Traditional English Cuisine
Author: Kaspars Vanags0 COMMENTS
St John at Smithfield
London is peppered with numerous fusion-style restaurants, matching the current pace of globalization - just pick a location and décor to your heart's desire. While old English culinary traditions and typical dishes, reaching hundreds of years back into history, gradually fade away and loose their appeal among Londoners and guests. Yet it's definitely worth the efforts to search for those spots that still adhere to old-fashioned values, as the chic ceremonialism of the renowned Wolseley Restaurant can hardly satisfy one's craving for genuine taste of this country.
St John restaurant in London seems to be filling the mission of reviving the traditional British cuisine, although affording some experiments too, once in a while. Their key principle of using all the animal parts in cooking stays the same, however. Or in other words - Beyond Nose to Tail, which is also the name of the cookbook, written by Fergus Henderson, a former architect and a founder of the St John. Together with Trevor Gulliver, they opened the restaurant in 1994 in Smithfield area, next to the famous Victorian market, selling meat products from nearly whole of England. Set in a former smoke house, the restaurant amazes with its carefully preserved, authentic ambiance. The inside of a Georgian-style building is kept almost unchanged - only walls and ceilings are whitewashed, and a kitchen and a bar set up next to old chimneys, while menu is simply chalked on a blackboard. Ascetic décor allows savoring what is the most important - a truly authentic English cuisine. Instead of habitual pork chop, you can taste lamb's tongue, smoked eel and a delicious pig's cheek stew. And start your meal with roast bone marrow perhaps...
St John is pretty pricy and gathers mostly upper middle-class public. Located in Spitalfields area, is located another eSt John restaurant.
26 St. John Street, London, EC1M 4AY
Phone: 020 7251 0848
www.stjohnrestaurant.co.uk
The Rules
The oldest restaurant in London! Opened in 1798 by Thomas Rule, it celebrates its 210th anniversary this year and, in spite of considerable age, has changed its owners only thrice. Perhaps thanks to a very special charm and attraction that The Rules possesses. Lots of prominent people have honored this place throughout years with Charles Dickens, Herbert G. Wells, Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin and many more among them. Even some of its private dining rooms are named after the famous and talented ones, who frequented them, and still exude the presence of writers, actors and creative intellectuals of the past. The history still lives on its walls, adorned with original drawings, graphics, paintings, and newspaper cuttings, revealing London's cultural life over the past couple of centuries. Almost like wallpaper, they cover the walls, taking us several decades back into the past, and it feels fantastic! And amidst of all that - a French waiter! The Rules features absolutely authentic English cuisine with just a slight French touch. Perhaps it seems an ideal combination for French foodies, residing in London. Instead of usual fusion style, they look for more substantial values - and find them in this historic English landmark.
Traditional steak & kidney pie, roe deer a la Wellington, excellent British oysters, and, above all that - steak, kidney & oyster pudding. Under the same ownership is another property - Lartington Estate with its hunting grounds. Roe bucks, roe does, pheasants, ducks, and partridges - anything served at The Rules, is absolutely fresh, in season and locally obtained.
None the less amazing are prices - a hearty, finest quality meal for one costs just about £50.
35 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7LB
Phone: 020 7836 5314 (international: +44 20 7836 5314)
www.rules.co.uk
Simpson's-in-the-Strand
A truly legendary landmark of London. Opened in 1828, Simpson's-in-the-Strand is located not far from the famous Savoy Hotel and is one of the oldest restaurants in London. Moreover, featuring the same old Chippendale furniture, crystal chandeliers, dark wooden panels and thick carpets, it does not even try to hide its age. Even menu of the former The Grand Cigar Divan chess club and café has stayed the same during the last century and a half. It offers authentic British culinary values, including traditional puddings. Genuine masterpieces are to be searched among its desserts, as not for nothing Simpson's-in-the-Strand sticks to the old saying that no good meal is complete without a dessert. Cakes with a special sugar syrup, the recipe of which comes all the way from Victorian age, rhubarb crumble with English custard, cheesecake and an absolute „leader" - rice pudding with jam (one can order also samples of everything). Who knows, maybe delicious desserts once tempted Vincent Van Gogh and Charles Dickens, just couple of famous names, adorning the restaurant's prominent guest list.
