St Alban

Extremely good restaurant. Took my wife here for her 30th birthday as we wanted somewhere with really nice, but not fussy, food. The atmosphere even on a Monday night was buzzy and the room decor is unusual without being outlandish. I quite liked the shared sofas which make a meal for two particularly intimate. The food was outstanding. My duck pappardelle for starter was one of the nicest things I have eaten while my wife's main of the veal ossubucco was also absolutely first class. I had mentioned to them on booking that it was my wife's birthday so when we shared the beautiful yoghurt and honeycomb for dessert they put a candle in it along with a happy birthday message and gave us two glasses of champagne. Very impressive. The wine list was also excellent and had some interesting and well priced Iberian and Italian wines which made a nice change. Overall the food was simple but beautifully done and the service and atmopshere were great. My wife loved the place and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
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Jeremy Liebster
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, April 17, 2008

Can't fault the place. Great service - really, really excellent. Very attentive and helpful with suggestions. I was most impressed by the maitre d' who provided some sterling suggestions for wines that were reasonable and great. No attempt made to choose overpriced wines whatsoever.

The food was really excellent. Nothing too fancy. Just great ingredients that were well cooked and well presented.

I note some people have said things about the atmosphere/decor. We had a great table and I thought the interior was superb.

Highly recommended. I just hope they can maintain these exceptional standards.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Overrated. The food and servcie are better than everage but the atmosphere is odd. It's like eating in a cinema.
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gus
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 4
Friday, February 22, 2008

We just left St Alban a few minutes ago, and if both of us had not been terribly jet-lagged we would have enjoyed it even more.

We ordered the large tortelli with ricotta/walnust and sun-dried tomatoes to share to begin - superb! The pasta was al dente and the filling was rich but not sickening, which can happen so easily with cheese stuffings.

I had the grilled breem, also excellent, very simple in preparation, with a side of steamed spinach - and what a joy to actually have JUST spinach, instead of spinach drowning in butter or oil. R had the fish stew - a subtle essence of fennel/anise, but not in any way overpowering. Good service, good food, and a lovely, relaxed space; highly recommended.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 9
Saturday, February 09, 2008

PERFECT IN EVERY WAY!!!!

Me and my boyfriend spent the weekend away for his birthday and decided to dine here, and we couldn't of chosen a better place. The food was amazing, and the staff were outstanding they personalised our visit accordingly by wishing my boyfriend a happy birthday in chocolate on his dessert plate and gave us both a free glass of bubbly. THIS PLACE IS FANTASTIC. We were seated in a rather romantic corner and everything was perfect. Value for money was excellent and i have already booked again in a few weeks.
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Sarah
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, January 21, 2008

Great service, great ambience, mediocre food. Being told the pototo for the day is roast pots, is not good when you've both just ordered light fish dishes. Surprisingly, not alternative was offered!

Anyway, the service and ambience may be enough to make us try it again.
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Pete - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Sunday, January 13, 2008

just comeback from ST ALBAN this evening was perfect especially the service

the food was perfect looking forward to the next meal.
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debbie
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, January 12, 2008

The atmosphere and decor of the restaurant was excellent, all be it with rather strange wall hangings, which were a conversation piece.

The service was very good, attentive and friendly without being 'in your face' as it were.

The food was the let down. We were expecting exceptional food and what we experienced was average. The basket of breads and oil was extremely good with excellent fruity oil and a good variety of breads.

My mushroom bruschetta was far too salty and I could barely taste the mushrooms.

The slow roasted pork for main was cooked to perfection and was delicious. But, the cabbage was far too salty, the side dishes of spinach and roasted potatoes again were far too salty.

We did not have time to try dessert due to the 2 hour table limit, and a little too much chatting by us over our wonderful bottle of chateau de pape.

Overall it was ok, but, definite room for improvement.
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Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 2
Monday, November 26, 2007

I've lived in London for the last 13 years and I had plenty of insanely expensive meals that were above all an aberration of what qulity food should be. In the last 2 weeks I've been to Nozomi (GBP200 for two), Pied a Terre (don't want 2 remember the bill and the food for that matter...and all with a 1 star michelin restaurant) and Maze (never again)...well what could I expect from St Alban after years of bitter dissapointments? Not much especially after discovering the place by chance. Well it was one of the most satisfying meals I have ever had in London with everything spotless. The service is by a mile the best I've ever had in London, attentive and polite. The decor is somber and very art deco and it makes you feel at ease without being too pretentious or over styled. The food was fabulous the pulpo ala plancha with a twist of paprika was just perfect, as a second course we had the paela that had nothing to envy what I had this summer in Spain...actually it was better. I find embarassing how some presumably top restaurants offer you hard as rock baguettes bought the day before at Tesco's...here they brought a basket with freshly baked breads reminiscent of what you get in quality restaurants in Italy and France.

I was reluctant to review this restaurant as I egoistically wanted to keep one the best restaurants in central london a well kept secret. However St Albans deserves to be praised and I would not mind having to que up to be seated. For all the many dissapointed souls in search of an excellent restaurant in st.james look no further...
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Alex
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, November 25, 2007

I love this restaurant!

I went for a business meeting last thursday night, and I was most impressed with the friendly staff, the fabulous interior and of course the food - wow! The food is very impressive. The restaurant also has an extensive wine list - the biggest Ive seen. I was most impressed with the service and friendliness of the staff.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, September 30, 2007