St John Bread & Wine

'If you're going to kill the animal, it seems only polite to use the whole thing...'

[Fergus Henderson MBE]

‘Fat is friendly’ according to Fergus Henderson, co-founder of Smithfield’s St. JOHN. Formerly a dilapidated smokehouse and Marxism Today HQ, San Pellegrino now consider the venue worthy of its 16th best restaurant slot. I went there in search of Braised Squirrel a couple of years ago only to be told that it was out of season. The ‘Stonehenge’ of unctuous Bone Marrow, spread on toast and sprinkled with chopped parsley and salt flakes more then made up for the nutty rodent’s mysterious non-attendance, however.

I ventured to the sequel of the spiritual sherpa of ‘nose to tail’ dining for a friend’s last supper in the UK. St. JOHN BREAD and WINE faces another market in the throes of gastronomic gentrification, Spitalfields. Like the original, it is basically a white cube occasionally interrupted by bold Times New Roman lettering. Solid tables regularly punctuate the chequerboard floor. These are wisely undressed, sparing launderers from scrubbing gory spillages.

Faced with a menu promising Snails, Ox Liver and Pig’s Cheek, several members (female) of our rather large party appeared tense. Needless to say by the evening’s conclusion, most had gratifyingly warmed to the notion of abattoir chic, all diving in, tapas style.

We started with a little humour. What initially appeared to be a fruit salad: kiwi, kumquat, watermelon and cherry turned out to be succulent tomatoes at various stages of ripeness, seasoned with a little salt and pepper. The tigers, with veins exposed, were particularly crisp. After smooth Foie Gras & Duck Liver Toast, coarse Potted Pork was juicy, tender and soothing. It was served with slightly translucent gherkin discs.

Mussels, sprinkled with lots of finely diced Lovage leaf, melted like snails. Extruded Snails lacquered with Brown Butter, Nettles and onion strings tasted of lettuce pulled from the soil, mingled with mushroom. I felt no noticeable garlic.

Peas & St. Tola were spiked by small mint leaves. The organic Irish goat’s cheese was sliced thin and had a lovely aftertaste. Perfect synergy.

Cured Sea Trout was lighter in colour then salmon, moist, closely textured and thicker cut. It was served with a cucumber nest laced with vinaigrette. Long langoustines, shells like armour and one apparently covering its eyes, landed with a bowl of thick, eggy mayonnaise. I scooped the last drops with site-baked sourdough.

Crisp Pig’s Cheeks were throat-tricklingly, almost glycerously fatty centred. They lay next to cosy boiled baby potato textured Butterbeans.

A bottle of organic New Zealand Pinot Noir, brought under the kind corkage blanket, accompanied. Danny Schuster’s Twin Vineyards from Canterbury had slight sage notes on the nose, which worked well with the pork, with a milky, alcoholically hot, slightly sweet palate.

By now the eight of us were almost fighting to get to each new plated appearance. Two John Dory, side by side, looked like Piranhas and smelt of warm, lemony breadcrumbs. The fish incidentally wears a secondary, false eye dot near its tail to fool predators. It didn’t trick me, however, as I tucked into the fleshy meat around the socket, further freaking out our more squeamish companions. Marsh Samphire was muted by butter. I dearly wish chefs would stop deafening the salty freshness of this finely flavoured ingredient.

Ox Liver & Watercress was sensational. Hearty, warming, musky, winey (in colour as well as aroma). Somehow feral it also smelt slightly smokily of Worcestershire Sauce. This was the best dish; it almost made me want to befriend the butcher.

A bottle of ’96 Chateau Lanessan Cru Bourgeois probably worked well with St. JOHN’s liver as well as my own organ. It was slightly bitter, tasting of freshly turned soil and almonds with graceful, rounded tannins.

The recipient of Caramel Ice Cream complained it tasted too much like real caramel as opposed to some confectionery giant’s concoction. And the brain-freezing Lemon Sorbet with Russian Vodka was considered “too sobberingly refreshing”. Perhaps such comments wore worse on those uttering them. Either way, the vodka lead to a bout of “Hitchcock’s” according to the hiccougher…Finally, Madeleines (fifteen minutes) were deeply fresh. A breath of the bakery across the dining room.

Having already been inducted into the St. John experience, I launched myself into this evening with gusto. Excepting the Samphire, I found respect for each ingredient, be it animal, fish, fruit or vegetable. All critics become fine tuned to frippery. Two small London restaurants, inexpensively built, loyally staffed, have revived the reviled. An accessible reminder about the power of taste. Cosy, nurturing, gooey and juicy...

Life-affirmingly, bloodily delicious, in fact.

