We need to talk about Madeleines.
My friends and I stumbled upon St. John, a Spitalfields staple, around the corner from Relais Entrecôte which, as usual, had a minimum wait of about an hour for a table (I will add that the wait is so worth it though). We decided to take a chance and ask for a table- success. St. John prides itself for changing the face of modern British cooking, so I was really looking forward to experience the food they had to offer.
We were sat downstairs in a cavernous space with white walls that didn’t feel all to welcoming. Most of the menu was quite meat heavy with a few seafood dishes. A few things on the menu stuck out: The rarebit, The Globe Artichoke, Skate, Tomato and Aioli, and the Potatoes and the Wedge salad and finally, Bread and Butter. I wish I could say that I was impressed by the food, but sadly, it all tasted a tad too buttery or acidic. A little too much vinegar on the Wedge, the same kind of salad cut in a different shape, and remnants of shells inside the Skate dish. The potatoes were very good as they were drenched in a half sized cup of butter. When you cut through the Rarebit, a delicious creamy sauce poured over onto the plate, we were even scrapping the ends with our forks. But I can’t help wonder, did we ordered the wrong things?
The portion sizes were quite reasonable given the fact we hadn’t ordered main dishes. So, we went on to order the Cheese plate and Madeleines to close off our meal. When I tell you that these are the best Madeleines I’ve ever tried, it is not an understatement. Freshly baked out of the oven, fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside- they were like little of pastry clouds of heaven. I would go back to St. John just for these Madeleines, which I still thought about as I walked back home. Room for desert? Yes, always.
I’d say avoid the downstairs area and aim for the first floor where you’ll get some outdoor lighting. Next time, I’ll be sure to try my luck at St. John’s main branch in Farringdon and really go for the main dishes.
98 Marylebone Lane W1U 2QA
*Photo sourced from ‘My Annoying Opinions’