Some Of London's restaurants still blaze with the EDWARDIAN SPIRIT

After my most recent gastronomic excursion to London in October, I can still reliably report that you can still dine out like Royalty in the most Royal of cities. Although many of my favorites of past years are now long gone (such as The Savoy Grill, Café Royal Grill Room, Overtons’ and L’Aperitif at Browns Hotel ) or have changed to the new type of modern cuisine ( that bores me stiff) a few still remain and still thrill.The places I visit and relish are the great Edwardian restaurants, places that recall an era of polished mahogany, heavy silver, sparkling crystal, swallow-tailed dress and personalized service, where French and English chefs provide the sumptuous dishes that I savor and enjoy.The Edwardian era, associated with Edward VII was also the era of Epicureanism, lasting from the late 19th-century to the early 1920’s. It was an era of enormous wealth and prosperity, unequaled creature comforts, magnificent personal attire and an opulent elegance of setting. Two of my favorites of this era and are still around are Rules and Wiltons. Rules (established in 1798), the ultra-classic English restaurant in Covent Garden, remains as crowed today as ever. Here still, is served roast grouse (in season) and woodcock, meat puddings and chicken pies, ribs of Scottish beef, jugged hare, rich and Sherry trifle with thick Devonshire cream. Tradition and continuity are what Rules is all about and as you perch comfortable on a red banquette ( # 22 is my favorite) , surrounded by hundreds of caricatures, engravings and old programs from the Queens theatre, mounted antlers, glossy wood paneling and antique stained glass, its easy to imagine Edward VII and his mistress, Lily Langtry dining casually at their favorite table by a lattice window on the first floor (portraits signed by each still grace the walls). This restaurant is what I come to London for, when I am hungry and the kitchen proves that there is more to classic English Cooking than a joint of meat with two veggies.
http://www.rules.co.uk/
Check back for my review of Wilton’s.