It had been an enjoyable day wandering around a trade exhibition in London’s Docklands, but the display stands left to be visited – at least the interesting ones – ran out long before the day ended.  I found myself returning to Heathrow Airport much earlier than planned.  I hadn’t managed to get excited about any of the food outlets available at the exhibition site.  With a long time remaining before my flight home, I wandered around Terminal Five’s airside concourses in search of an appealing dining option.

The Restaurant

I’d noticed Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant “Plane Food” on previous trips but I felt reluctant to choose this, one of Terminal Five’s more expensive menus.  “It’s a lot of money for airport food” was a recurring thought I struggled to ignore.  Having caught a glimpse of the open, airy seating in the restaurant, it seemed that the higher price would at least purchase a comfortable and pleasant place to pass the spare time.  

The dining area offers views of the runway and there is a choice of comfortable seating.  A long bar counter offers a row of stools with views of the kitchen.   A separate cocktail bars also available.

I was taken to a table by a staff member and there seemed to be quite a long wait for further attention.  Having placed my order and then watching the movement of staff around the restaurant, slow service seemed to be very much in evidence that evening.

The Food

Eventually my first course was delivered and it looked fresh, light and delicate.  As appealing as it looked, I rather regretted declining a heartier dish to begin the meal.  I hadn’t eaten for many hours and felt the need of something rather more substantial.  I realised this could be easily remedied and – that word again – eventually captured the attention of the waiter to request a basket of bread.   With a glass of Prosecco streaming it’s bubbles to the surface and the cured salmon glistening, I gave up any idea of eating the bread with the first course and got started on the chilled food.

The salmon, cured with soy and sake was firm, silky and a good deal more satiating than expected. The accompaniment of wasabi yoghurt added life to the dish – one of those garnishes which manages to be hot yet cool at the same time.  The puree of avocado with yuzu achieved another delicate balance of opposites: the sharp acidity and freshness from the yuzu contrasting with the smooth richness of the fruit.  The crunchy lotus crisp tasted good – it wasn’t just there to add visual artistic interest – and if I been offered a bowl full of them I’d have gladly accepted.  

With a price tag at a little over twenty pounds, I fought an internal battle when it came to ordering fish and chips.  Can that amount really be justified for such a humble dish?  Of all the menu’s listings, this was the option which just appealed to me the most in the moment.  It proved to be a good call.  I was served a plate of fish and chips which must rate among the best I’ve eaten.  An exceptionally crisp, light as air batter coated moist, soft, flaky, sweet fish.  The chips were not of the traditional “chip shop” style but finely cut and very hot and crunchy.  The menu stated that “mushy peas” would be served with the dish but that wasn’t quite the case.  Instead, a small dish of crushed, young peas flavoured with mint were placed on the plate.  The tartare sauce was a chunky home-made condiment (at least in style) with crunchy gherkins and salty capers for balance.  

One element which I found disappointing was the provision of two small jars of branded tomato ketchup and mayonnaise.  There was no doubting their quality but with the dish priced so highly, I might have expected these condiments to have been made in the kitchen rather than simply being bought in ready-made and packaged.

Prices

Starters and ‘Small Plates” range from £9.50 to £19.00. Main courses start at £18.00 (for a chicken burger) and go up to 40.00 for a linguine dish with lobster. Desserts range from £7.50 for ice cream up to £10.50 for sticky toffee pudding. A cover charge of £1.50 per head will be added during lunch and dinner service. A gratuity charge of 15% will be added to the bill though this is stated as being “discretionary”.

Accessibility

The restaurant is situated on the upper level of the Terminal 5 building which is accessed either by lift or escalators. There are no steps to negotiate on this level. Toilets are not located inside the restaurant but are available at multiple locations within the airport terminal building.

In Summary

The meal was very good.  Good quality produce had been well prepared and cooked to perfection.  The view – of the blue sky, of the runway, of approaching aircraft – and the airy, spacious surroundings provided a relaxing pre-flight atmosphere.  I thought the bill was higher than the food alone could justify – and especially so after a 15% service charge and a cover charge had been added – but when taking the whole relaxing experience into account I felt satisfied with my choice of restaurant.

The basket of bread never did arrive.  In the midst of the slow service that part of my order had been forgotten completely.  In truth, I didn’t really miss it but its absence did serve to highlight the need for the restaurant to sharpen up the responsiveness of the service team.  Though pleasant and polite, greater speed and accuracy were needed from the staff.

The serving staff may simply have had an “off” night and based on the quality of the food and the pleasantness of the surroundings, I’d be willing to visit Plane Food on another occasion.

Details

Chef Patron: Gordon Ramsay

Address: Terminal Five, Wellington Road, Heathrow Airport, Hounslow, TW6 2GA.

Telephone: 0208 897 4545

Website: planefood@gordonramsay.com

Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday 5am to 9.30pm

Note: Only contactless payment via credit or debit card is accepted.

Photo Credits: A.P.