Tipped

Delightful, delicious

June 05, 2008

Having previously raved about St John, Hereford Rd was on my 'to do' list for some time but getting last minute bookings was always impossible. So last bank holiday I planned ahead and got a table Sunday night.

And what a delight. The selection of interesting offal was equal to St John, but courses were a litte more substantial, as they included a salad/ serving of veg on the plate. It was 'kid' season, ie baby goat. Apparently its not a common meal in Britain but our chef informed us that a lovely lady in Somerset provides him with goat cheese, and also rears kids for eating (a few weeks in Spring only). And it tasted great - a little like lamb but more lean.

My husband started with Ox Tongue (err) which tasted a bit like sausage and had a strange texture. But he ate it and enjoyed the experience. I went for duck hearts which were quite rich, but the small portion was perfect.

For mains my husband had kid offal which he thoroughly enjoyed, and I went for the 'boring' choice of roast beef which was pink, bordering raw, but melted in my mouth. Lovely! We made room for desserts - I had a buttermilk pudding which was light and refreshing. Robert went for the Eton Mess which was far too filling on top of his meaty courses.

Love wine and fantastic service made it a fabulous night. I also love the layout - there is a big dining area in the back but a few small tables (for two) which run along by the open kitchen. We really enjoyed watching the chefs at work and being educated by them about baby goats. The three course meal with a bottle of wine and 2 glasses of dessert wine was ~ £120 which felt like great value for the quality. I'm glad Hereford Road is close to home as I'll be back there soon - assuming I can get a table!

St Johns without having to go East!

December 03, 2007

Oh we are so lucky in Notting Hill to have Tom Pemberton, the former head chef of St. John Bread and Wine, come over to our neighbourhood and grace us with this fantastic new addition. The menu is similar to St John's and reasonably priced. The food is amazing. I literally hurt myself by eating so much. Notable menu items:

Cod cheeks, white beans, parsley and garlic
Warm Salad of Duck Hearts and Livers
Mutton chops and lentils (this was a special of the day and exceptional)
Sticky Date Pudding (to die for)