I ate at Jamie Oliver's only UK restaurant and was floored when I saw bill

Jamie Oliver is undoubtedly one of the most recognisable and celebrated chefs in the UK and was even once one of the country's best-selling authors thanks to his numerous cookbooks. But his restaurant empire has been less successful, with his Jamie's Italian chain collapsing in 2019. Today, he owns just one restaurant in the UK - Jamie Oliver Catherine St in Covent Garden, London. With an impressive 4.4 Google Rating from more than 1,400 reviews I thought I'd head along for a Friday night dinner to see what all the fuss is about.

The restaurant, dubbed by some as Jamie's London comeback, it was opened at the end of 2023 in partnership with theatre empresario Andrew Lloyd Webber. Why the theatre connection? Well, it's located within several stone's throws of several major theatres and the famous Covent Garden square in one London's main tourist arteries. If you're looking for a pre or post meal show, they hope Jamie's is where you will go.

But should you? In the beautiful culinary orchestra of London, should you choose to go to Jamie's Catherine Street even if you're not going to the opera, theatre, or the dance floor after? This isn't Hamlet, but that is the question.

Inside the restaurant

On first impressions it certainly looks the part. There's a youthful atmosphere with trendy decorations featuring paintings of the great, the good, the famous, and someday the forgotten.

It attempts and succeeds in being vibrant and energetic like some of Mr Lloyd Webber's productions. Furthermore, the service is fast, the waiting staff always on hand and willing to answer your questions about allergens and what wine goes with what, but this is where quite a lot of the success ends.

The main course

The food on offer isn't Italian, but rather ers on the British side of Jamie's cooking career and is inspired by the food served at this parent's old pub in Essex. In common with when I reviewed James Martin's Lygon Arms, I went for a two-course strategy capped by a double espresso.

However, as I wasn't driving, a glass of red made it onto the order to compliment the short-rib cottage pie with mustard mash, a bone marrow top, and red wine gravy. In fact the wine, a Petrolo "Torrione" 2021 was described to me as one of Jamie's favourites, and the best pairing for the pie.

If only that had been the case, as the pie and mash tasted quite bland. Maybe, as had been the case with James Martin's pork chop, some green veg would have elevated the unremarkable beef. What was even more astonishing was the wine, or more specifically its price. I was stunned to discover it cost £17 a glass, despite not being anything special.

It was all perfectly edible, but if there's two words to sum it up (and in fact my entire experience) it was disappointingly unmemorable.

The dessert

The puddings were a different matter. Due to a brief period of confusion in the ordering process I accidentally and unintentionally ordered two puddings. Afterwards, for reasons I don't understand, the restaurant gave me one of them on the house.

However, before I discovered this act of kindness, the puddings themselves arrived. They were Rummy Raisin Apple Pie with golden puff pastry, cinnamon sugar and Jude's vegan vanilla ice cream. This was followed by Eve's pudding of steamed sponge, British apple compote and vanilla custard.

Of the two, Eve's Pudding was by far the better dessert choice with the sponge, custard, and compote providing a comforting tonic compared to the Rummy Raisin's overpowering sweetness. In fact, the latter felt like someone trying to do their own version of one of McDonald's apple pies, and failing.

Final thoughts and rating

This, I guess is the point about Jamie Oliver Catherine Street, the food is palatable but not memorable; you don't come out of it with any lasting memories other than the staff were lovely. As a business, it will get bums on seats because of where it is and because people will always want to eat before or after a show.

However, when the curtain came down, the food had all the style in the world, but I couldn't taste any substance underneath.

Rating: 6/10

Total bill - £57.94

Breakdown:

• Beef pie: £24
• Rummy Raisin Apple Pie: £7
• Eve's Pudding: £0 (Featured on the set menu so no price given)
• Double Espresso: £3.50
• Petrolo "Torrione" 175ml: £17
• Service charge: £6.44