like since I have always rated their picnics highly.
You can find more information about Plane Food here.
Have you tried Plane Food since it reopened? What did you think? Did you have a similar experience to mine? Let me know in the comments or on social media.
