London's Famous J Sheekey Restaurant + A Recipe

On our way to Leicester Square

Outside J Sheekey's Restaurant

J Sheekey

During our sojourn in London, amid the nights of thrilling theatre and the plebeian charm of public houses (pubs), and the wallet emptying time spent at more exquisite drinking establishments, we did manage a few wonderful meals.  One of my companions suggested J Sheekeys, catering to late theatre crowds for over a hundred years.

Sheekey’s also has an elegant oyster bar (J Sheekey Atlantic Bar) next door, which, sadly, we did not visit.

Often described as near Covent Garden,  J Sheekey is actually nearer to Leicester Square, in the heart of the theatre district. Besides the food, Sheekey’s has an interesting history.

Allow me to take you back to the glory years of Britain, at the height of its powers when “The sun never sets on the British Empire.”  But, I need to add a correction.

That quote about empire comes from a tome authored by Christopher North, who actually wrote: “His Majesty’s dominions, on which the sun never sets…”  The Majesty at the time (1829) was King George IV.

But, J Sheekey had a much more humble beginning.  In the 1890s, Josef Sheekey, a fish monger at Covent Garden, asked permission to serve fish and shellfish.  Lord Salisbury, the Prime Minister at the time (he was three times Prime Minister) gave his permission, but with the proviso that Sheekey would supply food for Lord Salisbury’s late, after theatre dining parties.

Lord Salisbury

And who was the Monarch at the time Sheekey’s was born?  Queen Victoria (Queen 1837-1901), the longest reining British monarch until the present Queen Elizabeth II. 

You see, you’re missing half the fun if you go practically anywhere in London, or in England for that matter, and don’t inquire about the history and the personalities who made that history.

Now it’s time to visit the dining room of this old and very plush restaurant.  As you might guess, the diners were all well dressed, as were we, in slacks and sports coats and shoes that would go well with a suit.  Nor did we gnaw our food in great ripping chunks and tuck a corner of our yellow cloth napkins into the necks of our shirts.

Neither did drinks of the adult sort have an appeal.  I had already sloshed down two strong gin and tonics before the start and at the intermission of the raucous play we just saw, “Only Fools and Horses,” at the Theatre Royal Haymarket (dating to 1720, third oldest in London).

Theatre Royal Haymarket

The waiter, dressed in a dark suit, and with the careful elegance of experience, took our drink order and returned to accept our dining requests.

“Water please, and keep it coming!”

I opt for the famous J Sheekey fish pie.  Creamy and delicious.  Others ordered prawn curry, flounder, and a bone-in sirloin.  I did not get a chance to taste the other dishes as my companions guarded their troughs with angry eyes.  

The food was not only wonderful, but the atmosphere felt so upper crust London-ish and yet had the relaxed air that promotes conversation and leisurely dining.  Londoners of this ilk speak in hushed murmurs, which make it annoyingly difficult to eavesdrop.

Should you get to London and take in a theatre performance, you might consider treating yourself to a luscious after theatre treat at J Sheekey.

But, suppose you can’t get there right now. Perhaps your horse is in the running for the Derby, or you simply can’t tear yourself away from Wall Street, or god forgive you if you’re not at the showroom when the new Bentley arrives.

You have my heartfelt sympathy and as a consolation, Madame et Monsieur, I offer you a recipe for J Sheekey’s famous fish pie, that your Cordon Blue trained chef can easily prepare for your late night dinner party.

J Sheekey’s Famous Fish Pie

Preheat oven to 350ºF

The Fish:

8 oz cod (or any white chunky fish), cut in 1 inch chunks

8 oz Salmon, also cut in 1 inch chunks. 

8 oz of smoked haddock, or use smoked trout

small amount of parsley, chopped

For the sauce:

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons flour

½ Cup white wine

2 Cups fish stock

1/3 Cup heavy cream

Juice of half a lemon

1 teaspoon English mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

½ of one anchovy filet, mashed to a paste (or ½ teaspoon anchovy essense)

For the topping:

2 pounds of potatoes, peeled, boiled and dry mashed

4 Tablespoons butter or a bit more, as needed

¼ Cup of milk

2 Tablespoons breadcrumbs

Some good shakes of grated Parmesan cheese

Put it together:

Melt the butter over low heat and gently stir in the flour. Gradually add the wine, stirring well. Slowly add the fish stock and stir until the sauce is creamy.  Bring to the boil and then simmer for fifteen minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, stirring, and very briefly bring the sauce to the boil again.  Add more Worcestershire and mustard, if you want it spicier.  Season with salt and pepper.

