FAY MASCHLER REVIEWS SAINT JACQUES
RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK Saint Jacques
5 St James’s Street, SW1A 1JT (020 7930 2030, saintjacquesrestaurant.com). Currently, Monday to Friday noon-2.30pm & 6-9.30pm. A meal for two with wine, about £142 inc. 12.5 per cent service. For the next two weeks, 50 per cent off food prices at dinner.
NOT many brand new restaurants opened immediately after the end of lockdown on July 4. I say brand new advisedly about St Jacques in St James’s Street (which opened on July 6) because Richard Weiss, who is leading the operation, worked at and then took over Brasserie St Jacques when it traded at the address that now houses Café Murano up the road. The restaurant Boulestin, which previously occupied the site here at No 5 was, spiritually and gastronomically speaking, coming from a similar place, which in these unsteady times is perhaps appropriately the classic French tradition.
A tattered copy of The Ladybird Book of Posh Restaurants might propose a menu that included terrine of duck foie gras, snails Bourguignon, fillet of sea bream, Chateaubriand to share and tarte au citron to follow. They are rocks to cling to. As my companion observed, after the weird 15-week hiatus, it was all so reassuringly normal. “In the back of my mind memories are stirring of that ebullient host with the slapstick lines, Tudor hair and opera singer deportment.” It was then I realised that six years ago he had come with me to Brasserie Gustave in South Kensington where Weiss ran a similarly Gallic operation.
Chef here is David Collard who has worked with Joël Robuchon and Marcus Wareing among other significant names, and helped launch Brasserie Zédel, a different French formula with distinct appeal in its pricing and much else. His execution of assemblies such as the foie gras terrine served with sturdy toast and seasonal chutney is faultless, and an ability to move gracefully with the times is evidenced in a main course of pearl barley “risotto style” with broad beans and peas à la Française. This is a virtuous, delectable mulch of rippling chlorophyll green topped with pea tendrils and slices of truffle.
The triangle of icing-sugar-dusted tarte au citron served with a scoop of Chantilly cream pierced by a thin vanilla twig, a doodle of lemon essence and a violet petal — or might it be pansy? — resembles a photographic illustration in a serious cookery tome but tastes alive and vibrant and absolutely as it should, like the pay-off line of a good story. On guéridon (serving trolley) in the dining room is Richard Weiss himself, offering steak tartare prepared to his own seasoning recipe evolved over time. For Richard, interaction is the name of the game and we are conducted through his method — mix the flavourings into mayonnaise before involving the meat — and introduced to each ingredient including Worcestershire sauce, this last heralded as “the entente cordiale”.
The balance of spice is judged a vivid success but the meat itself is a bit pappy, chopped (or minced) too finely and too easily kowtowing to the condiments. Later we watch Richard in his startling yellow braces setting fire to caramelised sugar and butter, orange zest and Grand Marnier for the crêpes Suzette served at another table. Confident, tried and tested; these are attributes we yearn for right now. Even the staff seem familiar, rather like actors you vaguely remember from another film turning up in this new one.
Some customers are familiar from other restaurant operations and some I decide are probably backers. Three days in, there is no problem with social distancing — and tables are anyway widely spaced — but even with the tumbleweed streets of the West End I dare say this will soon change. A highly experienced and garlanded sommelier, Weiss is lamenting that some wines are still being held up in transit. Aiming to fulfil our request for a light chilled red — our choice being unavailable — he recommends the organic Domaine La Rouviole Minervois La Livinière 2016 decanted and kept at cellar temperature. It’s a treat.
A huge asset at this address is the courtyard to the right of the dining room. It is said that the last duel in England took place there. The new quiet in the streets and the office blocks means that it can be used at lunchtimes — previously it was dinner only. Opening off a room with a bold checkerboard floor and inviting saffron velvet banquettes, it is an ideal outdoor retreat, one to keep in mind these next two weeks with 50 per cent off food prices at dinner.
Can I just say, when you book, please honour it or call to cancel. No-shows are wreaking havoc in the restaurant business where havoc has already been quite enough.