Wood Street Bar Restaurant - California

St. John is a place we always make sure to visit when we're in London. Since the menu changes often, I was a bit worried that some of our favorite dishes might not be available on the day we were scheduled to go. Fortunately, we struck gold with the menu! We started with deviled kidneys and then enjoyed goat faggots with mash for our main course. Honestly, it doesn't get any better for those who appreciate nose-to-tail dining! We also tried mussels, Welsh rarebit, a green salad, and braised cabbage, along with hokey pokey ice cream and apple sorbet with vodka for dessert—all of which were fantastic. The service was both efficient and friendly. The atmosphere was lively without being overwhelming, and the layout of the dining room ensured we never felt cramped. Lastly, St. John is definitely one of the best-value Michelin-starred restaurants we’ve encountered. We dined at Dishoom the night before (which we absolutely love!), and our bills were quite similar. Kudos to the staff at St. John!

We had to navigate through a crowd to get inside the restaurant, and once seated, the dining room had a vibe more akin to an American barbecue joint than an upscale eatery. The doors to the dining room remained open throughout our visit as servers moved in and out, resulting in a bothersome draft during our meal. While this might have been a one-off situation, it certainly set a negative tone for the evening. The service was slow and lacked a personal touch, although I appreciated that they were accommodating with allergens and dietary restrictions. I had opted for the braised lamb as a substitute for the game pie, but unfortunately, I could only manage a few bites—it simply didn’t taste good, and the preparation was lacking. Everything else was rather forgettable; the cabbage served with the pigeon was decent, and the beef and lentil broth was just okay. Overall, the meal felt disjointed and careless. I left feeling let down, especially since I had heard so much praise for this establishment, and I had hoped for a much better experience. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t the right place for me.

For instance, the bone marrow was quite ordinary and could have used more parsley. I make a similar dish, but I use local, grass-fed beef marrow cooked over hardwood fire, seasoned with flaky Læsø salt and Tellicherry peppercorns, then topped with fresh parsley from my garden and a splash of white balsamic vinegar. Other dishes were acceptable, but they felt overly rich and lacking balance. The fish was fresh and well-prepared, but I found the sauce pairing puzzling. The greens, unfortunately, were tough and too fibrous. Despite being nicknamed "Bunny" for my love of raw greens, I couldn’t manage to eat them. On the bright side, the kids really enjoyed a mountain of freshly baked Madeleines, which were definitely worthy of 5 stars.

I was very excited to eat here. The menu changes daily and uses the animal head to tail. I fear my expectations weee too high for this place. The dishes were good but extremely simple. And that's their style. Simply dressed and seasoned. The very present Welsh rarebit and Madeline's were not to be missed. Reservations are must. Service was unexpectedly spotty but there may have been a shortage. Michelin rating very questionable in my opinion.

It may sound like an oxymoron, but an unpretentious Michelin restaurant. I had a business lunch and it was great. The atmosphere is more like a bistro than a formal dining room, the service was efficient and formal rather than pretentious. I started with the brown crab, which was nice but the star was the saddleback, pork loin cooked a little pink. It was flavorful, tender, as good as can be. An enjoyable restaurant.