London - three nice meals...

Two weeks ago I was in London with work and had three very nice meals.

On my first night, I went to St. John. I’d been nearly ten years ago and was pleased to get the chance to return. I was solo and ate in the bar area, so ordered from the shorter menu, but happily had my targeted dish of the evening, the bone marrow with parsley salad.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3450032242244.152818.1013867676&type=3&l=02e961721c

My second night, I took out some clients to dinner at Magdalen. No pictures because I was working (‘working’), but here’s the link to the restaurant. I would call this modern Languedoc cooking with a British nose-to-tail sensibility, more refined than St. John. I loved my warm calf’s head ap, with chopped egg, capers, & mustard, as well as my grilled veal heart, potato cake, watercress & Béarnaise.

On my third night, I had a reservation at The Ledbury, which just moved up to #14 on yesterday’s announcement of the 2012 S. Pellegrino ‘World’s 50 Best Restaurants.’ I completely loved the place. I would say that it is most comparable (in New York restaurant terms) to Corton, with a bit more refined food, in a more polished setting, and the best staff-to-diner ratio I’ve seen since el Bulli. There were a bunch of highlights - the oysters two ways. The eel that was on the plate with the mackerel. What was essentially a deconstructed French onion soup was superb. A brown sugar tart (really a custard) with ginger ice cream and poached grapes may be the best dessert I have ever eaten. Great meal.

After dinner, while waiting for a taxi, chef Brett Graham happened to wander out, so we struck up a chat. Said he was going to be cooking for Keller and entourage during the Top 50 weekend. Asked me if he should serve him the dessert. Absolutely! Wonder if he did?
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3462366830601.153072.1013867676&type=3&l=e4cd36af05

Thanx for the leads… we will be landing in London in 3 short weeks, so these are timely and helpful!!

Two (St John and The Ledbury) of my favorites. Did you eat the bacon rolls at The Ledbury. My wife’s favorite part of the meals we have eaten there is the bread. And that isn’t damning the rest of the meals with faint praise!

Jim, book soon (St John is on open table and The Ledbury has its own online reservation system). I booked several weeks ago for the last week in June and had limited choices at that time. St John also has restaurant in their year-old St John Hotel in Chinatown. Smaller menu and dining room than the original, but many of the same dishes including bone marrow (sometimes) and my favorite main, Middle White chop (seemingly always).

+1 to the point about reservations. Ledbury is going to be really hard to get into at any point. St. John is not quite so difficult.

BACON ROLLS! Woot - I’d completely forgotten about those - kind of bacon brioche.

Thanks for the report Chris. I used to live in London and the Ledbury was our favorite restaurants. I have probably dined there over 25 times and never had a bad meal. St. John is fun as well for what it is. Have not tried Magdalen but it looks great. Close to Borough market as well which is one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon in London.