Portland, 113 Great Portland Street, London W1W 6QG

Portland, 113 Great Portland Street, London W1W 6QG
www.portlandrestaurant.co.uk
21/02/2015
She said: Damn, the critics were gushing about this place before it hit our radar so I was dubious as to whether the hype would match reality. It did. Portland looks unassuming from the outside, opposite a pub and alongside the strange mix of retail on this Fitzrovia side street. When we entered the warm, but cosy, galley, blonde-wood interior with its tables lined up to maximise the space and an open kitchen at the end, I was just hoping it would deliver. The lunch menu was interesting but for some reason none of the starters appealed – they really did sound creative so I’m not sure why, but I skipped straight to main with a miso barley dish. I cannot express just how magical this dish was; heaven with every spoon. I would go back tomorrow just for this wonder. I actually liked the intimacy of the space as I do like listening in to other diners’ conversations, like the middle-aged man showing off to his elderly mother at the table two inches from us. Though I doubt the table on the other side of us liked me brushing their plates with my rear when I tried to pass to visit the ladies. The only jarring gripe was the loud, never ending phone with a ring tone you would expect in a busy Pizza Hut which was a constant mood killer – that needs to go. But back to the food. I caved in to the critics who had banged on about the dark chocolate dessert; though a small portion (I could have had twice the amount) it was again like eating a very chocolatey cloud then ended heaven. So, regular heavenly visits with the food at Portland. Surely a price worth paying (and you do pay – with two courses for two people and no alcohol at £60).

He said: I knew exactly nothing about Portland before walking through the door. But walking out of it, one fine meal later, I knew for sure that we'd been to one of the finalists on our eventual ‘Best of 2015’ list. The first impression is excellent: the place is done up in a stylish but unassuming ModernScandi style, giving a clear view of the open kitchen at the back. It exudes a ‘serious about food’ vibe while avoiding the food fascist and food fadist trap – no sous vide snail porridge here. Portland is all about seasonal fare and rock solid technique. The cod I ordered was the best fish I’d had since The Corinthian (see below) probably about two years ago. A side of roast cauliflower was perfect, as was my slim but spot on wedge of sugar tart for desert. Everything unfolded totally seamlessly. I'm glad this is local; this is definitely the kind of place you want to survive, unlike a lot of trendy openings. Prices are on the steep side, and the narrow space between tables won't be to everyone’s liking, but it's forgivable, and maybe even desirable for a neighbourhood restaurant: you might just be sat next to someone you always see in the baked beans aisle  at Tesco’s. I would definitely like to go back. The kitchen is pretty small considering all the magic coming out of it, and it would be interesting to see how they manage all these closely packed tables at full swing on a Saturday night.