That was the very first dish I ever ate at StJ. Ah memories .... :rolleyes:Salt lamb and caper sauce on the menu this evening :sob:

St. John, London
#16
Posted 07 April 2004 - 01:00 PM
#18
Posted 22 April 2004 - 10:28 PM
I had been feeling gyp all day but soon perked up with a drink inside. I did not go to The Match Bar, but a few did and turned up lots of sheets to the wind
The assorted throng, me, Pim, asst uber Geeks, Robin, Gavin, Anny, Jay, Vanessa and Old Man Naughton were soon polishing off a huge feast while trying to avoid the stars at the other tables ( David Hare, Nicole Fahri and Fat tongue )
To begin, langustines with mayo. Wonderful. There is a piccie somewhere of the huge plate of achingly fresh seafood with the best mayo in history, Jay finished the best part of a bowl with his bread. No atkins he and how it shows
With this some Mussels and cabbage. A paucity of mussels but great flavour
Then to the main event. A fricking HUGE pig. It fed 14 of us with 8 doggy bags to spare. Moist, fatty, crisp skin, beautiful. I can't wait to see the photo.
With it some potatoes swimming in butter, greens and monksbeard, a grass blanched and tossed in lemon juice and capers. Also a watercress salad which everyone adored.
Then a comp course. A sour lemon sorbet with a shot O Vodka. Nice cleanser
Puds were a stunning rhubarb fool with little beignet and a carb lovers delight of a seville maramlade B& B pudding.
The bill for all was £62 inc service
I think it will be a hard job to beat this one.
Pictures please
S
#19
Posted 22 April 2004 - 11:18 PM
Bloody hell. Were you all abstemious?The bill for all was £62 inc service
#20
Posted 23 April 2004 - 12:05 AM
Weren't you meant to be there :unsure:Bloody hell. Were you all abstemious?The bill for all was £62 inc service
v
authenticity is a fog that recedes just when you think you may be getting near it - R Schonfeld
The most political act we do on a daily basis is to eat - Prof J Pretty
this city without boundaries we all share - zigzackly
#21
Posted 23 April 2004 - 02:13 AM
Now, I could not eat at said meal as I was busy leading a bunch of fressers on a walk up Milwaulkee Ave in Chicago, forsaking roasted pork belly and fried lambs brains for white borsht, Equadorian roast pig, an assortment of Polish sausages and a Whoopercheesie. Still, I feel willing to make a statement on the meal, and my statement is that even if the dinner was way delicious, it did not seem in the spirt of Fergus Henderson and St. John.
Yes, there were many dishes from his cookbook, but the net effect of the menu was in line with the Medeterannian influences that Paul Kahn works from. To me, the meal could have been 1) a recreation of what one could find in London or 2) even better, a meal cooked in Chicago based on the time and place principles expounded by Fergus Henderson. Instead, they got a third choice, a Fergus inspired pan-Euro dinner.
What do you all think?
Rob
Just as long as you leave my "Alinea II: Electric Boogaloo" thing alone. - jinmyo
The Local Beet
#22
Posted 23 April 2004 - 08:09 AM
Thanks for the link
I think it is representative of the St J menu without truly capturing its spirit. I suspect two things come into play
1) The availability of the ingredients
2) The tastebuds of a US audience ( see the note about brains being "challenging" )
That being said, I am not sure that fergus cooks "rural" english food. That is a bit of a myth. I am not sure food in England was ever how it is at St J. what it does represent is the best of English produce presented in a season way
S
#23
Posted 23 April 2004 - 12:09 PM
As to the stuff being challenging, if you show up for a Fergus Henderson meal, especially on his book tour, are not you expecting to be challenged? Caveat emptor?
Rob
Just as long as you leave my "Alinea II: Electric Boogaloo" thing alone. - jinmyo
The Local Beet
#24
Guest_Adam_*
Posted 23 April 2004 - 12:54 PM
#25
Posted 23 April 2004 - 12:58 PM
Just look at the ads this thread has thrown up
:lol: :lol: :lol:
v
authenticity is a fog that recedes just when you think you may be getting near it - R Schonfeld
The most political act we do on a daily basis is to eat - Prof J Pretty
this city without boundaries we all share - zigzackly
#26
Posted 17 May 2004 - 08:55 AM
Splendid food as well, including my langoustines, and arbroath smokie, served whole in a sea of Jersey cream sauce. In fact our dinner was really an ode to thick, yellow Jersey cream and thick, yellow mayonnaise. The veal neck braised with fresh garlic, ordered for the whole table, I found agreeable but unexciting. Desserts, shared round the whole table were simply dreamy :wub: rhubarb, meringue & cream; apple crumble; blood orange jelly with madeleines; eccles cake with Lancashire cheese and probably more that I don't remember.
v
authenticity is a fog that recedes just when you think you may be getting near it - R Schonfeld
The most political act we do on a daily basis is to eat - Prof J Pretty
this city without boundaries we all share - zigzackly
#27
Posted 17 May 2004 - 09:00 AM
#28
Posted 17 May 2004 - 09:03 AM
How could I have forgotten :o :wub:... baked cheescake with Marc
v
authenticity is a fog that recedes just when you think you may be getting near it - R Schonfeld
The most political act we do on a daily basis is to eat - Prof J Pretty
this city without boundaries we all share - zigzackly
#29
Posted 17 May 2004 - 11:03 AM
I did also love the lamb faggots.
S
#30
Posted 17 May 2004 - 12:19 PM