Forgoing the Holiday Inn buffet-esque delights of the Galleries First catering, I decided to try out Plane Food. The restaurant has a fine location in the centre of the terminal, and despite being surrounded (albeit at a lower level) on all sides by the shopping areas isn’t noisy. There is a big bar area – perfect for a drink if travelling with a non-status holding group – and around 80 covers in the dining area.

There is a menu online, though there are seasonal variations. Don’t do what I did and start obsessing about the veal main course only to find it isn’t on. In fact I was unlucky three times, as the Otago Pinot Noir I wanted had run out, along with the roast cod.

Service was crispy and efficient, and the food came quickly though drinks seemed inordinately slow. I chose the chicken liver parfait with foie gras from the list of 6 starters. It was decent enough, but the layer of slightly liquid gelatine on the top made for an unappetising appearance. 4 slices of fresh, crisp sourdough toast was a plus in terms of flavour, texture and quantity.

The special of the day main course was venison pie which seemed just right on such a cold day. It did not disappoint. Despite being oddly deconstructed, with two discs of shortcrust pastry sandwiching the ‘pie filling’, it was rich, well cooked with plenty of venison and – heave be praised – vegetables that had not been cooked to the point of mushiness. Some crisp green curly kale on the side added colour, but was over salted. There were 8 other main options split between fish and meat along with 4 salads and some sandwich snack options so plenty of versatility there.

Dessert was a grave disappointment. One of my personal food prejudices is that ice cream has no place as a dessert. A snack yes (ideally fresh gelato), but should only be eaten as a dessert by children and Americans. Sadly, the overly doughy profiteroles turned out to be filled with ice cream. What is wrong with crème pattisiere FFS? Very poor.

The wine list looked well chosen, if also well marked up in line with every Ramsay restaurant I’ve been too. The bill came to GBP45 including a respectable glass of Australian Shiraz. They were happy to provide tap water and include ice and a slice too.

Summary. A perfectly decent meal (save the profiteroles) and reasonable value, though the prices might cause sticker shock for some citizens of the North.. No great gastronomic experience, but in line with the sort of modern British cooking the gastropub revolution has spawned and reassuring free of twee tourist cliches like afternoon tea or ‘classic’ fish and chips. The breakfast menu does look well worth a try.