How holy is a glass of wine?

By Damian Kelly

That’s a question that St John, Smithfield in London poses and answers quite well. St John does this by putting head chef, Fergus Henderson’s “nose to tail” eating mantra centre stage. The talent at St John do away with pretty cuts of meat and big game fish that frequent menus and focus on organs, gizzards and bottom feeders. It’s food that’s truly British - ugly, but when care is given by a talented chef it’s fit for… a couple of lawyers with discerning palettes. So, when PLNer, Isabelle told me she was in town, I knew it was the perfect place to share the best London has to offer and round out our European summer in brat style.

The restaurant is situated a short walk from the historic Smithfield Market, which has been the site of livestock and meat markets for the better part of 800 years. What a location for a restaurant that puts offal, offcuts and game squarely at the heart of its ethos and plate. St John has been doing just that since 1994. And, despite having grown into a large chain of restaurants, bakeries and wine purveyors (bottle-o in Australian) - the charm, flavour and dedication to uniquely British food remains.

We opted for a very serious, but not preposterous devilled squid, brill (potentially ugliest fish imaginable or second to an monk/anglerfish) with tomatoes and hake of unknown origins. Very delicious and supported by greens to ward away scurvy (a serious concern when you live in the UK). The food is served by waiters in white cloaks, imagine your local butcher. You could be dinning with the carcasses right there. But, that’s the vibe, it’s no frills, and the staff are deeply passionate about the produce, sharing their memories of when they first ate a dish, or how their grandma may have prepared it for them as child.

The real highlight was Issy partaking in a British cultural phenomenon of stabbing a Welsh Rarebit and dousing the remains in Worcestershire Sauce. (Note: no animals were harmed, just a slice of bread lathered in the thick umami concoction created by mixing ale and cheese).

After the Rarebit, came dessert. Traditionally, British fare here. Trifle! Even though we’re still months from Christmas it was an absolute treat. Someone may have also ordered some madeleines to-go, but I won’t name names.

All this was helped along with a crisp bottle of Reisling. The Breton cidre also is an absolute treat. There’s an extensive drinks menu at St John, mostly featuring wines, ciders and beers from France. However, for a restaurant that puts sustainability at the forefront, I’m sure some English whites will feature prominently as temperatures in continental Europe skyrocket and spoil grape yields. (As an aside - my current go to bubbles is a Kentish vintage from Chapel Down, no joke it’s a must try!)

Nose to tail cooking makes dining out sustainable, and as biodiversity plummets and disease spreads from the industrialisation of the meat and fishery industries this is more important than ever. An easy way to make your next wine a bit holier, pair it with kidneys or lamprey rather than wagyu and swordfish, just like St John!