Simpson's-in-the-Strand has preserved another charming tradition - your meal is quietly wheeled to the table on a silver-domed-trolley - the very same way as in the old times, when clinking of dishes could disturb players, immersed in their chess game. No one play chess there anymore, yet meat carving classes are offered instead. Juicy roast is carved right at your table, yet, if you feel that watching is not quite enough and would like to acquire some of those skills yourself, you are welcome! Just 140£, 90 minutes of tuition under professional guidance of mater cook Gerry Rae, and traditional English butchers' skills will be yours! He will teach which chunks of meat are best for particular dishes and demonstrate the best carving techniques, too. Student's friends and family are encouraged to join for a post-lesson lunch, where a carver can demonstrate his or hers newly acquired skills.
Although prices are quite friendly there (average £29 per person), Simpson's-in-the-Strand gathers rather conservative public - well-dressed and slightly reserved.
100 Strand, London WC2R 0EW
Phone: +44 (0)20 7836 9112
E-mail: info@simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk
www.simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk
E. Pellicci
Perhaps we still carry some sentiment over those good old Soviet-time cafes of Riga with diminutive names Zvaigznīte, Saulīte, Minūtīte (Little Star, Little Sun, Little Minute) that gathered mostly young people - under 25. There you could get a cup of coffee just for few kapeikas (100 kapeikas is 1 Soviet ruble). They carried certain resemblance with so called greasy spoons cafes of London, a typical feature of British working class culture. Cheap eateries of the 50s, serving dreadful, yet so traditional English breakfast - fried bacon, scrambled eggs, beans in tomato sauce and fat sausages. You have to try these at least once to taste the life of working class London. The Moka espresso bar in Soho, opened by Gina Lollabrigida in 1953, became a model for many more classic London cafes that followed. At first, they appeared to be the peak of chic, featuring the most advanced materials of the time - plastic, and the most affordable prices as well. Much favored by CND campaigners, jazzmen, up-and-coming rock'n'rollers, existentialists, beatniks, baby boomers and other types of bygone times, they attracted also Gilbert & George - the most famous modern art tandem of the 80s. Unfortunately, ever since the beginning of 90s, Starbucks, Coffee Nation and similar brands steadily squeeze out small and fetching postwar eateries. In average, six of those old-style cafes get closed each year. Yet the ones that are still afloat, in stead of cabmen and dockers, serve daily breakfasts to taxi-drivers and workers now, as greasy spoons are part of their identity, too. Don't be surprised to spot a well-known prose-writer, an artist or a gallery owner, too, as dreadful sausages seem to be much favored among the bohemian circles of the city as well.
E. Pellicci, located a short way from the best East London galleries, is one of the most charming old-time cafes, although opened much earlier than most - in 1900. Sweetly sentimental, it features wonderful art deco interior - wooden panels, non-flammable plastic tables, wooden incrustations and even a huge coffee machine from the 50s! Not for nothing a unique eatery is listed as a historic heritage site. For more than 100 years it has belonged to one and the same Italian family. Even today, glancing through a small window, you will see the hostess - a real Italian mama, bustling about the kitchen, while her two sons busily attend guests. Superbly warm, family atmosphere surrounds you there!
E. Pellicci
332 Bethnal Green Road,, Shoreditch,, London, E2 0AG
Phone: 0871 971 6627
www.classiccafes.co.uk
R Cooke & Sons
R Cooke & Sons is another classic London working-class attribute. Ever since the 19th century, it offers only two dishes - traditional pie and jellied eel, and nothing more! The décor of the good old eatery has not changed either over the years, and the location is the same, too - a short way from E. Pellicci café. A genuine charm of London's East End!
9 Broadway Market
Phone: 020 7254 6458
www.broadwaymarket.co.uk
Open House London
Open House weekend is an annual architectural event taking place all across London, urging to explore the most interesting and historic buildings of the city. During one weekend of September hundreds of building, usually closed to wider public - private residences, government offices and many more, open their doors for free visitation. It is a rare chance to admirer architecture and design of the most fascinating buildings of the city. Addresses and contact details of houses, participating in a peculiar display are available on Open House website www.openhouse.org.uk. Some viewings, rousing particularly huge interest, require advance booking, as venues may receive only a limited number of people at a time. Private bathrooms and kitchens, some normally restricted areas of London Underground or innovative eco buildings - all doors are opened, moreover, absolutely for free!
Useful Information
- A perfect one-day sightseeing tour of East London: 1) breakfast at E. Pellicci, 2) tour of nearby art galleries, 3) stroll along Regency Canal and see the old warehouse, workshops and factories, 4) Broadway Market and lunch at R Cooke & Sons, 5) visit the Barbican Centre, initially built as housing complex for workers, 6) wind up your day with a dinner at one of the traditional cuisine restaurants.
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