Turn flying madness into a treat at Gordon Ramsey’s Plane Food in London!

Thanks to a missed connection and later still missing bag — I’m talking to you, British Airways — I had time at London Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5. This is the glamorous international terminal with a Harrod’s branch, designer stores, plentiful duty-free shops and Gordon Ramsay’s Plane Food. Though I wasn’t looking to splash out, I still was hungry, tired and irritated. Really, the saying, “Rode hard and put away wet,” was apt. But I made a great decision to go to Plane Food.

A maitre d’ was standing at the gate to enter very welcomingly as I looked at the menu, to see what I might be getting into, tab-wise. Seeing some appealing light fare, I agreed to be seated.

A smiling hostess ushered me into the spacious “outdoor” spot, with other managers and servers eager to get me situated. After being treated like refuse for the past 24 hours, they really made me feel like a princess. I certainly didn’t appear to be a high roller and they wouldn’t have known I’m a food and travel writer in the States, but treat me like a princess they did.

As I quickly downed a couple of couple of lemon tonic waters — I had to pass on the several inventive-sounding G & Ts on the menu, as I felt I needed my wits about me until safe and snug at home — I tried to decide what I felt like having. I realized that I hadn’t had any decent sources of chlorophyll for a couple of days, so I went with a “small” beetroot salad. Small could easily serve 2, so I was thrilled about that!

It had pepitas, soft mild feta, carrot and beet julienned, sunflower seeds, arugula and a vinaigrette. I did add some freshly ground black pepper and salt. It was certainly a lovely salad and hit the spot.

So, though I was pretty full at that point, I did want to try something cooked, not just assembled. So, I ordered a side of mac and cheese — what would Gordon Ramsay do with that? I “heard” that some find it “too cheesy”, as if there could be such a thing. Well, it’s a generous portion of deliciousness! It is very cheesy, but it doesn’t go into obnoxiousness because underneath the orange bruleed cheddar top is a lighter bechamel.