After an impressive residency run at 10 Heddon Street, former Dinner by Heston Blumenthal chefs Will Murray and Jack Croft’s Fallow have made St James’s their permanent home with a large kitchen counter at its heart – continuing their bold, original cooking inspired by their nose-to-tail philosophy.
Corn ribs
Beginning as a three month residency at rotating restaurant 10 Heddon Street – maintaining service despite multiple pandemic lockdowns – Fallow now occupies its permanent spot at the corner of St James’ Market and Haymarket, taking over from Duck & Waffle Local. Former Dinner by Heston Blumenthal chefs Will Murray and Jack Croft created Fallow with humble ingredients elevated to incredible new levels; their focus being sustainability: all their meat comes from ex-dairy cows purchased whole to be butchered and used across their menu.
Nose-to-tail dining is at the core of their philosophy – evidenced in dishes served up at the counter where you can watch the kitchen at work. Their menu offers snacks, small plates and grill options alongside an impressive wine list and beverages such as their No 3 Gin Bobble Sweet Cocktail!
Corn ribs have quickly become the signature dish at this restaurant. Tender strips of sweetcorn seasoned with kombu seasoning resemble meaty BBQd loin backs in terms of taste. Also notable is a mushroom parfait; usually I don’t particularly care for this as a faux meat replacement but Heston Blumenthal would surely appreciate its texture!
Mushroom parfait
At St James’ Market in London’s west end lies Fallow – founded by Dinner by Heston alumni Jack Croft and Will Murray who found inspiration at well-known culinary destinations like El Celler de Can Roca and The Fat Duck respectively, Fallow stands as an innovative restaurant that puts sustainability first. Their menu contains lesser-used ingredients in order to reduce waste within industry while boasting creative dishes with innovative concepts.
Fallow stands out among London restaurants by raising its sustainability profile in several ways. First of all, its head chefs – Dinner by Heston alumni Will Murray and Jack Croft from Fallow’s menu; both chefs share a passion for sustainable cooking practices that are evident on Fallow’s menu of using lesser-used produce in dishes such as cauliflower cheese croquetas with black garlic mayo to fried corn ribs dusted with salted kombu, Old Bay seasoning, and smoked paprika-
Meat eaters will find much to appreciate here – cod head for example boasts gorgeous moist flesh covered in peas, mushroom and sorrel salad infused with thyme oil. There’s also an impressive list of European wines with an emphasis on natural and biodynamic production; our Malagouzia and Assyrtiko pairing was truly impeccable.
Cod’s head
Fallow’s founders Will Murray and Jack Croft decided to settle in St James’s after enjoying an extremely successful residency at 10 Heddon Street. Here they continue their dedication to nose-to-tail and root-to-stem cuisine, using fresh British ingredients which might otherwise go to waste.
The menu, divided into hyper-specific sections such as “breads” and “dairy cow cuts”, features imaginative combinations that elevate humble produce to new heights. Their cod’s head, typically reserved for stock, is served fried with an equally delectable bright orange Sriracha butter sauce – making for an extraordinary dining experience!
Small plates menu highlights include crab cake with pickled lemon and purslane, as well as mushroom parfait – silky smooth shiitake puree topped with caramelised grey oyster mushrooms and shaved fennel from their own mushroom growing room, featuring their chefs’ unique seasoning that highlights mushrooms’ distinctive umami and meaty richness.
The chefs’ penchant for ingenuity can be seen throughout their restaurant. In the dining room, for example, an elaborate seaweed installation serves both as chandelier and garnish; floating shelves hold strange cubic contraptions sprouting giant mushrooms; all this creates an environment which feels more like a food lab than dining room! Test tubes and other scientific paraphernalia fill this space like no other!
Confit cabbage
Fallow Restaurant stands as an emblem of elegant simplicity in St James’s. Behind its sleek navy blue exterior lies a thoughtful interior featuring recycled oyster and mussel shell terrazzo-esque tiles, wood paneling and dark marble that fill the space – reflecting Fallow’s sustainable mindset with emphasis on nose-to-tail dining as part of its sustainable philosophy.
Will Murray and Jack Croft from Dinner by Heston Blumenthal fame head the kitchen at Carlingford Rock Oyster Bar & Bistro, who pride themselves on creating cuisine packed with flavour and texture. A favourite was crab cake with pickled lemon, purslane sauce and delicate flecks of crab all stacked up atop sharp pickles and creamy purslane sauce – delicious. Also excellent were Carlingford rock oysters which I consider among some of the best I have ever tasted.
As our main course, we shared the dairy cow rib of beef with condiments. This high-end piece of meat had been aged to bring out its umami flavor and toughen up its fibers – leaving me thinking about its unforgettable flavors for weeks afterward.
Fans of Heddon Street original will be pleased to see some of their favourite dishes such as corn ribs and deer tartare make an appearance on this new menu, along with smaller plates designed for sharing, grill section and raw bar section – everything here has been designed to be shared among diners!