I started to write that Richard Corrigan used to have the Lindsey House - then googled & found it seems he still owns that. We found our visit there quite exciting. He also has a very good book out at the moment - 'The Clatter of Forks & Spoons: Honest, Happy Food' - and I got DH it for Xmas.

Btw we had squirrel (from our local farmers' market) for the first time a few weeks ago and it was quite tasty.

CE: I CAN"T WAIT to show my partner here the squirrel suggestion! How did you prepare it and would you make it again?


(Many people do eat squirrel in the US; there is even a famous dish from the South (probably Virginia, although the Georgians claim it, too) that has squirrel as a main component... Brunswick Stew)

http://www.astray.com/recipes/?show=Squirrel brunswick stew



I will look out for the book, Caroline!

Ackislander; We are staying across from Barbican, at a friend's flat. I wish we had more than 3 days! And we have to take the night flight, unfortunately. I think that the day flights are fabulous--I took one not long ago to Paris and was amazed at how, by doing that, I eliminated any jet lag.. If I had my choice I would do that every time I visited Europe!!

One more question:

JSheekey opens for dinner at 5:30pm. (Bentley's opens at 6pm)

Do you think it would be possible to dine at JSheekey and make it to the Royal Court Theatre on Sloane Square in time for a 7:30pm performance? How long, more or less, would it take to walk from Sheekey to the Royal Court?




Richard Corrigan on Bentley's website:




http://www.bentleys.org/richard_corr...nd_influences/

Isn't St John more focused on offal and less 'fashionable' meat cuts, than seafood?

You can get from St Martins Lane to sloane sq in about 20-20 mins on the ube - walk to Embankment and get off at Sloane Sq.

There's no shortage of eateries in Sloane Sq (Don't ask me - I wouldn't be seen dead there!)

From Sheekey's to the Royal Court is at least a 45 min walk - and that's being brisk and knowing the way.

By tube - well check what tfl says, but you'd struggle to do it door to door in much under half an hour (Leicester Square to Sloane Square.) A cab MIGHT do it in under 20 mins - but possibly at that time if it's raining it could take as long as walking.

Surely you cook squirrel the way you'd cook rabbit?

RM, it is indeed - I believe eks is planning a seafood meal as well as visiting St John.

eks, DH made a fairly simple stew (onion, garlic, carrots, the usual) with the squirrel but it was getting late, we were hungry so only cooked it for c.0.5-1 hours, Like I said, it was tasty; but would have benefited from longer, slower cooking - maybe 1.5-2 hours ? Also we could only get 1 that time, and you really need 1 each, so it was really only a taster.

The only slightly disturbing aspect was the way it came packaged - whole and skinned, they do look rather rat-like... :-)

Sorry, I've just re-read the OP, and you're right Caroline.

All feel free to ignore my not-very-helpful comment, in that case!

Squirrel's going to be on the tough side, so stew/fricassee is the usual. And the resemblance to rats is hardly coincidental.

Since we're giving meal details, I'll tell you that I had the following at St. John's Bread & Wine:

herring roes on toast

calves liver and some sort of smoked pork thing with mashed celeriac

The fact that I wrote this down someplace is pretty scary.

blood orange jelly with sponge

P.S. Apparently Fergus H's book suggests braising it with wild mushrooms so you've got that whole 'woody' thing going on.

We thought the Rock and Sole Plaice in Covent Garden was over-rated. The food was good, but not outstanding - and the ambiance is dreadful: linoleum floors and formica tabletops.

Our favorite chipper is the North Sea Fish Restaurant on Leigh Street, a block down from King's Cross/St. Pancras. It's moderately expensive, but the halibut I ate was the best I've ever had, anywhere.

flanner, yes, you're right, same as *wild* rabbit - i.e. something with real muscles !

Thanks, R. I think the debate about the fish and chips in London might be akin to the debates here in NYC over pizza.

I don't care much about ambience so the linoleum and tile would not bother me. But I do want top quality since this will likely be my only experience with "real" fish and chips for awhile!

Ok--so let's discuss fish and chips. Where? What kind of fish is best to order?

Cod.

Although there are some concerns about overfishing, so you might prefer to order haddock.

Coley or hake might also be offered.

The best kind to order is a matter of individual taste. If the shop doesn't specify, you'll probably get cod or haddock, which are a little too 'fishy' to my palate. I therefore prefer the subtle flavor of halibut and sole, and am willing to pay the premium prices these varieties command. These fish demand more care in cooking so that the flavor of the batter doesn't overwhelm that of the fish.

In high-end shops, they maintain separate fryers for offal fish and gourmet species for this reason. Speaking of which - cooking potatoes or (argh!) onions in the same oil as the fish is a no-no which is not generally observed in the street-corner takeaway shops.

Fish and chips shops don't generally serve fried onions.

Nor are you likely to get 'gourmet' species battered.

This is excellent info! For some reason I thought plaice was a major species in the fish and chips world!

Will: I looked up the menu at Hereford Road. I would like very much to read about your dinner there, if you don't mind taking the time. Their menu might be more appealing than St. John for my partner, who is a little staid in his eating habits (they have pork belly on their menu, for example, which I know would please Mr.Fussy.)

http://www.herefordroad.org/

I forgot to add:

Here is an interesting story on two guys who make "jellies" in whimsical shapes; among their clients are Gordon Ramsey and the much-discussed-here Chef Blumenthal:



http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/di...r=1&ref=dining

:

<I>RM67 on Apr 1, 09 at 12:28 PM

Fish and chips shops don't <B>generally</B> serve fried onions.</i>

But some do.

<I>Nor are you <B>likely</B> to get 'gourmet' species battered.</i>

But you can.

I have never been into a fish and chip shop that served fried onions.

Nor have I been to a chippy that batters lemon sole, sea bass, red mullet, monkfish or any other 'posh' fish.

The fact that somewhere out there there may be one or two very untypical upmarket places that do serve poncey fish battered, or some generic cafe that does fried onions, hot dogs, kebabs, fish and chips etc alonside one another (ie NOT a fish and chip shop) doesn't stop your comments from being yet another stupid and inaccurate generalisation.