Heathrow's Terminal 5

I am back from my trip to Greece, so my upcoming posts will be about my trip to Santorini and Athens (with lots of photos for those who wish to travel vicariously).

My trip to Greece started at Heathrow's Terminal 5, the ultra modern British Airways transportation hub which features shops like Harrod's selling everything from Thierry Mugler dresses to Lulu Guiness handbags.

Of course I did shop, but my main pastime is food, and with Caviar House in the terminal, I had to stop by for a taste (that is water, not vodka in the picture).

They offer a great selection caviar tastings, smoked salmon, or seafood plates (I opted for the seafood salad since I didn't want to blow my vacation budget on my airport layover). Considering that I was in an airport in London, this salad was actually quite decent, with fresh greens and tender seafood (about $25 USD); I was not wowed by it, but the staff was so friendly and the location so animated, that I would make this a stop again if I had time to eat or have a drink in Heathrow.

Because Caviar House is associated with Prunier, the French chcolatier in this airport endeavor, they serve their coffees with a taste of their fine dark chocolate; anyone wanting more than a taste can buy some at the shop across from the restaurant to take home (I resisted).

My five hour layover gave me enough time to actually have another light meal before boarding, so I opted for a salad at Plane Food, Gordon Ramsey's chic take away or eat in restaurant, figuring I had to try his food even if I hated his personality. The space is beautifully designed with a view of their kitchen on one side and the runways on the other.

I ordered the duck salad on rocket (arugula) for about $30 USD, thinking it would be a light tasty meal before boarding my 3.5 hour flight to Greece. The salad looked lovely when it arrived.

But once I ate the top, the middle of the salad was drenched in a sickeningly sweet dressing that made it inedible. For $30 USD this was a total waste of money. Fortunately the waiter did notice that I did not eat my salad and sent the manager over when I told him it was inedible. The manager offered to remove it from my bill but since I had already paid, this was an empty gesture. He offered a gratis glass of wine, which I did accept simply to try to erase the taste of the salad dressing from my memory.

Hopefully I will not have another five hour layover at Heathrow, but if I do I know to avoid Plane Food and head straight over to Caviar House.