However John is equally enthusiastic about food and therefore, in between my verbal business groping, there weren’t any long, awkward silences whilst we chewed the fat of business world and discussed the food in front of us.

The restaurant is decorated in the style of its food, that is to say it is simple, straightforward and without pretension. The ambience and decor of any restaurant can certainly enhance an evening, but I have never enjoyed a meal with bad food but good ambience, whereas I have enjoyed many good meals in unmemorable venues.

The menu changes daily and is, thankfully, plain and concise in it description of each dish, no flowery chef-ego fuelled language, simply a statement of ingredient intent. The menu is split into dishes available from 12pm onwards, which are typically smaller “sharing” dishes ranging from Rock Oysters and Razor Clams (£1.40 and £2.30 each respectively), to “Bobby Beans, Red Onion & Duck Egg” (£5.90) and up to Black Bream & Seabeet (£13). There were two main course dishes available from 1pm (Pigs Cheek, Chicory and Mustard at £11.90 and Venison Liver, Pickled Walnut & Watercress £12.50), but both of us being curious and greedy types decided to order two smaller dishes.

After devouring the bread (deliciously strong sourdough and malty comforting wholemeal), my first small dish was Mutton, Bread and Green Sauce (£6.10). The generous portion of mutton was served cold and sliced, with peppery green leaves (watercress I think, but cannot recall), dressed but not drowned with the green sauce (which, I guess, was based principally on parsley and olive oil), with the small cubes of bread thirstily absorbing any delicious excess.

I had never knowingly eaten mutton before, but it was a richer and deeper flavour than lamb, the version of the animal that most people encounter. Perhaps it lacked the tenderness that characterises lamb, but the flavour was worth the extra effort for my jaw. Eating mutton for the first time was a little like being married to a wonderful and pretty woman, only to discover that she has a sexier, more engaging and more beautiful long-lost sister. John considered his Smoked Eel & Horseradish (£6.90) to be “excellent”, the rich and dense flesh of the eel spiked by the peppery horseradish.

Having devoured our first two dishes, we greedily awaited the next two, Duck Liver Terrine and Foie Gras on Toast (£6.50) for him, whilst I ordered the wonderfully English sounding Grouse, Elderberries and Cobnuts (£9.80). I did immediately regret my second choice, as I was already heavy with red meat and so was yearning for something without meat, such as the Beetroot and Ticklemore (a goats cheese). However, because I am a solider to weight gain, I managed to battle on through and eat the dish. The grouse, which I have only before tried roasted, seem to have been pan-fried to rare and was served with the cobnuts, with the caviar-esque (in appearance), acidic elderberries, sharply pointing against the gamey richness of the bird. The cobnuts gave the dish textural balance, but I challenge you to maintain your dignity at the table whilst trying to eat cobnuts with a fork. The dish was essentially good but I found the texture of the grouse a little slimy as I would have preferred it pink, not rare. John’s terrine and foie gras was spread thickly onto toast and served with cornichons. It was, I am informed, rich and delicious and invoked no sense of animal rights guilt from the eater, thankfully.

I then went through the motions of debating aloud whether or not I might indulge in dessert. I’m not sure why I (and gluttons generally) ritually perform this limp wave to self-discipline. I presume because for the briefest moment it makes us feel better that we are, at least, aware of the wrong-doing.

The list of desserts menu was another example of St John’s straightforward, self-confident simplicity; Buttermilk Pudding and Blackberries, Fig and Almond Tart, Prune and Armangnac Ice Cream, Apple & Calvados cake, Treacle Sponge & Custard, Chocolate Terrine & Creme Fraiche (excluding the cheeses and a few others) all caught my greedy eye. On reading this I regretted having savoury courses and anxiety set in, at the thought of having to choose only one dessert.

I chose (or rather the waitress decided for me) the Chocolate Terrine & Creme Fraiche (£6). The “slice” of terrine, with a gooey texture somewhere between a parfait and flour-less chocolate cake, was smooth but with enough density of texture to satisfy. The chocolate was rich but not too bitter and the souring crème fraiche balanced and, in an odd sort of way, cooled the richness. John’s Fig and Almond Tart (£5.80) was eaten with such enthusiasm and speed that I barely had a chance to cast envious glances over it. Polished off with good espresso macchiato’s, we were happily sated.

So, overall my expectations were more than met with a very good lunch, helpful service and for a not wholly unreasonable price (£50 for two including water, coffees and service). I am keen to return simply to work my way through the dessert menu, or perhaps better yet go to the restaurant in Smithfield to try Roast Bone Marrow & Parsley Salad, or perhaps the Venison Offal & Lentils. Leaving room for dessert, of course.