Tom Cenci at Stoney Street by 26 Grains review: a real treat in the buzz of Borough Market
Out of an uncertain lockdown, a strong culinary alliance is born
As winter approaches and options for socialising seemingly evaporate overnight, a dinner in the heart of the capital is perhaps not the time to be reminded of the pandemic.
Stoney Street is warm, inviting and autumnal. Think twigs and russet leaves in jam jars, low-lighting and Otis Redding playing softly, as the kitchen hisses and sizzles, and drinks are mixed and poured at the bar. It’s minimal, effortless, fuss-free dining. I kicked off my evening with an excellent pisco sour I spied on the menu; a perfect blend of chill, tang and froth.
Small snacks, designed to be shared, take the form of cornmeal pancakes with Old Bay butter, charred corn and spring onion, griddled Navajo flatbread and curried pumpkin. Smoked salmon bellies, often discarded for being too fatty and slightly tough, are the highlight here – plump and fatty in the grape mustard mayo and served with croutons leftover from the day’s bread.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
This was followed by some very moreish beef dripping spätzli (a type of German pasta) to follow; a heartier dish with celery leaf and Belper Knolle cheese, and the type which happily disappears in front of your eyes without you noticing.
Cenci’s pièce de résistance of the night was his braised beef, which came tall and proud, sitting in a duvet of creamy mac and cheese, made with Appenzeller cheese. It seemed ostensibly like an odd match but was perfect for a cosy autumnal evening. The meat effortlessly fell away from the fork, the meat juices dribbled into the cheese.
Cenci’s classic, smashed cheeseburger is perhaps best described as polite – there are surely heftier, dirtier beasts out there to be devoured, and this offering might not please everyone. But this is clearly a case of quality over quantity – a lightly toasted, springy brioche, excellent meat, teamed up with American cheese, mustard and mayo pickled cucumbers. It’s a dainty dish, but still oozy, juicy and satisfying.
To finish off I chose the banoffee cheesecake with a hob nob crunch and puppy chow cereal (a typically homemade American snack with peanut butter, melted chocolate and cereal) served with a light chocolate yoghurt mousse and drizzled with hibiscus syrup. The banoffee cheesecake was bemusing in that it had been deconstructed for no discernible reason – so the plate comprised a small pool of hob nob rubble, which was difficult to spoon onto the coconut cream, and some inelegant sliced banana. The individual components were smooth and the right amount of sweet, but I would have preferred to plunge my fork into a big fat slice of pudding.
Staff were attentive and friendly, and able to recommend some great glasses of wine. And overall this is a lovely, quiet spot in the buzz of Borough Market to while away an evening, with pleasingly simple, tempting and intelligent small plates. A real treat – not to be missed.
2-3 Stoney Street, Borough Market, London SE1 9AA; 26grains.com
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The teenage 'maths prodigy' who turned out to be a cheat
Under The Radar Jiang Ping defied expectations in a global competition but something wasn't right
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Puppet shows, pagodas and pho: a guide to Hanoi
The Week Recommends Vietnam's capital city blends the ancient with the new
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
'There are benefits, but not acknowledging them would tell only half of the story'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
How London fell back in love with the brasserie
The Blend From Brasserie Zédel to Café François, we sample the best bistros in town
By Charlie Teasdale Published
-
Why a Michelin star can spell danger for restaurants
In the Spotlight Winning chefs face heightened financial pressures, changing customer demands and professional limitations
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
8 award-winning restaurants to visit this fall
The Week Recommends It's the season for dropping magazine restaurant and chef awards
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
A foodie guide to Seattle
The Week Recommends From bustling markets to burger joints, these are the best spots in the city
By Neil Davey Published
-
A foodie guide to St Andrews
The Week Recommends The Scottish seaside town has it all, from cheese toastie shacks to Michelin-starred restaurants
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
The Count of Monte Cristo review: 'indecently spectacular' adaptation
The Week Recommends Dumas's classic 19th-century novel is once again given new life in this 'fast-moving' film
By The Week UK Published
-
Death of England: Closing Time review – 'bold, brash reflection on racism'
The Week Recommends The final part of this trilogy deftly explores rising political tensions across the country
By The Week UK Published
-
Sing Sing review: prison drama bursts with 'charm, energy and optimism'
The Week Recommends Colman Domingo plays a real-life prisoner in a performance likely to be an Oscars shoo-in
By The Week UK Published