For the past few years the celebrated English chef Fergus Henderson (St. John) has been coming to New York for a brief tour of April Bloomfield's restaurants affectionately dubbed 'FergusStock.' Well, Henderson is back and this year you don't even need a reservation to taste his offal-centric fare (think pig's head with beans for two). Just a lot of patience. The seating for all three of his engagements this week are first come, first served.
So where's Henderson heading? Tomorrow, Wednesday, November 2nd, he'll be at The Spotted Pig. On Thursday, November 3rd, he'll be heading up The Breslin and then on Friday, November 4th, he'll be making his first appearance at The John Dory Oyster Bar for an evening called "Fergus Does Fish." In addition to Henderson's dishes, each restaurant will be serving up some of their own specials and signatures (you can check out the menus below).
So what's the big deal about Henderson? Why not ask Anthony Bourdain! As the former chef and current travel host and writer put it in 2007, "Every time you see pork belly or bone marrow, kidneys, or trotters on an American menu, you might well owe a debt of thanks to Fergus. He showed so many of us the way."
Seriously, the man has a way with unconventional meats! If you can brave the crowds that will surely be descending upon FergusStock, it should be hard to be disappointed.
FergusStock at The Spotted Pig:
St John's Dishes
Pigs ear terrine with cornichons
Roasted bone marrow with parsley, shallots and capers
Pigs trotters, bacon and prune (on mash or foie gras toast)
Pig's head with beans for two
Duck and watercress pie for two
The Spotted Pig's Dishes
Smoked potted lamb tongue with bread and butter pickles
Crispy tripe salad with fall greens
Stuffed veal trotter with Chanterelles and dandelion
Braised pigeon with creamy polenta and root vegetables
Turbot with sunchokes and cardoons
* there will also be a menu of Spotted Pig classics, such as the chargrilled burger with roquefort & shoestrings, sheep's milk ricotta gnudi and apple salad with Mrs. Quicke's cheddar & walnuts.
FergusStock at The Breslin Bar & Dining Room:
St John's Dishes
Bone marrow & parsley salad
Lamb's tongue & bread and green sauce
Pressed pig's ears
Deviled kidneys on toast
Pork chop, chard & mustard
Chicken and ox tongue pie for two
Pig's head with beans for two
Pudding
Donuts
Chocolate ice cream
The Breslin's Dishes
Sea salt & cracked pepper crisps
Caramel popcorn
Spiced almonds
Pork scratchings
Scotch egg
Scrumpets with mint vinegar
Beef & stilton pie
Boiled peanuts in pork fat
Chicken liver parfait with madeira jelly
Terrine plate
Oysters with dill pickle juice
Herbed Caesar salad
Warm shell bean salad
Seafood sausage with beurre blanc
Local mushrooms with pancetta
Chargrilled lamb burger with feta, cumin mayo & chips
Chargrilled scallops with pancetta & roasted pumpkin
Whole trout on the plancha w/ potatoes, chicories and anchovy
Pudding
Milk chocolate panna cotta
FergusStock at The John Dory Oyster Bar
St. John's Dishes
Fresh Maine sea urchin
Anchovy buns
Soft roes on toast
Mussels, cucumber and dill
Anchovy and egg
Brill for two
Pike and leek pie
Pudding
Dr. Henderson ice cream
Treacle pudding
The John Dory Oyster Bar's Dishes
Roasted peanuts with garlic and rosemary
Spiced Castelvetrano olives with tomato
Carte da musica with bottarga and chili
Parker House roll with char pate
Crudo with trotter jelly, radish and crispy fish skin
Crudo with market grapes, chervil and Champagne vinegar
Crudo of Nantucket bay scallops
Escarole salad with anchovy dressing
Oyster pan roast with uni butter crostini
Kedgeree
Chanterelles and periwinkles with garlic on toast
Chorizo stuffed squid with smoked tomato
Pork belly and uni custard