'…there’s a menu flying over you…’ [Fergus Henderson on fowl] Much has been written about Fergus Henderson’s attitude to living with a rare strain of Parkinson’s. Rather then regurgitate the details, here is what he ate in recovery following four hours of Deep Brain Stimulation: whole white truffle risotto (prepared by peer, Giorgio Locatelli).
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Douglas Blyde
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Friday, July 25, 2008

We went here for sunday lunch, it was fantastic. The food was something you dont get everyday, Longhorn beef on dripping toast with watercress was definately worth it and the wine was reasonably priced. The staff were attentive and not overpowering. I would definately go again.
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Lisa Crane
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Friday, July 18, 2008

We went for dinner at St John Bread & Wine last night. Sat down to order at 8.15 and nearly all of the specials had already sold out (with a prefix of '8pm' chalked up before them - perhaps I'm missing something, but if this is when you can start ordering them, how come they lasted only 15 minutes?). We ordered crab toast which was delicious, but the food comes out in an odd order - we'd ordered a pea salad and a green salad to accompany the crab but these two dishes had come first, followed by the toasts; chewing your way through an interminable plateful of little gem lettuce is not exactly the most edifying dining experience. Desserts are where this place excels - a lemon posset and rum and raisin ice cream were delicious and perfectly executed. But what really gets me here, food aside, is the pretentiousness of the menu. 'Stinking Bishop and Cornish News'? Why, that's Cornish new potatoes. And peas and Old Ford? Old Ford Goat's Cheese. But of course! Seriously, why confound and confuse your customers like this? It smacks of arrogance and pretentiousness and though I always enjoy eating here, it puts me off going back again.
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whipped - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Friday, May 30, 2008

I have always been a great fan of the St. John 'method', and am very happy to see the influence that Fergus Henderson has had on the style of british cooking over the past decade or so. The now emerging british style of restaurant is nothing but a good thing.

I think the problem now lies in the fact that many other places do this style so much better than the original.

My visit last Thursday to the Spitalfields branch was terrible. Crab toast was barely more than an insipid brown sludge spread sparingly across over toasted bread. I feared for my front teeth with each bite. Whilst you know what you are signing up to with the spare menu descriptions, the stinking bishop and jersey royals was a disappointment, especially as half the potatoes were inedible.

The smoked mackerel and horse radish was fine, but to my taste the mackerel could have tasted, well, more smokey. Our other dish of boiled eggs and monks beard arrived halfway through the meal.

Desserts were better, though the trifle was too large and had no identifiable flavour apart from vanilla custard.

Our wine, a cote de roussillon 2004, was ok, I guess foer the money.

Service was good, though not particularly helpful.

I am very disappointed that what should be a consisitently excellent experience is so hit and miss.
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David Jenkins - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 3
Thursday, February 28, 2008

A great experience .Efficient friendly service and interesting food. Oysters were hte best I've had for ages. Reasonable prices.
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maz
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Saturday, February 16, 2008

I go to this restaurant at least once a week and it has it days!

First of all I have to say that the staff there had changed about six months ago and not for the best!

The food there does depend on the menu, but as a rule go for the starters, their toast with duck liver or crab are fabulous.

And this place is the BEST for deserts in London, I have never ever had better desserts anywhere else. My favoirute include: any jellyes, treacle tart, cheesecake and gingerbread pudding!
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- View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, January 09, 2008

I had a fabulous lunch here last friday. The dining room was packed and there was a very nice atmosphere of people having a good time. I was particularly amused watching a delivery man struggling through the restaurant with what looked like half a cow over his shoulder! For a meat eater like me it enhanced my meal no end thinking of what would be done with that wonderful specimen! I shall be back to find out.
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Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, November 28, 2007

St John Bread & Wine needs to be experienced as a moment in time. There must be a pause between taking a seat in the utiliatarian dining space and the embrace of late-night air, stumbling home after an extra bottle of wine.

This is not McDonalds, nor indeed Hospital Rd. St John Bread & Wine is a restaurant where you must relax, eat, enjoy. I have eaten in this 'second' restaurant of Fergus Henderson's almost every week for a year and must say it has become consistently better. The kitchen can be slow, but when the food arrives it is nothing short of exceptional. The cooking is considered - the game I have eaten recently, from Grouse to Pheasant, Mallard and Teal is always tender and rich. At the other end of the spectrum, the butterbeans and lentils are luxurious - skins and pulp that perfect midpoint between al dente and giving.

The fact that this restaurant lives in the shadow of its elder sibling, St John on St John Street in Smithfields, is unfortunate, as the food is in fact better, not to mention noticeably less expensive.

I write all this as I am surprised at the recent negative reports - and positive experiences so rarely seem to figure on websites such as this.
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Clare Porter
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Went for lunch at 12.45 on a Monday. The place wasn't particularly busy, but our meal still hadn't materialised by 2pm, despite repeated entreaties, so we had to cancel and grab a quick sandwich from nearby Tesco's before rushing back to work. What a shambles. Avoid until they sort themselves out.
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Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 2 | Value for money 1
Tuesday, October 30, 2007

have always had lovely meals in this fantastic restaurant. All the staff are lovely and the food is always well sourced and well produced. Have been a regular for a few weeks now. Went there last Monday and was served by a very miserable waitress indeed. Will give it a few weeks before returning there.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, October 20, 2007