Ahh, St John. Is there a better restaurant in Islington? (No.)
Is there a better restaurant in London? (Debateable.) Nothing much has changed
at St John since it opened in the mid 1990s, apart from the menu, which changes
every day in content if not in style. This is testament to the confidence and
quality that was already there, intact, when it opened, and of the way in which
it sits outside (above) temporary fads and fashions. When nothing changes, it
doesn’t make it easy for the food blogger to find an excuse to write about the
place. I know St John is not smoking hot foodie news that no one knows about,
but I dare say it will be there long after the latest "flash hob" pop-up event
is forgotten.
However, a reason to write about St John in the guise of
reporting new developments has arrived, in the form of doughnuts. ("Doughnuts",
Homer Simpson once asked, "is there anything they can’t do?") These are not
just any doughnuts either, but generally acknowledged to be the Platonic ideal
of doughnuts, which makes them really rather desirable things in anyone’s book.
The doughnuts in question have, until recently, enjoyed a large cult following mainly
from the bakery outpost in the Maltby St area in Bermondsey (actually in Druid
St). A doughnut has to be one charming motherfucking doughnut to make me want
to schlep to Bermondsey early-ish on a Saturday morning. Luckily, they actually
are that good. But even more luckily, Islingtonians can now say goodbye to that
schlepping-to-Bermondsey misery, because the famous dougnuts are available in
the original Farringdon restaurant (nowadays referred to as 'HQ', 'Smithfield' or 'The Mothership') on Thursday
and Friday mornings, if you get there early enough. I recommend the ones with
custard fillings, or there are jam versions if you custardically-challenged, as
my children, bafflingly, are. 
You could even have some 'elevenses' while you are there. One
of the many things I love about St John is the way that they revive forgotten or
abandoned foods, meals, and traditions, and present them with a completely
straight face, as though they never went away. Of course one takes a bit of
seed cake with Madeira at 11am – what could be more natural than that? Unless, of course,
you are having Eccles Cake with Lancashire cheese for your elevenses. (Just like you eat 'savouries'
such as Welsh Rarebit, after you have finished your dinner of grouse.) I asked
a staff member what you are supposed to drink with elevenses. He looked
slightly bemused by the question as he answered "anything you like". 
I have enjoyed wedding celebrations, birthday celebrations,
and many memorable meals in this restaurant. Some of the very best meals I have
ever eaten have been here. I have had many "what have they done to this?"
moments with apparently simple ingredients such as venison or guinea fowl. I
still have dreams about a walnut and date steamed pudding I ate here circa
1996. I was cured of my Pavlova-scepticism here. I have even had the odd bad dish,
which is to be expected when the menu changes every single day for nearly
twenty years. Unlike many restaurants, St John seem to enjoy serving large
parties or celebrations, as it gives them a chance to do things which they can’t
do when serving individual dishes. Suckling pigs, huge nursery-rhyme sized
pies, or Grand Aioli. A pleasure here can be as large or as small as you like,
whatever takes your fancy. You can hire a private room for a feast. Or you can
have a solo lunch in the bar, usually around £15 for something delicious with
something nice to drink, one of the best bargains in town in my book. Or you
could just have a doughnut. But you might as well get two, while you’re there. 
26 St John Street
London EC1M 4AY
https://www.stjohngroup.uk.com/smithfield/
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