Bob Bob Ricard, 1 Upper James Street, W1

Now, I know that I haven't been here in quite awhile and it hasn't been for a lack of going out or even of finding some really great restaurants. I've just been a tad preoccupied with other things but after having dined at Bob Bob Ricard two Friday's in a row, I realized that it would be unfair not to write about it.

Bob Bob Ricard is over the top. From the dark and clashing wallpapers and the mirrors on the ceiling to the... wait for it!... Champagne Call Button At Every Table. The menu is a mix of classic Russian dishes served alongside a balance of American and European.

The first Friday, Mr. E.P. and I went to BBR, we ordered the cured Russian herring (very soft and fresh tasting), the jellied ox tongue (seriously amazing and stunning to look at - I could write pages on the the aspic alone), and the quails eggs mayonnaise with anchovies (a bit of a blah) with an accompanying glass of the Kauffman Collection vodka (very flavorful without the burn of some lesser vodkas). Mr. E.P. announced that if everything on the menu were as lovely as the zakuskis, he would have to request a standing table.

Happily our entrees were as lovely. Mr. E.P. had the veal holstein with quails egg, anchovy, and truffled mash potato. The veal was a nice, thick slice with a crunchy breading that didn't overpower the meat. It too would have benefitted from more anchovies and Mr. E.P. said that when he orders it again, he will ask more extra. I had the meat pelmeni. They were a little bland as they were simply boiled (a quick sear in a hot skillet would have done the trick) but the flavor was there and the addition of the white vinegar on the side made them really stand out. A side of wilted spinach (without the nutmeg) was literally the best spinach I have ever eaten - I think they might blanch the spinach in a very concentrated vegetable stock.

And now, let's talk about the wine list as a happy segue into last night's repast. The markups are minimal and the wine list is fantastic. The first night, we had a bottle of white Chateauneuf du Pape, Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe which we had last had at lunch in Chateauneuf du Pape and it was wonderful (especially at 62GBP!) and last night, we...

Oh, see? Now I'm getting ahead of myself! Last night, I arrived early (no traffic for once!) and thought I would pop to the downstairs bar for a drink while I waited for Mr. E.P. Alas, the downstairs bar was full and I was directed upstairs.

I ordered a slightly wet martini with Kauffman's vodka and olives. The barman took note of "olives" plural and asked if that was what I meant. Yes, indeed, I assured him (I love drinks with snacks). When it came (17GBP later!) it was a tiny little thing in a frozen glass (that dripped ice water into my lap) and tasted entirely of vermouth. I flagged down an available barman and asked him to remix the drink adding more vodka. Not a problem, done with a smile and then checked back with me to see how it was. Perfect. Unfortunately, the original barman (now at the other end of the bar) nearly shouted, "You said you wanted it wet!" Seriously? That's not called for.

Anyway, a bottle of Condrieu and the carpaccio of tuna nicoise starter were revelatory. The tuna came in one large,perfectly rosey piece and had a texture that made me wonder if it had been cooked sous vide. Then came the entrees. Mr. E.P. had the pork belly which was very thin, crisp on top, and seasoned with Chinese 5-spice. Unfortunately the seasoning didn't really work that well (at least not for me) and there was a suspicious film of skin that actually had the consistency of fish skin. However, the bacon cheeseburger I ordered was fantastic! Cooked exactly as requested and charred beautifully on the outside, it came with pickles, crisp, iceberg lettuce and a slice of red onion. The one jarring thing about it was the choice of cheddar or... again, wait for it!... a slice of Kraft, yellow American cheese. I didn't know Kraft yellow American was even available in this country let alone that a place like BBR would use it. In fact, I think the last time I had a slice of the stuff, I was 12. But, out of curiosity, I had it last night and man-oh-day, it was tasty! And as usual, the spinach was divine as was the side of broccoli.

So, yes, it looks like we're going to have to get that standing table soon, although, this coming Friday, we have a reservation at Gauthier Soho, which I am very excited about.