The maxim of most estate agents is location, location, location. So given that the Portrait restaurant in the National Gallery looks out over the Millennium Eye, Big Ben and St Martin’s in the Field, it is situated in one sweet spot.

Placed on the third floor of the gallery, it fills up quite regularly on the Thursdays and Fridays when it opens up in the evening. If you are considering dining on these particular days, it would be advisable to book ahead as there was scarcely a free table in sight.

I started off with the cured salmon, which made for an excellent start to the meal. The salmon was juicy and full of flavour. My companion’s selection of the scallops proved another inspired choice as the meat retained a good consistency and texture.

My main course of guinea fowl with potato gratin was another well-balanced dish and with a great amount of thought put into its composition. Although I felt the potato gratin was a bit flat, this was a small distraction from the tender and succulent meat of the guinea. My companion’s main course of the pork belly was another winner although the addition of a red onion confit seemed to be too much of a leftfield choice. For wine, a 2005 Temparanillo was a perfect compliment to both dishes, its mixture of berries and oak giving an added resonance to the food.

For desert, I plumped for the bread and butter pudding. I am always weary when going for this particular dish as it is often done quite badly, which is confusing as it is such a simple dish. However, given the standard of the food thus far, I felt confident in selecting it. And my good intentions were rewarded with a very well-rounded pudding which held up very well.

My companion’s choice of liquorice parfait was something to behold. I normally have an aversion to liquorice in deserts as it can be terribly overwhelming in terms of flavour but this was exceptionally subtle and nuanced and rounded off what was an extremely impressive meal.

Portrait Restaurant
St Martin’s Place
Covent Garden
WC2H 0HE

Tel: 020 7312 2490