http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john <b>St. John</b><br />London, 26 St. John Street, EC1M 4AY, United Kingdom en http://trustedplaces.com/uploads/placepics/trustedplaces.comaPlacePic['name']}.140.jpg http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1t3fg9
Review by kristainlondon

Rating: 4.00
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I love the bar at St. John more than anything. I like its no-frillsness. The service is always informed and friendly, and I like how over the years, I generally have seen the same few people over and over again.

When I'm in the bar, I normally just get a pint of Greenwich Meantime and a slice of Welsh Rarebit. The Welsh Rarebit is deliciously unctuous, cheesy, and spicy. You should order one. Soon.]]> Sun, 31 Aug 2008 13:56:36 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1t3fg9310029539 kristainlondon 51.520789 -0.101547 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1o8e38
Review by Food_Snob

Rating: 3.00
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Illustrated Critique:

http://foodsnobblog.wordpress.com/category/restaurant-reviews/st-john-restaurant-reviews/

Text-only Critique:

Whilst reflecting on the previous eveningâ¬"s meal at St. John, embellishing on the notes I had made mid-mouthful, it came to my attention that I had not left a tip when settling the bill. I must admit, having idly inured to seeing that now-standard syntax, 12.5%-discretionary-service-charge-included, so often, when it came to paying, I literally did not give the gratuity a single thought. An honest mistake, nâ¬"est-ce pas? Well, it was a mistake that would return to haunt me that very day⬦

This aforementioned reflection had made me hungry and memories of that lovely posset in particular stoked within me a pining for pudding(s). Now, I do think it a little particular to patronise the same restaurant twice in two days, but there were mitigating circumstances: I had yet to try anything truly curious or unfamiliar on the menu and St. John would be closing for the summer just two days later, making another visit impossible (for two months anyway). I had to make the most of this opportunity.

On arrival, given the same table as the night before ⬠I was on the road to becoming a regular ⬠I wasted no time analysing the menu. The pudding list, which was where my attention first focussed itself (please note the passive tense here), was indeed enticing, but alas, once again the rest of the menu disappointed: no sign of lambsâ¬" fry, squirrel, not even that Langoustines & Mayonnaise starter I had read of just about everywhere. I had to reconcile myself with rabbit.

A waiter approached. It was, of course, the very same gentleman that served me last night; as if it could have ever really have been anyone else. Now, not that I was expecting/looking forward to a hug or a bout of cheek-kissing, but I do think a friendly welcome should be de rigueur. He acknowledged me (just about). I greeted him with a joke. He (grudgingly) admitted remembering me. He demanded my order. â¬ÜAny specials today?â¬" I asked hopefully/gingerly. â¬ÜNone.â¬" Of course not, I said to myself. â¬ÜWhat do your recommend?â¬" â¬ÜEverything is good.â¬" Oh boy, this is going to be fun. â¬ÜHow is the Squid, Fennel & Green Sauce prepared?â¬" (I am a glutton for punishment). â¬ÜWith a Salsa Verde.â¬" â¬ÜAnd the Cured Beef & Celeriac?â¬" â¬ÜIt comes cold.â¬" OK, enough of this, I thought, it was becoming irksome; he had spurned the chance to milk my appetite. â¬ÜThe rabbit please⬦and for pudding, Gooseberry Crumble & Custard, Chocolate Terrine & Crème Fraiche and half a dozen madeleines. I do love your puddings. That posset you recommended last night was excellent, thank you.â¬" Whatâ¬"s wrong with you? I sighed to myself.

Rabbit Saddle & Dandelion Salad was todayâ¬"s incarnation of one of my favourite meats. It certainly sounded enjoyable, but when it arrived, I quickly became dissatisfied: what appeared a decent cut of meat was on closer inspection a rather pathetic portion. The only flesh left for me to devour on the little beast consisted of two skinny shards either side of the backbone. Though served rare, with blood still visible closer to the bone, the rabbitâ¬"s certain lifelessness was evident by its total blandness. As if out of spite, the meat having already been stolen, what was left had been bled bone-dry of all the rabbitâ¬"s natural gamey richness. The salad of capers, radish and dandelion was, on the other hand, full of sour and bitter tangs. These converged in a last-bid attempt to revive the dull little bunny⬦but failed. The tender flesh did at least play nicely with the crisp roots and at least I did get to try dandelion for the first time. It tasted like chicory.

