10/19/17
If you want a reason why bone marrow has become an omnipresent part of American cuisine, look no further than Fergus Henderson and St. John's restaurant. On the menu unchanged since 1994, this dish has had more staying power than Vince Carter. Unlike Carter though, this dish remains at an apex nearly 25 years later. How to describe it- unapologetic meat butter. But that's not good enough. Picture the best steak you've ever had- that pure beef flavor and liquefied fat coming through...now double it and double it again and imagine it spread on perfectly toasted bread (crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside). Got that? That beef essence, served with the right mix of herby/acid/pungent in the parsley salad, and cut with a few flecks of sea salt is the perfect dish. Even though it's officially listed as an appetizer, it will leave you sated on its own. There's plenty more to love about St. John's but this is a first ballot HOFer.
Was lucky enough to snag a reservation a week ahead of my trip. On weekdays, if you don't mind really early or really late times, two days may be enough advance notice. If you can't get in to the restaurant itself, they do have an open seating bar and this is available there as well.