I ate at Ed Sheeran’s Bertie Blossoms to assessment the £20 pasta – however is it definitely worth the cash or simply cashing in on followers?
InShot_20260213_103543691
Well-known faces are sometimes celebrated for his or her prowess in leisure and the humanities – be it belting out chart-toppers, commanding the stage, or charming audiences on display. But once they enterprise into the restaurant enterprise, it does make one surprise: are they genuinely passionate in regards to the delicacies they’re dishing up?
Is the grub truly scrumptious and price parting along with your hard-earned money for? This week, I made my option to Bertie Blossoms, Ed Sheeran’s restaurant, to find out whether or not it is merely exploiting his devoted fanbase and London’s vacationer commerce, or if it stands up as a reliable eating vacation spot.
Bertie Blossoms launched in September 2019 alongside Portobello Street in London, billing itself as an “intimate restaurant within the coronary heart of Notting Hill.”
The institution’s web site guarantees a fusion of “Spanish aptitude, British consolation, and somewhat little bit of the whole lot else from around the globe. Suppose crispy bites, daring flavours and dishes made for sharing.”
The menu showcases an array of tapas choices, that includes meatballs, fried rooster, child carrots, hummus, and tenderstem broccoli, amongst others.
These dishes are priced from £10 to £16. Upon arrival, nonetheless, you may discover the precise menu differs from what’s marketed on-line, with prices various accordingly.
Take, as an illustration, Bertie’s Fried Hen: Tingly Ted’s – listed at £10 on-line however truly setting you again £14, so be ready to spend greater than you might need budgeted for.
What proved much more stunning, although, was discovering the restaurant focuses on simply two signature mains: Ed’s Favorite-Rigatoni a la Vodka (£20) and Flat Iron Steak, Chimichurri, fries (£30).
How did the service measure up?
Initially, I tried to safe a desk a number of weeks upfront, solely to seek out the institution totally booked. Slightly surprisingly, when my reservation date arrived, the eating room was virtually abandoned. Nonetheless, I would nonetheless advise reserving forward to keep away from disappointment on the door.
Upon arrival, a welcoming member of employees on the bar greeted me warmly. She famous down my particulars, and I used to be proven upstairs to my desk to await my eating companion. They promptly provided water, and I opted for a bottle of nonetheless water at £5.
I used to be greeted by a heat employees member on the bar. (Picture: Shania King-Soyza)
My pal and fellow meals journalist, Ella Mapes, joined me shortly after, and we had been swiftly attended to by an enthusiastic waitress able to take our order.
Our mission was simple – pattern their signature dishes, the restaurant’s two major choices, so we bypassed the tapas choice. I positioned an order for Ed’s pasta, although it took significantly longer than anticipated to emerge from the kitchen.
The general ready interval stretched to roughly 30 to 35 minutes. Ordinarily, this would not elevate eyebrows, however contemplating the dish’s uncomplicated nature and the sparse clientele, I discovered the delay reasonably puzzling.
Usually, eating places want to coordinate desk orders, delivering the whole lot on the identical time; but Ella’s plate arrived a full 10 minutes after mine, which was fairly startling.
The menu at Bertie Blossoms (Picture: Shania King-Soyza)
That mentioned, the service in any other case proved wonderful. Workers members commonly popped by to examine on us, responded promptly to any requests, and demonstrated real hospitality all through.
Did the meals justify the expense?
Shelling out £20 for a pasta dish devoid of meat, fish, or greens appears totally absurd. Nonetheless, if the dish proved genuinely distinctive, I would fortunately half with that kind of cash… sadly, this wasn’t the case.
While the pasta appeared freshly made, it lacked any actual depth of flavour. Swimming in an amazing quantity of sauce, Ella noticed that it resembled and tasted like “Heinz tomato soup.”
Ed’s Favorite-Rigatoni a la Vodka (Picture: Shania King-Soyza)
The dish left me completely underwhelmed, with each its presentation and style falling drastically in need of expectations. Garnished with a modest sprinkling of grated cheese (which wasn’t proactively provided as further) and reasonably dejected-looking basil leaves, the dish was awash with sauce.
The pasta grew to become waterlogged and overly mushy, making it not possible to eat with a fork; it constantly fell aside and dropped again onto the plate. All issues thought of, I would award Ed’s beloved pasta a meagre 4 out of ten. While it wasn’t inedible, it definitely wasn’t pleasant.
At £20, my expectations had been significantly increased, and I can say with absolute certainty it ranks amongst essentially the most disappointing restaurant meals I’ve skilled.
Shifting on, we sampled the steak, requested medium uncommon, but it emerged completely properly accomplished. Slightly than inflicting a scene, and given the appreciable watch for the primary try, we accepted it as served (although personally, I favour a well-done steak regardless).
Flat Iron Steak, Chimichurri, fries (£30) (Picture: Shania King-Soyza) Recipe inspiration for the entire household plus chosen gives and competitions Subscribe Invalid e mail
We use your sign-up to supply content material in methods you have consented to and to enhance our understanding of you. This may increasingly embody adverts from us and third events based mostly on our understanding. You’ll be able to unsubscribe at any time. Learn our Privateness Coverage
The meat proved barely robust, although not essentially the most disagreeable I’ve encountered. The dish fell flat on flavour, with the chimichurri tasting merely of parsley.
While on the pricier finish, the beneficiant portion of steak provided affordable worth for cash – not like the pasta. To salvage the expertise, we discovered ourselves dunking the steak into the ‘tomato soup’ for added style.
Ella swapped her chips for a tomato salad, describing it as: “plump, candy with somewhat little bit of acidity, and doubtless one of the best factor on the menu.” Ultimately, her dish earned a strong 5 out of ten.
The decision
The institution did not fairly hit the mark for me. From the road, it resembled a typical pub or bar with out a lot visible attraction.
In case you are a serious fan of Ed Sheeran, then this may be the place for you (Picture: Shania King-Soyza)
Step inside, although, and also you’re met with a unusual, house-like ambiance dripping with hipster allure. Carpeted flooring, an abundance of art work and images, books out there for searching, plus numerous homely cupboards and furnishings created an eclectic setting.
That mentioned, the soundtrack was spot on – traditional hits like Elton John’s Bennie and the Jets crammed the air, with surprisingly little, if any, of Sheeran’s personal catalogue featured.
For die-hard Ed Sheeran devotees, this venue would possibly warrant a go to. Tucked away in a non-public room lies a shrine devoted completely to the singer-songwriter, which was barely eerie but undeniably fascinating.
The gathering consists of private images, vinyl data, his guitar and numerous books. Personally, I would not be inclined to revisit this restaurant.
Nonetheless, if it is a bustling day and also you’re merely on the lookout for a spot to take pleasure in a drink, then this institution may be value contemplating. Do share your experiences and candid opinions in case you’ve visited.
Leave a Reply