One of St James’s most traditional restaurants gets a more modern little sister as Greens Restaurant and Oyster Bar opens in Cornhill.

The Venue
After nearly 30 years of being the toast of St James’s, Greens has set its sights on a new location – Cornhill. The new venue is just as grand as the St James’s venue but completely different in feel, with the traditional decor of the original being traded in in favour of a more modern look, with dark, shiny greens as opposed to more sombre reds and browns. The venue is stretched over two floors in its entirety, with a slightly more casual area, The Runner, located downstairs, serving light lunches, snacks and drinks. There’s a dedicated Champagne room as well as a whisky room, which lead up to a private table that overlooks the floor below, giving diners a tantalising glimpse of what’s going on above whilst still remaining relatively secluded.

Greens is located in a listed building, formerly a Lloyds Bank, and a few original details remain, such as the enormous columns and beautifully ostentatious marble staircase that sweeps up to the mezzanine, where the main restaurant is located. Massive booths and cartoon sketches on the walls of the restaurant are the only detail reminiscent of the St. James location, as otherwise it’s more colourful – with lighter wood as opposed to dark – and much more spacious. Another two private rooms (one with a great view of the street outside, another with more casual high seating) flank either side of the dining area.

The Atmosphere
Located right opposite the Royal Exchange and the Bank of England, the new Greens restaurant is in prime position to soak up the clientele of local City workers. Should you have any reservations, though, diners here are much less of an old boys’ crowd than at the original restaurant – there are more women, for one, and the average age seems to be in the thirty to forty-something range. Staff are pleasant and not too formal.

The Food
A traditional British menu changes seasonally and offers up a mixture of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes. Oysters make an appearance, of course, in groups of six, nine and twelve, priced in a range from £9.90 to £34.50. If you can’t decide between Rossmore native oysters, Carlingford Lough rock oysters, West Mersea native oysters and West Mersea rock oysters, a selection of twelve is available for £27.25. Starters range in price from £6 to £9.50 and mains from £13.75 to £24.50, which, whilst expensive, aren’t outrageous for an area made up almost exclusively of financial workers.

Starters include potted shrimps, pressed ham hock terrine, spinach and goat’s cheese tart, smoked salmon with scrambled eggs, broccoli soup and a layered, grilled aubergine. The latter is unexpectedly well put together, almost like a terrine, and is served cold, which makes the tangy flavour of the aubergine stand out. On the side is a dollop of cherry tomato sauce, which has a rich, creamy taste and a vibrant orange colour. From a list of mains including fish and chips, bubble and squeak, halibut steak, calves liver, sirloin steak from Aberdeenshire’s Well Hung and Tender, a veggie lasagne made with brie, grapes, mushrooms and butternut squash mousseline. A dish of braised rump of lamb from Lovaton Farm in Devon is accompanied by a thick, indulgent mash made of potatoes and parsnips and a scattering of small carrots in a savoury gravy. The lamb itself, served medium, is incredibly soft and tender, with a salty, crispy outer edge that’s almost like crackling.

Puddings range from £6 to £7, with an option of British cheeses also available for £11. The list keeps to the traditional British theme, with choices like Cambridge burnt cream, sticky toffee pudding and a strawberry Eton Mess. The lemon curd crumble is set almost like a mousse, with a circle of soft, slightly wobbly lemon curd topped with crunchy pieces. It’s much less sharp than you’d expect, which is ideal as it’s paired with a dark chocolate ice cream that has an intense kick of bitter dark chocolate flavour.

Breakfast options feature everything from a full English breakfast (£10.50) to a pain au chocolat (£1.95), with healthier options like yoghurt and fruit compote and muesli also available. The Runner downstairs serves lighter dishes, like sandwiches, soups, salads and tiffins, British tapas-style plates such as mini baked potatoes, sausage rolls and salmon fishcakes.

The Drink
The wine list at Greens is more like a book, with nearly 40 pages of options that also include cocktails, spirits, liqueurs, Champagnes and soft drinks. A monthly changing list features ten options, whereas on the main list wines by the glass start at £4.50 and bottles at £16.50. The highest prices top out at £120 for whites and £300 for reds. There are plenty of options under £30, however. A large selection of Champagne is dominated by Laurent-Perrier and de Castellane, with prices from £45.50 to £360. Britain is represented in the drinks as well as the food, with a bottle of British Nyetimber Blanc de Blanc 2001 at £49.50.

The Last Word
Greens Restaurant and Oyster Bar has stayed true to their traditional roots whilst updating the venue for a more modern clientele. A welcome addition to fine dining in The City.

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