Tipped

The one place in london

July 04, 2008

If there is one place I recommend more than any other in London it is St. John. The meal will be one you talk about for ages afterwards, whether you enjoyed it or not. It is always an adventure and may be the first time many people in your party have had a good English meal.

Tags: cuisine: traditional english

Small Plates, Big Flavor

May 30, 2008

I would give St. John Bread & Wine 5 points just for their sourdough bread. Since I walk by it twice a day every day, I often stop by and pick up bread. Not only is it handy, the bread is hands down the beast bread I have eaten in London.

But they do way more than bread. Many people will be familiar with the original St. John restaurant, famous for their unflinching use of offal and old fashioned cuts of meats. St. John Bread & Wine is not just a second location with a bakery and wine shop - it is a different spin on the original concept, this time with a focus on small shared plates of incredibly flavorful food. Our waitress described it as "English tapas", which is about as close as you can get to describing their food.

I could list the numerous amazing things they serve, but all you really need to know is: 1) everything on the menu is stellar, so just order a bunch of things that sound interesting, 2) you can very easily eat a new species/genus/family of animal and you're nearly guaranteed to enjoy it, and 3) they make fresh baked madeleines to order. Foie gras and duck liver pate on toast with sea salt, gull's egg with celeriac, blah blah blah...did I mention that they make fresh, hot madeleines to order?

Tags: cuisine: traditional english, fine wine, bread, bakery