Eat & Drink
Originally published on Thursday, 5th June 2008
Brasserie St Jacques
Who doesn't love a no nonsense brasserie? Especially one that Tante Claire maestro Pierre Koffman is behind.
Due to give the Wolseley a bit of a run for its money - which is no bad thing as, personally, I find the former so glaringly obvious these days it verges on common - Brasserie St Jacques (note reassuringly French name) does pretty much what it says on the tin.
With its old gold walls, restored cornicing and deep red banquettes it's the sort of place you could quite happily linger in for the entire day, beginning with breakfast of 'tartine beurree et confiture' - warm baguette with bread and butter, but it sounds so much better in French - and then slowly picking over other classics like roast bone marrow and parsley salad and duck confit with duck fat potatoes.
And as they've got former Pig's Ear chef Ashley Hancill at the helm you can be fairly sure the food will be above par, which is more than can be said, at times, for a certain other brasserie not too far away.
Hours: Mon-Sat 8am-11pm / Sun
Place: 33 St James's Street, SW1A 1HD
Cost: £30
Web: brasseriestjacques.co.uk
Book: 020 7839 1007