Travel Log, London: The Stafford Hotel & Vittles

Elegance.

Understated that is, at the classic Stafford Hotel in the St. James area. A hotel sophisticated in an unpretentious way. General manager Stuart Procter best described it as, “If you’re arriving in life stay somewhere else; if you’re comfortable in life stay at the Stafford.”

Comfortable, I am.

As we settled into our spatial room, we noticed Matisse original sketches (yes, actual ones) on the wall above the desk where I was plugging in my computer.

A knock on door. A bottle of wine and fruit compliments of the hotel. Another knock. A plush terrycloth robe monogrammed with both the hotel and my name. Glad I left room in my suitcase.

Also custom-embossed with my name were the hotel stationary and business cards — a specialty I first experienced at the Pan Pacific in Kuala Lumpur in the early 90s. Always a nice touch.

Our evening began with cocktails in the courtyard in front of the former stables of the St. James Court, between the stalls of Phar Lap and Copenhagen. A pricey glass of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, £ 12.50 ($23)

First dinner stop was at the trendy St. John Bakery Bar Restaurant, a smokehouse turned restaurant with nose to tail eating. Frederico Riezzo — our bartender with the Lyle Lovett hairdo — served us house champagne as he described the offerings (or should I say offal offerings.)

We dined on tender grilled lab’s tongues, green beans & shallots,  puffball and green sauce (grilled wild soccer-ball size mushrooms and a parsley sauce), paper-thin kohlrabi in a light vinaigrette and roast bone marrow (four tall standing bones, a pile of fleur de sel and toasted bread) and parsley salad.

Next stop Smiths of Smithfield. SOS. We jostled through the outside drinking crowds, overflowing onto the pavement in front of the restaurant and headed up to the fourth floor to sit outside on the deck while soaking in the view in the distance of St. Paul’s and Westminster Abbey while we awaited service.

The crusty chewy bread with the dark green extra virgin olive oil was worth the wait. As was the roast pork loin served with fried and gratin of parsnips in a red wine sauces and the braised beef with herbed polenta — all with focus on organic foods. I liked that.

Both St. John and Smiths are worth the visit. Skip the food at the Stafford but do bask in the incredible service.

The Stafford Hotel
St James’s Place, London SW1A 1NJ
United Kingdom
+44 (0) 20 7493 0111; www.thestaffordhotel.co.uk; information@thestaffordhotel.co.uk

St. Johns
26 St. John St
London, EC1M 4AY
020 72510848

Smiths of Smithfield
67-77 Charterhouse Street
London, EC1M 6HJ
020 7251 7950