Credit: courtesy of Gordon Ramsay at The Carnaby

The sticky toffee pudding is his mom’s recipe, so even though I was stuffed from the three courses preceding dessert, I simply couldn’t pass up this British classic that perfectionist chef Gordon Ramsay grew up enjoying. It was a delightfully sweet ending to an evening filled with great food at Ramsay’s newest concept, The Carnaby, in Downtown Disney.

If you’ve been to London, you may have spent an afternoon on Carnaby Street. Today, it’s a pedestrian-friendly shopping destination, but its popularity first exploded during the rebellious 1960s, when it became the epicenter for a cultural revolution and all things creative in the city’s West End—rock music, mod fashion, and an array of cool pubs and restaurants. Ramsay thought it would be fun to channel the zeitgeist of that era into a dining experience—and give a nod to his mom, Helen Cosgrove, at the same time. So at The Carnaby, psychedelic artwork and posters that scream 1960s London fill the walls—think images of Twiggy, The Beatles, The Who, Pink Floyd, and all types of street scenes—while a soundtrack of hits from the same period fills the air. “I love the nostalgia, the throwback to the 1960s,” Ramsay told me. “Mom and I are very close, and she is a ’60s chick. … I think she was only 19 when she had me. And we still talk about The Beatles and what music and fashion meant to her growing up.”

And with the Disneyland Resort drawing everyone from locals to national and international travelers to its parks, Ramsay figured Downtown Disney was a perfect spot for his next project. He’s also good friends with restaurateur Robert Earl, a cofounder of Planet Hollywood and Earl of Sandwich, which opened a new spot downstairs from The Carnaby. “Robert wanted to do something fun and cool, and so we started talking and I said, ‘Let’s not go over the top, but let’s raise the bar.’ So we’ve got the cottage pie, the bangers and mash, the fish and chips.”

That’s the British comfort food. A few American and globally inspired dishes appear on the menu as well—more about that in a bit. And then there are the fine-dining offerings, like Ramsay’s signature beef Wellington. Instead of arriving as slices, Ramsay’s iteration is presented as an individual serving—a seared beef tenderloin steak and mushroom duxelles, with a secret crepe beneath the pastry crust that keeps the outer layer crispy. But the showstopper is the prime rib, which is wheeled through the restaurant in a gleaming sterling silver trolley and cut tableside into a perfect 12-ounce serving. It comes with au jus and horseradish, along with Yorkshire pudding, roasted carrots, and creamed spinach.

We started with a distinctly non-British appetizer: Parker House rolls—eight warm buns served in a skillet, sprinkled with coarse salt and herbs, and paired with whipped butter. Having never been to Parker’s Restaurant in Boston, I can’t say whether The Carnaby’s come close to the original recipe. But this iteration is darn good. My husband and I gobbled down three rolls each and tried very hard not to polish off the last two. Fortunately, two more dishes arrived in short order—salt-and-pepper squid and an heirloom tomato salad. A sizeable portion of the fried calamari bits came with a yummy lime-and-coriander aioli for dipping. It was good, but the heirloom tomato salad made me swoon—wedges of luscious ruby red, yellow, and orange fruit come atop a generous scoop of whipped burrata with thin slices of peaches, arugula, and piccalilli (a wonderfully tangy relish of pickled cauliflower), hitting the mouth with all five flavor profiles—sweet, salty, sour, and savory, with just a hint of bitterness from the arugula. It’s a must-try.

We were tempted to beckon that prime rib trolley to our table but instead agreed on the beef Wellington and the Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips for entrees. Friends have raved about Ramsay’s Wellington—one said it was the best meal of his life. It held up to the hype. It’s large enough to share, and doing so is easy since it arrives on the plate cut in half. The meat is cooked medium rare. And the mushroom mixture delivers a delicious herby-umami flavor. It’s relatively thick, too, so it doesn’t soak the crepe or outer pastry shell. In my opinion, this dish alone is worth trip. And the fish and chips? The best I’ve ever had. Two sizeable haddock fillets are enrobed in a light batter and fried to a delicate crisp. The coating isn’t bready, so it doesn’t soak up the oil like a sponge, and the white fish is mild, moist, and flaky. That comes with a little side of tartar sauce that delivers a welcome punch and a small portion of mashed peas that serve as a mildly sweet contrast. The potatoes are thrice fried and seasoned with salt and a little garlic. I love fries, and these rank high on my list of favorites—no malt vinegar, ketchup, or ranch dressing required.

Credit: courtesy of Gordon Ramsay at The Carnaby

I wish I could have tried everything on the menu, but it’s too vast, with five appetizers (including wings), three salad offerings (a Caesar and a Waldorf among them), and 14 entrees. Branzino, a Wagyu burger, chickpea tikka masala (for the vegetarians), roasted salmon, and chicken Milanese stand alongside traditional British faves like bangers and mash, and cottage pie.