Unfortunately, over the course of my meal the attitude of the waiter did not improve. There was no pleasant banter. Dishes were brought and taken away unceremoniously. The bread was never replaced voluntary nor was the butter; if I wanted more, I had to ask for it. Then, when it was finally brought, instead of removing the empty bread basket from the table, the new one was indelicately plopped on top of the old; it was the same with the butter plates. Luckily for me, after my main course, a different waitress took over. She was sweet and friendly and for the first time that night, I received a smile.

Finally, it was time for the real (secret) reason behind my return: the puddings. Desserts are pretty, delicate objets dâ¬"art, usually better on the eye than in the bouche, but puddings, however, are real pleasures. The word itself conjures up, for me anyway, memories of cold winter days, curled up on the coach, wrapped in a warm blanket spoiling myself with a rich, naughty treat (I think Iâ¬"m treading a rather fine line here). Though not always attractive, not at all fancy nor pristine in preparation, they are gorgeous and luxurious nonetheless. At St. John, the retro-comfort puddings take the biscuit. I ordered three, well, two and a half dozen madeleines.

They arrived more or less together, allowing me to enjoy mixing and matching mouthfuls of each⬦mmmm! The madeleines were brought first and brought the warm, comfy, happy aroma of baking with them. On tasting, the slightly crisp delicate coat yielded a fluffy centre, all of which dissolved instantly in the mouth. Then came the Gooseberry Crumble & Custard. I rather like the humble old gooseberry; it is like rhubarb in use and tartness, just less cool. The white porcelain bowl could barely hold back its gushing, eager contents: the golden crust struggling to conceal the wealth bubbling beneath. The gooseberry filling had a satisfying balance of sweet and sharp. Broken almond pieces studied the firm crumble enjoyably enhancing the crunchiness of each bite. The accompanying custard was excellent; slightly runny, not too sweet and lukewarm, it tempered the thick, sugary, burning hot pud. A hint of vanilla was a nice addition. Finally, the Chocolate Terrine & Crème Fraiche arrived. The presentation was austere: a clean thick brick of dark chocolate and one spoon of milk white crème fraiche. The taste was decadent: the chocolate, deeply dark in flavour, had a playfully defiant consistency making each indulgent spoonful a game of push-and-pull. Having to fight for it only made it better. This is what a chocolate dessert ought to be. On the other hand, the crème fraiche, there to tame the chocolateâ¬"s intensity, proved superfluous and pathetic in its pacification.

I would certainly return to St. John once it reopens: hopefully in not too long, but just long enough for that waiter to forget my face. As much as I enjoyed the marrow bones, loved the bread and adored the puddings, I felt short-changed by the mains. Having tried four in all, only the devilled kidneys were a hit. The petty attitude of the waiter disappointed too. After all, a tip is not an obligation, it is a reward; as far as I am concerned, you get paid a wage to do your job and a tip for going above and beyond that. However, in good Christian fashion I will forgive him. I just pray this disciple of St. John will forgive me⬦


26 St. John Street, London, EC1M 4AY
tel: 020 7553 9842
nearest tube: Barbican, Farringdon
www.stjohnrestaurant.com
]]> Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:24:30 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1o8e381673107859 Food_Snob 51.520789 -0.101547 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1o9e28
Review by Food_Snob

Rating: 3.00
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Illustrated Critique:

http://foodsnobblog.wordpress.com/category/restaurant-reviews/st-john-restaurant-reviews/

Text-only Critique:

I must be spending far too much time in Chowhound chat rooms; a post from the esteemed Hermano Primero, of Dos Hermanos. kindly informing Chowhounds that St. John would be closing from late June until late August for â¬Sa much needed programme of refurbishment and maintenanceâ¬]]> Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:22:13 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1o9e281119991785 Food_Snob 51.520789 -0.101547 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1q3az8
Review by chrisp

Rating: 3.00
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Halfway through my starter of Rolled Pig's Spleen at St. John, and who should wander in but Fergus Henderson himself. Looking healthy and happy with his trademark inch-thick pebble glasses, he soon settled into a corner table with a few friends and held court while a succession of people congratulated him (I assume - I wasn't close enough to eavesdrop) on the newly refurbished restaurant. At the bar was gastronomic superstar Mark Hix, who I didn't see eating anything but his presence alone was presumably enough of a blessing. And during the course of the evening I think I spotted Fay Maschler amongst a healthy smattering of food critics and food lovers. St. John, where the British food revolution started, is as much a pilgrimage as a meal out for true foodies, and although not exactly hushed in the echoey whitewashed warehouse room, there was certainly a good deal of reverence from what I could tell of the other tables.

