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St John

Andy Lynes
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Andy Lynes

Andy Lynes

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Posted
So those long an tortuous meals you had to endure to sort it out were worth it then?

It wasn't easy, there only so much enjoyment a man can bear. But I want you to know that I did it for you and all the eGullet.com members out there.

(God, I'm just so selfless!).

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macrosan

macrosan

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What with this thread rolling to the top of the board, and Fergus's Q&A starting to bubble, I'm beginning to get a touch of the JD's (St Johns Dance). I need to go there, even if the chicken necks are off. Maybe Monday night would be good ....

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Simon Majumdar

Simon Majumdar

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Posted (edited)
What with this thread rolling to the top of the board, and Fergus's Q&A starting to bubble, I'm beginning to get a touch of the JD's (St Johns Dance). I need to go there, even if the chicken necks are off. Maybe Monday night would be good ....

I'm in, even if it is in the company of someone who couldn't hack it as an Ombud on an internet food site

S

Edited by Simon Majumdar (log)
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macrosan

macrosan

Posted
Posted
I'm in, even if it is in the company of someone who couldn't hack it as an Ombud on an internet food site

OK, 7pm Monday. Anyone else ?

... and oh LOL, punster extraordinaire ... hacking ... Internet site ... very good, very funny. Obviously an accident :laugh:

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ngatti

ngatti

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Posted
I'm in, even if it is in the company of someone who couldn't hack it as an Ombud on an internet food site

OK, 7pm Monday. Anyone else ?

... and oh LOL, punster extraordinaire ... hacking ... Internet site ... very good, very funny. Obviously an accident :laugh:

To para Deborah Kerr.

Martin,

Years from now...When you speak of this...(and you will)...be kind.

Nick :laugh::laugh:

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macrosan

macrosan

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So it's me, Simon, Robin, Akiko, Tony and Vanessa.

7pm at the bar it is, and we'll wait till 7.30 or so to eat. If anyone else wants to come, just turn up and we'll book a bigger table. St John tables are cunningly designed to slide together to accommodate larger numbers :smile:

When I arrive I will check that they have an extra suckling pig in stock for Tony, and its mother for Simon and Robin. I hope smoked sprats are in season.

I'm looking forward to this --- it should be fun.

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Akiko

Akiko

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WAH!! :angry:

chaos has struck, I most certainly won't be coming out of any meeting at a normal time tonight... so I'll be eating horrible sandwiches that they'll have ordered in for us instead of a lovely meal with all of you.

You must tell all about it tomorrow... so I can drool over the meal...

Amedama on the Go Go!
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macrosan

macrosan

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Well what a lovely evening it was. There certainly is something different and very special about St John, a kind of joie de servir which generates a joie de manger. It comes from the bar staff, the kitchen staff and the front of house staff in equal measure, and is exactly reflected in the menu and the wine list and the food on the plate.

I arrived first and manfully propped up the bar whilst nurturing a bottle of white wine I had never heard of (so nothing new there). It was a 2000 Paullerenc du Vic Bhil (?) and it was deliciously crisp and almost sweet-and-sour. As the other eGs arrived, the bottle seemed to empty very quickly, and we switched to a red. I don't know what it was, but it was light and easy to drink, and very petrolly.

So into the restaurant, where we were greeted by our server for the evening, a young lady whose contribution to our enjoyment of the evening was significant. Usual menu and wine list discussion, wine taking precedence of course :smile: On my last two visits to St John I have had pea pods and smoke sprats as a starter; so to continue the practice of choosing the sort of dish you would never think of ordering in a restaurant, I selected Radishes and Butter. It's interesting that I've asked Fergus in his Q&A to express a view on these "buy them and serve them" dishes on his menu, but this dish spoke for itself. The radishes wer terrific - crisp and moist inside, hardly peppery at all, all texture and very seubtle flavour. The "butter" was amazing. More like an aioli vinaigrette :rolleyes: it was smooth and sharp, and just perfect with the radishes. At about £4, this was a steal.

