William Drabble is one of London’s most talented and able chefs, but perhaps because he’s not as much of a publicity magnet as your Ramsays or Wareings, his move from the Michelin-starred Aubergine (where, coincidentally, Ramsay began his career) to Seven Park Place, the new fine dining restaurant at the seriously swanky St James Hotel didn’t get as much fanfare as you might have expected. This almost self-effacing quality extends to the restaurant itself. Rather than a big, lavish dining room, the atmosphere is hushed and intimate, with only a couple of dozen covers in some small rooms adjoining the bar.
What this lacks in grandeur and pomp it more than makes up with in fireworks from the kitchen. Drabble’s cooking is not dissimilar to what he was doing at Aubergine, in terms of his synthesis of European and English influences, but by and large he eschews the usual Michelin fripperies of foams and reductions in favour of gutsier, heartier cooking. The six-course ‘menu gourmand’ – on our visit thankfully free of amuse bouches and pre-desserts – covers a remarkable amount of ground, with highlights including a sensational foie gras dish with butter beans and bacon, pan-fried sea bass with Jerusalem artichokes and a witty deconstruction of the pina colada at the end.
It’s a good idea to have this with the suggested matching wines, as this allows you to try some sensational pairings, such as the Grenache Sauvignon with a starter of scallop ceviche and a rich, gutsy German Pinot Noir with the sea bass, as well as a sensational Riesling with the foie gras. Service throughout is attentive, perhaps even too much so, but with an experience of this quality it’s always nice to feel looked after in the style that the food deserves.
7 Park Place, London SW1. www.stjamesclubandhotel.co.uk