And yet. As if I haven't been in this situation enough before to learn, it's really never a good idea to build up somewhere too much, as you can only be disappointed by the reality. St. John, restaurant to the stars and voted an incredible (literally) #16 in the Restaurant Magazine top 50 restaurant list 2008 (above L'Arpege and Alaine Ducasse at the Plaza Athénée!) served me a perfectly pleasant meal which wouldn't have been out of place in any half-decent gastropub in the capital. But #16 best restaurant in the world? The mind boggles.

Back to my meal, then. Now I've never had rolled pig's spleen before (shocking, but true) so I have no way of knowing if this is better or worse than your average rolled pig's spleen. But although the bacon was clearly of high quality, the offal was tasteless albeit with a pleasant texture. I wasn't sure what to do with the accompanying little pot of vinegar, as when it was paired with the meat it completely overpowered it, and on its own was just odd. Pickels were decent and sliced onion was just that. So far so ho hum.

My main course, fortunately, was much nicer. Chitterlings (pig's intestine, in case you were wondering) were rich and salty and resembled pleasantly boiled bacon. With them were little boiled radishes, which were a bugger to spear on my fork but had a lovely subtle flavour. Around the table we variously had a pretty standard smoked mackerel, fresh if hardly mind-blowing Brill steak, and a good liver and bacon.

My dessert was "Eccles cake and Lancashire cheese". An unlikely combination, you might think, but it worked surprisingly well - the cheese wouldn't have stood out served in a cheesecourse, but its bland creaminess went nicely with the sweet raisins and pastry. And I suppose none of it was cynically priced and service was good. But unless there's something crucial that I'm missing, this is just a good gastropub, this is not a world-beating restaurant. Credit where credit's due to Henderson for cooking up parts of a pig which must cost next to nothing in wholesale and turning them into something people are prepared to pay for. But after the novelty of eating Sheep's Appendix has worn off, the elephant in the room remains - people don't often eat offal, because it usually doesn't taste very good.

The supremely ironic thing about my experience at St. John was the similarities with another restaurant that has forged a brave new gastronomic path recently. Constraining themselves to use only ingredients from an oft-neglected and inexpensive source, serving competently cooked dishes in attractive surroundings and charging premium prices, and most importantly trading on the novelty of the sourcing of said ingredients and the environmental benefits thereof, St. John has a natural sister restaurant - Saf. True, one is purely vegan and one uses offal, but I believe the connections are too strong to ignore when you consider the Raw Food Revolution is supposed to be the next big thing after nose-to-tail eating was ten years ago.

Despite the glamorous surroundings and star factor, I was left distinctly underwhelmed after the bill (£50 each since you ask) was paid and the last dregs of a rather nice Muscadet sur Lie were drained from the bottle. The best thing I can say about St. John is that you are likely to try unusual and interesting cuts of meat that you will not find anywhere else in the country, and you will have them cooked well and served with a smile. The worst thing I can say about St. John is that, most probably, you won't want to try them again.]]> Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:11:58 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1q3az81120599552 chrisp 51.520789 -0.101547 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1w4978
Review by Niamheen

Rating: 4.00
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Forgive my title, I couldn't resist!

This former part smokehouse/part townhouse, is a stunning location for a restaurant with whitewashed walls and high ceilings. Fergus Henderson is famous for his book Nose to Tail Eating, and this is reflected in the daily changing menu, which, frequently includes many types of offal including bone marrow and chitterlings.

My fellow diners were very excited about this, I was slightly nervous. In principal, it fits with my ethic, no waste and the best parts of the animal are not abandoned. I love black & white pudding and other products that are offal related but I had not braved the hardcore offal products. Iâ¬"ve only been eating meat for a couple of years now (excuses!), in a serious sense anyway, but as always, I am open to experimentation. I wasnâ¬"t alone in my trepidation, we even had a pescetarian on board, so we decided to go for a group menu at £40 a head, with our choices of a fish starter and main course and a meat starter and main course. We would also be allowed to get two a la carte starters and main courses. This was perfect, allowing me to play safe and dabble. I was quite excited at the prospect, knowing that I would definitely have a good meal and opportunities to explore.

