In the well-to-do streets of St John’s Wood, where the ghosts of the Beatles still linger like a half-remembered chorus from Abbey Road, and where the Oxfam bookshop boasts art catalogues on sale at £75 apiece, Cinder arrives as little less than a burning bush.
This second outpost of Jake Finn’s flame-kissed empire, following the bijou original in Belsize Park, occupies a sliver of St John’s Wood that might once have housed a genteel butcher’s shop, or perhaps a slightly down-at-heel café. Now, with its sage-green walls, chipped vintage tiles, and curtained booths evoking a French bistro reimagined by a particularly whimsical set designer, it hums with the sort of easy bonhomie that makes one wonder why one ever bothers with the flummery of Mayfair.
Cinder is a place for sharing one’s dishes, in the proper, greedy fashion, where plates are passed with murmurs of “you must try this” and the occasional accusatory glance at the person who has snapped up the last morsel. We began, as one must, with the house focaccia, that warm, charred pillow of dough which arrives with a pot of whipped parmesan butter so divine it could seduce a vegan. It is the sort of bread that makes you question your life choices: why, oh why, have I spent so many evenings gnawing on supermarket ciabatta when sustenance as good as this exists?
The drinks list, mercifully concise, tempted us towards the cocktails first. The Cinder Margarita, with its burnt jalapeño paste, is a sly beast: deceptively smooth, it unfurls a slow, smoky burn that lingers like a particularly persistent ex-lover, all citrus snap and subtle heat. And Shakey Jake’s Ginger Brew, a Hawksmoor rip-off that knows it, arrived fizzing with irreverent glee, a highball that punches above its weight with zesty effervescence.
Still, this is a place where the flames burn in every sense. The spicy crab doughnut, glazed with prawn and crowned with kombu crack, was a triumph of taste and flavour alike. Next up, the beetroot with herb ricotta and chilli nut crunch proved that this oft-overlooked vegetable could take centre stage to bold effect. Girolle mushrooms, grilled to a smoky tenderness, played the supporting role with earthy grace, and then, to kick off the mains, heartier fare in the form of confit duck agnolotti in chicken brodo swam into view like plump, golden envelopes of indulgence. It would have been remiss not to have tried one of the specials, a 300g fillet steak, which came grilled to blushing pink perfection and sauced with bordelaise bone marrow. Sides of divine butternut squash and triple-cooked new potatoes just added to the gaiety of nations.
Wines by the glass are a Cinder strength, selected with the discernment of a man who knows that life’s too short for plonk. The Rioja Blanco, pale and zingy with peach and citrus whispers, was the perfect aperitif, while the Supernova Negre — a fragrant Mallorcan red of wild berries, herbs, and exotic spice from old-vine Mantonegro — unfolded with Mediterranean swagger, medium-bodied and distinctly quaffable.
We were pretty much full by this point, but it would have been remiss not to sample pudding, which came in the form of a crème brûlée to share, and brought the evening to a deliciously sweet close. Crisp caramel yielding to cool, vanilla-kissed custard, vast enough for two and almost too much even for us. It was the perfect denouement; simple, delicious, and unapologetically indulgent.
Cinder is both charming and convivial, with a space that is intimate to the point of cosiness, and prices that are exceptional value for both the quality and quantity of the food you get (£60 per person for a feast, plus a further £25 each for drinks). In a city where restaurants often strain for relevance like over-eager suitors, Finn’s sophomore venture feels refreshingly authentic, and a neighbourhood gem that burns bright without scorching the earth. I left with the glow of embers in my belly and a vow to return, remarking that, in an area that could do with a little fire in its streets, Cinder is the spark that makes it all worthwhile.
Cinder, 5 St John’s Wood High St, London NW8 7NG. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.cinderrestaurant.co.uk.
Photos by Amy Heycock, Blake Ezra.