"You can't expect a great view AND good service" quipped our waiter as he dropped some forks. In fact, service here was brisk and friendly, and the spectacular views more than made up for a slight delay from the kitchen. A short wait for our mains was excusable in any case given that the place was completely packed, and also in light of the attention paid to each dish. The food was excellent.
Head Chef Brendan Fyldes picked up a Michelin star at his last restaurant and he has created a daring European fusion menu for this sleekly modern restaurant perched 200 feet above Trafalgar Square. Black Pudding with scallops and apples looked the most eccentric of the starters, but the flavours matched each other delightfully. Cucumber Gazpacho was a treat. The highpoint of the entire meal was a simple piece of salmon, perfectly baked and accompanied with bright green beans in an aromatic tarragon sauce.
Portrait is clearly set to become a favourite lunchtime spot for slightly more upmarket diners in the same way as Chez Gerrard. The food is better and the views across London towards Parliament and the London Eye cannot be beaten - by night, this panorama should ensure plenty of romantic bookings. Prices are low given the calibre of the kitchen, although mercifully out of reach for teenagers.
Highly recommended.
What's on at
The Portrait Restaurant
Beatles To Bowie: The 60s Exposed 15th October 2009 - 24th January 2010 London in the swinging sixties is explored through carefully selected -...
Price: £9.00-£10.00
Taylor Wessing Photographic Portra... 5th November 2009 - 14th February 2010 The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize, held at the National...
The National Portrait Gallery
St Martin's Place, WC2H
Where else in London could you hope to find The Beatles, Henry VIII, Fatboy Slim and Joan Collins all... More
One of the most famous restaurants in the world, with a deserved reputation for sublime modern European cooking. This legendary dining room offers the best ... More
With restaurants like The Wolseley and previously Le Caprice, The Ivy and J. Sheekey under their collective belts, Chris Corbin and Jeremy King have been ...More
Taking inspiration from Japanese ramman-noodle bars, Wagamama is the ultimate in high-quality, fast food. Huge bowls of steaming, soupy noodles, chicken dumplings with a chilli-soy ... More
A friendly, efficient deli-come-diner which serves a range of meals encompassing the cooking styles of the Middle East, Greece and Italy. The plastic menu photo-cards ... More
Overlooking Leicester Square - the setting for London’s regular film premieres - the Radisson Edwardian Hampshire has glamorous, exclusive décor to match its high-profile setting: ... More
Set in between Trafalgar and Leicester Squares and right next to the National Portrait Gallery, the Thistle Trafalgar Square is a modern hotel set in ... More
The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize, held at the National Portrait Gallery each year, attracts around 7,000 images and is open to professionals and amateurs ...More
Every Friday, from 7-8pm, meet at the Sainsbury Wing Information Desk for a sixty-minute taster tour of the National Gallery. Within the collection are paintings ...More
The National Portrait Gallery houses portraits of significant figures from the late 15th century to the present day. This isn't the place to come for ... More
The sight of lost and lonely tourists wandering around Leicester Square is already a distant memory. LondonTown.com's London Information Centre, Leicester Square, is situated directly ... More
A delightful second-hand bookshop with a wide choice that ranges from antiquarian first editions to the bargain basement. Rare books, first editions, modern literature, art ... More
Belgium's finest export, the first Godiva was opened in Brussels approximately 75 years ago by master chocolatier Joseph Draps and named after the legendary Lady ... More
The Courtauld is one of the most prestigious art schools in the country, affiliated with the Oxbridge system and boasting a huge private location and ... More
Imperial College London is the foremost medical training faculty in the country but for non-medical graduates wishing for a change of career, King’s is the ... More
This day spa exclusively for women is a total pampering experience from the minute you step through the door. Located in bustling Covent Garden you'll ... More
In the shadow of both Centrepoint and St Giles-in-the-Fields Church, hidden from most tourists and residents alike, lies this beautiful West End garden. Originally a ... More
If you're not up for the hectic atmosphere of Waxy O'Connors it might be worth slipping across the street to her infinitely more tranquil Little ... More
This
was once a sleazy Soho strip club, as the name suggests, and it really
shows. Deep reds are the dominant colour, with mirrors, booths and
velvet curtains ... More
Get the FREE monthly guide to London entertainment, arts, concerts, sport, book signings, and essential event information delivered directly to your inbox.
London in the swinging sixties is explored through carefully selected - and largely unseen - photographs in the National Portrait Gallery's autumn exhibition, Beatles to Bowie. ...More
The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize, held at the National Portrait Gallery each year, attracts around 7,000 images and is open to professionals and amateurs ...More
LondonTown.com has special discounts every week. The amount of discount will vary depending on the dates you are coming and how far in advance you book. All discounts are subject to availability.
Show favourites only
Report a bug, make a suggestion or just tell us your thoughts.