My main course was roast pigeon with artichoke (?) which was excellent. Simple, plain roast pigeon, very gamy and perfectly cooked. Simon M was choosing the wine, and although what we had was pleasant, it wasn't the ideal accompaniment for game. I managed to drink it just to show willing :laugh:

My dessert was rhubarb and custard. Well I thought it was, but it turned out to be rhubatb and cream. And here we go again. I mean, stewed rhubarb is just stewed rhubarb, isn't it ? But this stewed rhubarb was fantastic. Not overcooked, beautiful pink colour, acid and sweet, and not served in a glutinous sweet juice as it sometimes is. The cream was a definite mistake. After all, who eats cream with rhubarb ? It should definitely have been custard, and I was tempted to offer to go cook some myself. Must send a letter to Fergus about this :wink:

There was much dessert wine flowing at the later stages, but I dutifully avoided that because I value my driving licence too highly. Maybe that's also why I'm the first to post this morning :rolleyes:

The bill came to £65 a head all in, which included (I guess) six bottles of wine among the six of us. Excellent value, I think. St John has become for me what Gramercy Tavern or Babbo represents for me in New York. The place where I will never be disappointed, and one where every visit makes me look forward to the next.

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Simon Majumdar

Simon Majumdar

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Much as Martin said.

I started with Pig's cheek ham with cornichons. Wonderful and chewy.

I followed with Squirrel braised and with the guts pureed on toast. I loved it, i think rob was less taken. The guts particularly were excellent

We also ordered a Steak & kidney pie for the table. The crust was excellent, but there was not enough filling for my liking

Pud was a ginger something not unlike Parkin. Pleasant

Great value, wines fair to middling, excellent company

8/10

S

Edited by Simon Majumdar (log)
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Tonyfinch

Tonyfinch

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I was going to say.....Martin forgot to mention the Braised Squirrel and Wild Garlic- it's a dish like that which really makes St J. different. Personally I passed in favour of the Pigeon with Chicory but Robin seemed a mite keen to offload some of his, so I tasted some of the meat and the pureed guts on toast-not to my taste I'm afraid, really pungent and gamey-I'm just not man enough for that kind of thing.

I also love St John but the last couple of times I've been I've noticed that some of the dishes come atop very thin watery juices-not rich enough to be called a sauce or a gravy, not constructed enough for a jus. Both my dishes had this last night and I'm not too keen. I'm sure this never used to be the case and next time I go I think I'll ask the charming servers to hold the liquor. The flavour of the pigeon was lovely, however-great company good booze but I'd had a heavy birthday weekend thanks ,in part, to the Majumdar boys cooking up a porchetta and pork fest. for me on Saturday night and I was KNACKERED- so apologies for falling asleep head down in me Eccles Cake.

Edited by Tonyfinch (log)
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Vanessa

Vanessa

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Lovely evening: lovely restaurant, lovely company. But too much wine, mayonnaise (with the lovely langoustines) and beef marrow do not a happy tummy make.

This was my first visit and I will be back. Unfortunately I am rarely in that part of London but will definitely make a point of popping for a drink or a snack or a meal or whatever. A perfectly run restaurant in my view: the mix of laid-backness and professionalism is right.

I had langoustines with mayonnaise then beef marrow. I'd call the marrow something to be experienced, but not repeated. Also a portion of the steak & kidney pie. I agree with Simon over the meagre but good filling, but I found the pastry a bit too thin and crispy. Eccles cake and Lancashire cheese were lovely, although I was starting to suffer from overdose of ill-chosen fatty foods by then.

Tasted the squirrel and concur with Tony. Just not my cup of tea. Pig's cheek also fantastic - similar to Italian guanciale.

Very good value overall.

v

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Gavin Jones

Gavin Jones

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Posted

A shock to realise I had never talked to Tony sober, an infelicity I swiftly rectified.

Pig's cheek ham was excellent - very spicy cure.

Squirrel tasted like a rabbit with a personality. The trail on toast was a good deal gamier - close to the woodcock level - which I like in a small creature.

Ginger cake & ginger ice cream was good - very treacly parkin in effect. I have never eaten an eccles cake as I have seen the terrible effects of addiction in others.

Tony's starter of squid/fennel/aioli was outstanding - close to a chinese combination of textures.

The side order of steak & kidney pie had, as pointed out, a rather watery filling - reflecting the absence of significant quantities of starch.

It would be a good restaurant to frequent if you felt that carbs led to death.

Wilma squawks no more

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