Brasserie St Jacques

Press Reviews (5)

• Andy Lynes (29th August 2008)
  3/5 stars
  
  “If an address can have a personality crisis, then 33 St James's Street should seek help”, says the critic, reminding us of the number of incarnations it has been through of late. And when the critic ate on a quiet Tuesday night in a less-than-half-full restaurant, “the food was also suffering from identity issues. It was unquestionably French but couldn't decide if it wanted to be Charles Aznavour (rich and comforting) or Marcel Marceau (pale and uninteresting)”. If he “hadn't read in the press release that ‘Pierre Koffmann has taken full responsibility for the kitchens’”, he’s never have guessed that the proprietor of the (once) great La Tante Claire was involved.
• Guy Dimond (24th July 2008)
  3/6 stars
  
  Claudio Pulze is “a restaurateur as sure-footed and experienced as they get”, notes the critic, “so it says something about current restaurant trends if his latest place is a conservative, orthodox, rather unimaginative French brasserie”. “BSJ does nothing wrong”, he concludes, “but it also adds nothing new or invigorating to London’s dining landscape”.
• Zoe Williams (7th July 2008)
  4/10
  
  This St James’s newcomer is “the most bizarre conception”, proclaims the critic - “a faux French brasserie with the accent so pronouncedly on the ‘faux’ that it’s like an American theme park’s version of French”. “I don't want to be cruel, but it really isn't that much nicer than a Café Rouge. The menu is probably more varied, but where the dishes coincide the quality is about the same. And Brasserie St Jacques is a devil of a lot more expensive.”
• David Sexton (20th June 2008)
  3/5 stars
  
  “Walking into Brasserie St Jacques, halfway down St James’s Street on the site of the former Fiore, immediately feels right”, says the Standard’s now-regular stand-in for Ms Maschler. “The formally dressed French waiters couldn't possibly be more charming”, and the food is “absolutely correct French brasserie fare, quite heavy on the butter and cream one realises afterwards, but fresh and good”.
• Nicholas Lander (3rd June 2008)
  
  Unusually, the FT’s man is first with the news of this just-opened Gallic brasserie in St James’s. Unfortunately, however, his meal “was not only extremely disappointing in terms of food, wine and ambience but also expensive not just in comparison with bistros in Paris but also to any meal at Arbutus, Galvin, Racine or Wild Honey, which have collectively raised the bar for this style of cooking in London”.