Take an iconic London museum which has just had a makeover, open a restaurant on its top floor with stunning views over the city and install a proven chef in its kitchen and you should be onto a winning formula. Proof of concept lies in The Portrait, the new opening in the National Portrait Gallery, fronted by Richard Corrigan. Visitors now have good reason to come and appreciate both art and food.
Even on a cloudy day which resembled more Autumn than late Summer, the view from The Portrait impresses. Spread out is London. from the skyscrapers of the City through to the Millennium Wheel via the Shard, with Nelson resplendent on his column right in the main line of sight. To get there, however, does require an effort. Less intrepid diners may be put off by the poor signage – surely an oversight from a venue which has just reopened – and the necessity of having to use some permutation of lifts and stairs.
The draw, apart from the view, is to experience the cooking of Richard Corrigan, famous not only for TV presence but also the man behind his eponymous restaurant as well as the iconic Bentley’s. At The Portrait, Corrigan keeps it simple, reinterpreting British classics with a few novel twists. As is the current vogue, expect an emphasis on localism, seasonality and sustainability. With a nod to the venue in which he operates, each dish is also an aesthetic masterpiece. Fortunately, the style is backed up by substance too.
Diners can choose from an incredibly well-priced set menu (£29 for two courses or an extra £6 to add in a dessert) as well as being able to choose off an a la carte menu with around half a dozen starters and mains. There is, as we found, the ability to mix and match across both lists – always a nice touch. My globe artichoke starter was an obvious crowd-pleaser. It doesn’t take much to make this dish look good, but it was executed by the team here with panache. The crab and kombu (edible kelp) dip proved to be the dish’s making; the nutty bitterness offset by a saline succulence. If The Portrait delivered well here, then it truly excelled with a beef cheek main, rendered all the more remarkable by being on the set menu. Both my comrade and I marvelled at its melt-in-the-mouth tenderness. This was a dish of depth and richness with a finish that lingered long after the meal’s end. Puddings also pleased, particularly the combination of chocolate mousse and spiced madeleines.
The Portrait was, of course, not without its flaws. Beyond the travails of reaching the venue (admittedly not the fault of the restaurant), service bordered on the slightly too informal side, particularly given the typical demographic of the guests and their probable expectations. Our wine was also served at the wrong temperature and necessitated some cooling before it became properly drinkable. The slickness of a venue that has truly found its feet was just not quite there. It’s still early days though and there’s a lot to like. Post-prandial picture viewing could be considered an added bonus.