Gently stir in the fish and parsley.  Pour into a large, high-sided dish, until about an inch from the top.  Let the mixture cool.  This will allow the topping to sit on the top, rather than blending into the sauce. 

Mix the milk and butter into the mashed potatoes and stir until soft enough to spread over the fish mixture.  Pipe or spread the mash potatoes over the fish mixture. Pop the dish in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Sprinkle on the breadcrumbs and cheese and bake for another 10 minutes.

There it is!  An historic taste of London right in your own mansion!  

But, I’m curious.  What color Bentley did you order?  I prefer the Cirrus (white) or perhaps the Lustre (gun metal gray) or Tourmaline (an elegant dark silver blue).

Hungry In London

I’ve been going to London so long I’ve stopped counting. Nowadays, I go for one special reason, London’s a smorgasbord of pleasures.   Pubs and Plays, just to name two.  But, between pints and the theater, I cram in museums, bookstores, shopping, and an upscale bar or two.  Man cannot live by beer alone, although goodness knows I’ve tried, so I seek out some wonderful restaurants.  Wonderful, I said, not top hat and evening gown elegant, or pricy enough to melt your plastic.

There’s a fabulous array of restaurants, ethnic and otherwise, spread throughout this magnificent city.  A couple of decades ago, I would have been among the culinary mourners.  English food?  Blah and bland.  These days, the choices make me drool, while my heart beats like a snare drum.

Indian cuisine has always been in Soho, but now those fragrant flavors flow into every artery of the city.  In Kensington I found one of the best, Light of India, a permanent stop of mine.

 

A lovely Indian appetizer with fragrant sauces

At Light of India, even the table settings are sooooo tasteful!

Rogan Josh at the Light of India

Then there’s Chinatown!  Right behind Leicester Square.  Several blocks of Chinese restaurants race you from one end of China to the other, from steaming dim sum, to the sweet and sour Cantonese, to Beijing duck, and taste bud punishing, spices from Sichuan Province. Don’t know which one to choose?  Try Leang’s Legend and sample it all!

Leang's Sweet and Sour Pork

By the way, anyone enlighten you about the eight major regions of Chinese cuisine?  Aren’t you glad I asked!

My favorite fast food is doner kabab, a Turkish dish of shaved meats, which the Greeks call Gyro.  On the corner of Leicester Square, there’s a fabulous doner spot, Fiori.  Turkish?  Yeah, kinda.  Fiori also serves pizza and all the waitresses are drop dead gorgeous and from eastern Europe, but the food is as authentically fragrant and tasty as any I had in Ankara.

There’s also Japanese, Peruvian, Vietnamese, and dozens of others.  And don’t neglect the gastro pubs that serve everything from Thai to aged steaks.

If you’re as addicted as I am to Japanese ramin, then Kanada-Ya is your kind of place.  Steaming noodles in wonderfully filling miso broth is perfect for a London lunch on a chilly day.  Located in several parts of the city.  Expect to wait in line.  Yep, it’s that good!

Ramin at Kanada-Ya

And if you want the best of gastro pubs, try The Churchill Arms in Notting Hill for Thai, The Queens Arms in Kensington for pub food with a French flair and The Porcupine near Leicester Square, for pure English pub fare fit for a king.

Roast Chicken with Yorkshire Pudding at The Porcupine

http://stroudallover.blogspot.it/2013/11/the-queens-arms-quintessential-gastro.html

Can’t make up your mind and want a taste of everything?  Try the wonderfully expansive Boroughs Market (Closed Sundays).  Don’t you dare miss this one!

And, let's not forget breakfast at my favorite spot, Café Forum!

The Full English

If you go hungry in London, have yourself checked for tapeworms and scold yourself for your lack of imagination!