30th Mar - Too Hot... Too Spicy?

Well, last night was certainly a resounding success. Arriving into central around 5pm, we decided to use Gordon Ramsay's Street Burger as a pit-stop for nosh, in favour of the sub-standard and overpriced offerings usually served up inside football stadiums. Truth be told, I'm a bit of a Gordo fanboy. I'm quite partial to fanboying in general, in all honesty. As Monsieurs Gervais, Brand, Fury, Brooker, and Belfort can testify. But, following a 6-month or so span where I've attempted to sample just about every Gord-spot in London (with previous visits to his 'Street Pizza' branch, and 'Heddon Street' Kitchen), I can category say, this one is the best of the lot. 

My Mum opted for the 'Where's The Lamb?' burger, a clever wordplay on a viral Ramsay-ism, whilst I attempted the 'Hell's Kitchen', thanks to a bizarre yet supreme hankering for all things of extreme-spice following my recent second bout of COVID. Call it some kind of 'lost childhood' on behalf of my tastebuds, my the spicier the better these days in Gable-world, and whilst many have attempted to conquer my throne, (I'm looking at you, hugely underwhelming 'Habanero' sauce at 'Mission Burrito'), I finally (almost) met my match on this occasion.

Jalapeno salsa was met with an underbelly of sriracha sauce, all sandwiched between Rambo's signature Hereford beef. On account of a recent visit to his Sunday Roast hotspot, I can testify that if there's one thing this man knows how to maximise, it's cow. This is no pan-flip-done concoction, griddled to fuck until every ooze of flavour has dripped away under the hot plate counter. This is meat that's clearly been tenderly reared and soaked in flavour for some time before facing the heat of a searing grill. Post meal, of course, there was the small matter of a football match to contend with, and remarkably - this was my first live match of 'the Southgate era'. The difference, was noticeable from the off. 

In the quality of football? Perhaps. But let's not forget that my last Wembley visit, in 2015, still contained several members of the current crop. Notably John Stones, Luke Shaw, Raheem Sterling, and a certain Mr Harry Kane. But gone is the stagnant trepidation behind the Three Lions' brand of football, and the nation's eternal expectation of disappointment. What once felt like a very conservative and formal gathering has now evolved into a free-for-all party atmosphere filled with positive vibes, and a hugely different atmosphere. He might be your 'Mr Nice' next-door-neighbour, he might even be tactically naive when it really matters, but above all, he's restored a real level of enjoyment to Wembley fixtures compared to that dreary Hodgson era, and for that reason alone...

... Southgate, you're the one!