14 Jun 2023
Matt Adams inflicts his brood on the city’s newest pub and restaurant…
Robert Louis Stevenson said: “Saints are sinners who kept on going.” If this is the case, then there are going to be a lot of customers for St Albans’ latest pub who are probably going to end up canonised.
With huge apologies to all the staff, we took our three tumultuous daughters along to the Saint and Sinner for opening night… What would our divine judgement be?
After extensive planning delays, the former Nationwide building – a Grade II listed property dating back to the 1760s – re-opened as a McMullens pub this week following a £5.5m refit.
The transformation is remarkable. Every echo of the building’s pecuniary past has been erased, replaced with decor which owes more to Hammer Horror than savings and loan.
Gothic paintings depicting images of saintliness and sinfulness adorn every wall, scattered amidst luxurious drapes, wrought iron chandeliers, facades of ivy and brickwork, and lovingly restored original features.
Outside comes inside with a mix of conservatory and outdoor seating and bar, while upstairs is the sort of function room wars were declared and territories were divided.
In a city renowned for its pub culture, it takes something truly special to stand out from the crowd, and the Saint and Sinner achieves that in spades.
The menu will be a familiar one to patrons of sister pub The Peahen, albeit with the addition of a sourdough pizza menu, but that doesn’t mean it’s not the same high quality pub fare you can get just down the road.
The kids were stuffed to bursting with a mix of fish and chips, cheeseburger and popcorn chicken and chips, with very generous portion sizes topped off by some indulgent desserts.
I am firmly of the belief that you can have a differently cooked pizza every day of the week, so thought I’d sample their offering to see whether it was a hit or miss. The No 9 was topped with cured pork Coppa, cured Italian salami, spicy chorizo, pepperoni, roquito pepper and roquette on a crispy thin base. Initially I thought it was a bit on the small size, but the sheer quantity of toppings actually meant it was perfectly proportioned, and definitely didn’t disappoint on flavours. presenting me with an original sin.
My partner’s Java curry ‘wellness’ bowl came with a contrastingly healthy mix of many things I’d never want to see on a plate, including kale, spinach, grilled corn, cauliflower rice, tenderstem broccoli, leeks, toasted seeds, roasted cashews and pomegranate seeds, accomanied by Java curry sauce and additional grilled halloumi.
Strong, fresh flavours admirably complemented by the sauce. She said it was a very summery, very light dish, which made a real change from traditional pub food. A little bit more on the plate though!
Yes perfectly delightful food in truly special surroundings, but in this reviewer’s opinion, the real strength of the Saint and Sinner actually lies somewhere else.
Having indulged in eating establishments across our fair district, there are always going to be winners and losers where it really counts: the service.
None of our servers knew that we were from the St Albans Times, so their performance could not be judged in that context, which makes it even more impressive just how good they were.
Let’s not forget that this was Day One of a new business. Aside from a few taster nights their staff had never really dealt with the public, but from our experience, you think they were all tried and tested pros.
We have to namecheck our personal server, Heather, not only for her patience and fortitude in dealing with three very demanding children, but her general happy demeanour and knowledge of the menu.
Every hour of the three weeks spent on training the S&S staff was undoubtedly worth it. If they can maintain this level of attention to detail in the months going forwards then that is what will really cement this pub’s reputation in the local community.
As we started this review with a quote it only seems fair to end it with one too.
The great Oscar Wilde said: “The only difference between saints and sinners is that every saint has a past while every sinner has a future.”
The past of this remarkable building has most certainly been preserved and enhanced, but thanks to the changes made, both aesthetically and personally, it is hoped the future of the Saint and Sinner will be a long one indeed.
