We are going to London for a week next month, and these suggestions have been helpful. We have a lunch reservation at St. John.
Our taste is away from nouvelle…cuisine with too many ingredients to comprehend. Looking for relatively modest, more traditional places to experience some of the Brititsh traditions. But, a place that remains vibrant, nevertheless and is still popular.
Not sure if any of the above are in that category…some are clearly in haute cusine realm…though.
thanks
Looking to find stuff like Roast beef and yorkshire pudding, welsh rarebit…simple fish dishes…fish and chips…with, perhaps a flourish.
Stuart, last year I went to J Sheekey in the theatre district which was suggested by several people here. I had the shellfish tower that I still dream about. Going back to London for a couple of days in the Spring following a driving trip to Northern Ireland . Great casual seafood restaurant. I think you would like it. I am going back. Open late for after theatre dining.
I love The Footman just off of Berkeley square (technically The Only Running Footman on Charles st) which is a gastro-pub and used to be my local. Small, lively and great food.
The windmill just off of conduit has some of the best meat pies around too. Very British meal.
Was just there. Had one night free for dinner. Went for Indian @ Trishna. Amazing and dishes that I have never seen in any other Indian restaurant that I have been to.
We had a wonderful meal and experience at St. John this past weekend (after finally finding the place). Great ambiance, like a huge simultaneous banquet, and lots of noise. The best fowl I’ve ever tasted: pigeon, served very rare with jerusalem artichokes and otherwise quite sauceless. Marrow bones a great treat. All tied together with a Languedoc wine from the Pic St. Loup which was fruity and forward with some good gripping acidity in the mix. Rhubarb trifle for dessert. Oh, and their “famous” welsh rarebit as a side. (I hadn’t had that dish in 50 years.) A truly memorable experience.
We’d planned to go to Sheekey’s, but had too little time to attempt it before the theater.
Also, a local recommended the Sea Shell for fish and chips and it was top flight, though curiously uncrowded on a Monday night.
We went to Claridges for a traditional English breakfast one day - fantastic, the scrambled eggs were brilliant.
FWIW, I thought the food at “Sexy Fish” (Sushi hybrid) was more interesting and flavorful than Pollen St. Social. At Pollen St. Social I had the raw Sea Scallops as an appetizer. The Scallops were very fresh and delicate and as such were easily over powered by the green sauce they put underneath. The second course of duck salad was nice, but nothing special. The medallions of Venison had a interesting Cocoa based sauce, however the meat was under seasoned. My guess is no salt or pepper was added to the Venison, which I find unconscionable in today’s cooking. Haven’t these chef’s seen enough reality tv shows where the pro’s hammer chef’s for not properly seasoning their food. Ugh! We ended with a very nice English and Irish cheese course. Service at Pollen St. Social was very good.