When celebrities venture into the culinary world, it often sparks curiosity and skepticism. This week, I visited Ed Sheeran's restaurant, Bertie Blossoms, on Portobello Road in London's Notting Hill, to determine if it offers a genuine dining experience or merely capitalises on the singer's fame. The restaurant, which opened in September 2019, describes itself as an intimate spot blending Spanish flair with British comfort, but my tasting of its limited main dishes left much to be desired.
The Restaurant and Its Menu
Bertie Blossoms presents a tapas-style menu online, featuring items like meatballs, fried chicken, and hummus, priced between £10 and £16. However, upon arrival, I discovered discrepancies: prices were higher than listed, and the menu differed. For instance, Bertie's Fried Chicken was £14 instead of £10. More surprisingly, the restaurant specialises in only two main dishes: Ed's Favourite-Rigatoni a la Vodka at £20 and Flat Iron Steak with Chimichurri and fries at £30.
Service and Atmosphere
Booking in advance is recommended, as the restaurant was fully booked weeks prior, though it was relatively empty on the day of my visit. Upon entry, I was greeted warmly by staff at the bar and seated upstairs. Service was attentive, with staff checking in regularly and accommodating requests. However, the wait time for food was notable: my pasta took 30 to 35 minutes to arrive, despite the dish's simplicity and low customer volume. My companion's steak followed 10 minutes later, suggesting inefficiencies in the kitchen.
The Food: A Critical Taste Test
Ordering Ed's Favourite-Rigatoni a la Vodka for £20 felt excessive for a dish with no meat, fish, or vegetables. Unfortunately, it did not justify the price. The pasta, while fresh, was bland and drowned in a sauce my companion likened to Heinz tomato soup. The presentation was lacklustre, with sparse grated cheese and wilted basil. The excessive sauce made the pasta soggy and difficult to eat, breaking apart on the fork. I rated it four out of ten—not inedible, but far from good, and one of the worst restaurant dishes I've encountered.
The Flat Iron Steak, ordered medium rare, arrived well done. We chose not to complain due to the initial wait. The steak was chewy and lacked flavour, with the chimichurri tasting merely of parsley. At £30, it offered better value in portion size than the pasta, but we resorted to dipping it in the pasta sauce to enhance the taste. My companion's tomato salad, a substitution for fries, was the highlight: plump, sweet, and slightly acidic, earning a five out of ten.
The Verdict and Overall Experience
The restaurant's vibe is eclectic, resembling a hipster home with carpets, paintings, books, and homely furniture. The playlist featured classics like Elton John's Bennie and the Jets, with little of Sheeran's own music. A secret room houses a shrine to the singer, complete with personal items, which may appeal to fans but felt somewhat eerie.
Ultimately, I would not return to Bertie Blossoms for the food. While it might be worth a visit for drinks on a busier day, the overpriced and underwhelming dishes fail to deliver a respectable culinary experience. For £20, the pasta was a letdown, and the steak, though better in value, lacked quality. This review underscores the risks of celebrity dining ventures, where fame does not always translate to flavour.
