If there’s one good thing to come out of lockdown, it’s the access we now have to a world of wonderful food in the comfort of our own home. World-class seafood, steak and fine-dining experiences are all but just a few clicks away, allowing us to truly indulge without stepping foot into a restaurant.
Ramekins & Wine began life back in 2016 when chef extraordinaire Jamie Patterson founded the company as a supper club with his wife Thea. Combining his skills as a chef (Jamie was a MasterChef 2017 semi-finalist) with 10 years of experience working in the wine trade, he began hosting London supper clubs with some of the wine world’s most iconic names.
Today, Ramekins & Wine provide bespoke dining for private parties, weddings, events and online tutored tastings, serving gourmet food from the company’s signature ramekins alongside carefully paired wines.
We tried out their August tasting box and were blown away by the exceptional food and the wines provided by Slurp, which perfectly complimented every single bite. The first of the six courses was the Whipped Chevre with hickory-smoked beetroot and Arbequina Olive Oil.
Beetroot is not something I’m usually fond of, however, roasted in lemon and served with goats cheese, it was a true delight. The accompanying Jean Demont Chablis 2019 only accentuated the light, creaminess of the dish with its fresh, fruity flavour.
Next up came the Heritage Tomato with anchovy pesto dressing and 20-year-old Balsamic vinegar. Now, if there’s a type of food I dislike more than beetroot, it’s anchovies, yet this dish was another pleasant surprise.
Just as the blurb that came with the food explained, the anchovies quite literally exploded with taste when enjoyed with the Bodegas Vionta Albarino 2019. There was nothing remotely fishy about this mixture of flavours, it was deliciously rich.
The Curried Roast Chicken with celeriac crema and apricot that followed was a definite favourite. Lightly spiced and aromatic, what this mild curry dish lacked in intense heat it more than made up for in complexity. The Care for Wild Protected Bushvine Chenin Blanc 2019 elevated the dish further, effectively giving the chicken an extra level of seasoning.
The fourth offering was the first to be paired with red wine and turned out to be another winner. The Jamon Iberico with red pepper and almond was awash with sweet and salty meatiness, which married well with the richness of the Orube Seleccion de Familia 2017.
Up next came the Potted Confit Duck Leg with clementine butter, which wiped the floor with any pâté I’ve ever tasted. Served with the excellent Marquis de St Michel Chateauneuf du Pape 2018, the balance of the spicy, herbaceous wine and the rich and fatty duck was sheer perfection.
Despite setting the bar higher with every serving, the final dish was another high. The 35 Day Dry Aged Ribeye with Roscoff onion was pure melt-in-the-mouth heaven, and so well matched with the Chateau de Lafurie-Monbadon from France’s Bordeaux region.
Final verdict
Ramekins & Wine is a true culinary gem of a brand, offering a meticulously well put together feast for the taste buds. A surefire way to impress dinner guests and enhance any home dining experience, we can’t recommend Jamie’s food and wine highly enough. Gather your friends for an indulgent feast you won’t forget.
To find out more about their services and monthly subscription service, head to www.ramekinsandwine.co.uk
Reviewed by Fletch