During lunch service (from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.), guests can also order The Idiot Sandwich, which puts a thrice-fried chicken breast with G.F.C. (Gordon Fried Chicken) sauce between a brioche bun with a choice of fries or a salad, and a dill pickle to break it all down. There’s also a Prawn Cocktail Roll—like a lobster roll but with poached prawns, Marie Rose sauce (similar to Thousand Island), avocado puree, American caviar, and malt vinegar potato “crisp.” Kids have a special menu featuring bites such as a grilled cheese sandwich, chicken tenders, and macaroni and cheese.

And because no dining experience is truly complete without dessert, The Carnaby offers guests an Oreo cheesecake, a decadent chocolate tart (with salted caramel, chocolate sauce, and whipped white chocolate), and an ice cream sundae with the traditional accompaniments plus cotton candy. But, as I said, I couldn’t leave without sampling Ramsay’s mom’s sticky toffee pudding. It’s very different than it sounds—it’s not as sticky as you might think, and it’s not really a bread pudding. Rather, the treat is built upon a serving of spice cake made with dates, toffee sauce, and a scoop of ice cream. It’s not too sweet but gifted with plenty of wonderful textures. Scrummy!

Restaurant Information

1553 S. Disneyland Drive
Anaheim
gordonramsayatthecarnaby.com

Hours
Open daily, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Price Range
Appetizers, $14 to $24
Salads, $17 to $18 (plus $10 to $18 for protein add-ons)
Mains, $29 to $73
Kids, $16
Sides, $12 to $16
Desserts, $15 to $17

The genius behind the “Hell’s Kitchen” franchise of culinary competitions and successful restaurants has been credited with many colorful catch phrases. You’ll see a nod to one of them (“Idiot Sandwich”) on the menu at the new Gordon Ramsay at The Carnaby, and he put into practice another one during our chat. Here’s more of what the celebrated chef had to say.

Are you eyeing any other locations for a second Carnaby, like maybe in Los Angeles somewhere?

I’m a stickler for not jumping too fast. I want to get this concept right. It’s hard when you’re breaking something in that’s has so much demand, and the reservations are off the charts. … I want to get everything right first.

Aside from the beef Wellington and the sticky toffee pudding, The Carnaby’s menu—and entire concept, really—is noticeably different from Hell’s Kitchen. Is that the result of your friendship with Robert Earl, or has this idea of a classic English pub been marinating in your brain for some time?

We have a few pubs in the U.K., and Robert wanted to do something fun and cool. So we started talking, and I said, ‘Well, let’s not go over the top, but let’s raise the bar … so we’ve got the cottage pie, the bangers and mash, the fish and chips—they’re done beautifully, and I think that’s the essence—the discipline, the execution. … And then when you see that beautiful prime rib trolley that glides through the dining room—it’s like, prime rib in (Downtown) Disney? What’s going on? We’ve got the whipped truffle mashed potato, triple-cooked fries—it’s just a really nice way to finish the day, with a beautiful family dinner to celebrate.

So what’s your secret to creating a great menu and restaurant concept?

That’s a tough one because every chef’s dream is to be a Sunday cook and … I have six kids, and dinnertime on the weekends is when we connect the most. The conversation is open and it’s free and there’s no agenda. So service has to be unique, and we need to be nimble and sophisticated, but not in your face. The experience needs to lift the mood and set the tone … and that’s the objective.

Netflix’s “Being Gordon Ramsay” chronicled what went into creating five dining concepts at the top of London’s Bishop’s Gate skyscraper. Would you ever consider doing a United States equivalent?

I love a challenge. … I would consider that, without a doubt. I love the jeopardy—I think that’s what separates the cook from the chef in a way. I love being on the back end … I need to be challenged.

The Season 10 finale of “Kitchen Nightmares” aired in September. Will there be a Season 11?

We’ve started filming Season 11, and we’re going to do what we’re calling “the backbone of America.” We’re starting out in Minneapolis, then going to Kansas, and we’re finishing off in Nashville. So here we go.

Let’s circle back to The Carnaby now. It’s got such a fun energy and great decor. Even the placemats are fun. And I love the Easter egg—is that a photo of you as a child up there in the corner?

Yes. We never went to a hairdresser. (My mum) just used a bowl to cut my hair. It looks like I’m wearing a helmet.

For people dining here for the first time, what would you tell them to order?

Start off light—take that lovely Waldorf Salad, enjoy those candied pecans. … And then get the cottage pie. It has this amazing mash and beautiful ragu. And then you’ve got to indulge—go for the sticky toffee pudding.

What’s the one thing on the menu that you could eat every day?

Mom’s sticky toffee pudding—100 percent.

Favorite cocktail on the menu?

Two: the Tea and Whiskey and the Cherry Baby—it’s unique and refreshing.

And, finally, in three words, describe The Carnaby experience?

Fun. Creative. Nostalgic.