…well, not exactly popular demand, I suppose. More like one of my friends linked me yesterday (thanks Pocklock!), the launch of the new season of Hell’s Kitchen got me lots of traffic I didn’t know about, and my mom asked when I was going to “go back to telling strangers on the Internet about your private life.” Now is as good a time as any, Mom.

It’s been an interesting couple of months. The Gordon Ramsay World Tour continued, this time in NYC where JB and I hit up his restaurant, Gordon Ramsay at The London NYC. Well, actually, it turns out we weren’t cool enough or famous enough or pretty enough to eat there as even with reservations 2 months in advance we couldn’t get a table, so instead we ate at Maze by Gordon Ramsay, a slightly more informal space with a small-plates menu. If anybody cares, this was our table:

We each had six delicious courses, along with a couple of incredibly potent and tasty beverages fittingly called Diablo Gordon Ramsays. Among other things I had an incredible smoked trout dish, and I was brave enough to try pork belly. Sooooo good – but I do have to say I probably won’t eat it anywhere else. I only trust Gordon with my unique food choices.

I think my favorite part of the whole experience was the service. I’ve never seen anything like it. We ordered a bottle of wine to have with dinner, and I saw the sommelier bring it out before we’d finished our cocktails. Without so much as a word, he quickly and quietly went around the corner, came back with a cooler, and placed the bottle where it was within our line of sight but not near the table rushing us. As soon as we’d drained our Diablo Gordon Ramsays, he immediately brought it over.

Another stellar service example. As you can imagine, I was pretty starstruck. I mean, I had to get drunk to get the courage to talk to Sebastian. Of course, Ramsay himself wasn’t there (the man is a wee bit busy, you know), but just being in the place gave me butterflies. So when the waiter suggested I select six courses, I blurted out, “I know a couple of things I want but no idea what else I want and what order I want them in.” (Blonde moment. I had it.) The waiter (who was hot, by the way, in case you were wondering) smiled reassuringly, bent towards me slightly, and said, “That’s OK – that’s what I’m here for. Now why don’t you show me what you’re thinking about and we’ll go from there.”

Do you know how freeing that is? You mean I don’t have to take responsibility for my choices?? You’ll tell me the best order of dishes so I’m not left wondering if I should have switched things around?? And you’ll pour my wine?? OK, yes, JB does all that, but I’m not used to WAITERS doing it! I think that right there made Maze by Gordon Ramsay one of the best dining experiences in recent memory. Chef, if you’re reading this because you’re bored and Googled yourself and made it to page 900 or wherever this blog shows up on natural search (in my defense I only just recently started learning about SEO… and The London NYC’s site about his restaurant doesn’t even show up until page 5), give that hottie boombattie a raise.

 On a larger note, this feels like more than a Ramsay blog post. This feels like a Ramsay era for this blog. Just writing this post, my mind is racing with ideas for more. All Ramsay all the time, as it were (oh what a world that would be). Here are just a few to whet your appetite (pun most certainly intended):

• While in NYC, JB and I also stopped by Purmina, the first restaurant ever featured on the U.S. Kitchen Nightmares. We didn’t eat there (remember that kitchen?? I don’t care if Ramsay made it better, it’s still yucky), but you’ll be surprised by the actual location of the place.
• The new season of Hell’s Kitchen just started – my fingers are itchy with the opportunity for commentary.
• I spent a good portion of a job interview talking about Ramsay. The job was in no way food or Ramsay related. I still got an offer.

So let the Ramsay era begin! Allez cuisine! Oh, no, wait, that’s this show. Please pack your knives and… oh wait. That’s this show.  F**ck off outta the kitchen! There we go!