Dining in London's Oldest Restaurant

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One of the greatest advantages of traveling for work is that you get to eat in places where you usually wouldn't even dare to step in. 

Rules, Covent Garden, London - Picture Source

The best food I had ever tasted - sorry, mom - was in La Table d'Edgar in Lausanne's luxurious Palace hotel. Being frank, if I had gone there on my own, without any company venue, I would have possibly only been able to pay for the plate of cheese (which I wouldn't mind - but would probably be weird). 

Last time I was in London, I had another of those encounters with food heaven - and this one had special merit, as we were having english food (it's all said). After one of the cocktails, we headed out in the search of some real food and soon were recommended to go to Rules. Once the taxi had left us at the entrance a doorman with a top hat kindly welcomed us to restaurant. Obviously, we didn't get a table (after all, we didn't arrange any reservations) and headed over to Porterhouse Brewing Co. to have a Delirium Tremens, while we waited for our turn.

And it was time for us to go back to the food. Rules is one of those few restaurants left that, as soon as you step in, you feel at home. I miss that comfort and in modern restaurants - they may be all shiny, minimalistic and create liquid tortillas and cucumber foam - but at the end, it just doesn't feel cozy and warm. 

At Rules, the dishes are classics - like sirloin steak, banoffee pie or sticky toffee pudding. But compared to other places I've tried british cuisine, its dishes are local and fresh. Before deliberately choosing from the menu, it's better to take note from the waiter's recommendations - specially when it's not game season, as some of the dishes might not be available. For the record, the menu even warns you about the possibility of game birds containing lead shot! 

I ordered the roast salt marsh saddle of lamb with carrots and rosemary mash. The dish was thoughtfully prepared and tasted deliciously (which is why I'm going to recommend it to anyone considering going to the restaurant out of game season). 

Why does english food taste better at Rules?

Well, I may have some thoughts on this. 

First, the restaurant owns the Lartington Estate, where they source their highest quality game birds, roe deer and Belted Galloway beef (which is why it's probably even better to go during game season itself). 

Second, c'ome on, it's the oldest restaurant of London! It was established in 1798 and since, has only been in hands of 3 different families. You can smell and taste the tradition of the restaurant. But you can most particularly see it. Its past is reflected on its walls with innumerable frames containing photographs and paintings from London and Rules itself. 

Third, feeling comfortable makes me enjoy the food more. I stop worrying about where to put my legs, about the hard chair or the cold breeze and just concentrate on the food itself. 

What: English cuisine

Where: Rules Restaurant - 35 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7LB
Web: http://www.rules.co.uk
How much: main dishes between 18 and 26 pounds aprox.

When: Whenever, but specially during game season 

What makes, in your opinion, a good restaurant?