We arrived and entered the impressive bar, and ordered some wine. Well, a kir royale first and then some red & white for the table. Not long after were ushered to the private eating area. It was quite compact but very sociable, I really liked it. I do think it made life difficult for the waiting staff, however.

The food arrived promptly, and was presented in a no frills way on large sharing plates, again very sociable and I approved. For starters we had Mussels, Leeks & Salsify and Venison Saddle, Beetroot & Pickled Walnut. I had both and they were really good, the salsify was beautiful, an unusual ingredient that deserves to be used more. It complemented the mussels perfectly and appeared to blend with the leeks. The venison was tender and delicious, although the beetroot might have overshadowed it a little. We also had a la carte Roast Bone Marrow & Parsley Salad, which I didnâ¬"t taste but it was generally very well received. Add to list for my next trip there!

For our main course we had Roast Beef & Horseradish which was served rare. We almost had a scene as everyone wanted some. Really (you know who you are ;)). We also had Brill Baked on Green & White Vegetables, predominantly fennel from what I gathered. I had the brill and it was superb, moist, tender and fragrant with the fennel which cushioned it underneath. The mains were served with big bowls of baby potaotoes and delicious spring greens.

Last course was yet to come, and already I was full. We indulged in Chocolate Mousse & Steamed Marmalade Pudding. Both enormous and decadent. I am not a fan of steamed puddings generally and this one didnâ¬"t convert me, but the others liked it. The chocolate mousse was sloppy and divine, I could have dived into it.

What did I think overall? The service was a little erratic but then so were we. A friend there that night, had been there before and she was quite surprised as the service had always been excellent on previous visits. The food was delicious and I definitely want to go back again, except next time, perhaps in a smaller group. Itâ¬"s an opportunity to try great english food: good ingredients cooked very well (my mantra!), all in a lovely setting. Itâ¬"s also a place to be brave and try something you might not normally eat, like chitterlings or bone marrow. I would recommend it and will be going back for more.]]> Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:52:14 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1w4978874751783 Niamheen 51.520789 -0.101547 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1f0728
Review by gastro1

Rating: 5.00
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Genuis in simplicity.

St John is a unique restaurant serving great simple food that is beautifully executed.

It is not the 10th best restaurant in the world - as suggested by one well known top 50 list - its not even 1,000th .

Fergus Henderson has created a classic and long may he and it ssurvive.]]> Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:25:00 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1f0728181178822 gastro1 51.520789 -0.101547 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1y03a9
Review by antimega

Rating: 5.00
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Solid British cooking, from the simple to the offaly - backed up with a great bakery and bar.]]> Tue, 31 Jul 2007 10:11:48 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1y03a91127394898 antimega 51.520789 -0.101547 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1w93k8
Review by lenalouise

Rating: 5.00
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This is one of my favourite restaurants in London. Very British cuisine with a modern twist. The dishes are fairly simple but are cooked really well. They only make a certain amount of dishes for each service so when they run out, then that's it which ensures everything is freshly made. Also, it's fun to keep an eye on the blackboard to make sure the dishes you want are still available! I tend to pre-order my dessert if I can see it's running low.

I've been lucky enough to try their suckling pig (feeds 14-16). I can't recommend it enough. It's the only thing I've eaten that has made me cry because it was so good (although I'd had a few drinks...)lol

It's not the cheapest place but it's somewhere to go for a nice treat. Enjoy.]]> Sat, 28 Jul 2007 21:35:32 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1w93k81191457860 lenalouise 51.520789 -0.101547 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1v33z8
Review by qwghlm

Rating: 5.00
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I was always wary of going in here in case it didn't live up to the hype, but I finally bit the bullet. My only regret was not doing it sooner - the food was utterly gorgeous, especially the bone marrow on toast and the rare roast beef. You certainly couldn't eat here day in day out (not just the cost but the sheer richness) but an absolute must for anyone who appreciates the fine art of meat. Food to die for.]]> Fri, 27 Jul 2007 23:23:01 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1r22f7a/st-john/1v33z8623182848 qwghlm 51.520789 -0.101547