My lovely weekend in London peaked as we entered the out-of-this-world Kensington Palace. I felt like the queen walking down the Gardens' cobblestone path to the famous Orangery restaurant for our lunch reservation. We were so enthralled by the airy white architecture and surrounding gardens, that we did not even need to order much off the menu. The setting in itself made this meal one to remember.
A bottle of Pinot Grigio was refreshing. We agreed it was five o'clock somewhere!
Even the butter was delicious. We couldn't stop eating it with the bread! This has been a theme of every meal though, in case you were wondering...
Back to the menu. Mel and I each got the salmon tartare, which was equally beautiful and tasteful. The molded dish began with raw salmon, then a layer of creamed herbs, then a layer of light greens and shaved cucumber, then a drizzle of vinaigrette. It satisfied my craving for Japanese-style tartare, but the English twist of herbs and cheese made me love each bite even more.
Hannah ordered the gazpacho with goat cheese toast. Molly loved her heirloom tomato and mozzarella salad, which put the typical American caprese to shame.
We felt like Royals, and we even SAW Royals driven into Kensington Palace on our way out. Yep, we're convinced it was William and Kate.
If you're feeling sophisticated and craving a royally wonderful meal, make a reservation in advance and walk through the Kensington Gardens to the Orangery. There's nothing quite like it.