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Picture Marylebone, the neighbourhood restaurant, is celebrating its first birthday, and to do that they have created a special tasting menu. This five-course birthday tasting menu is available for lunch and dinner throughout July. We at Vada popped in for a Tuesday evening to try this out for ourselves.
To note before arrival, Picture’s big brother venue is not far away on Great Portland Street, so do ensure the correct venue. Other than that diners will find the interior not too dissimilar to art galleries in the area, white with minimalist furniture, splashes of colour provided by statement artworks, and touches of Scandinavian design.
Service was friendly and efficient, led by Tom, one of the owners on hand that evening working front of house.
First birthday tasting menu
The five course tasting menu has a fixed price of £35 per person. It starts with a Peach Bellini and lamb bites. The former was smooth and well mixed, we were pleased to find no separation of Prosecco and peach pulp as can be the case with a poorly prepared Bellini. The crunchy lamb bites had none of the typical unpleasant lamb scent that can be off-putting. In fact served with an aioli sauce they were incredibly moreish, and we’d like them delivered to the office regularly please.
Chilled leek and potato gazpacho (the seasonal cold soup) was next on the list. Green and flavourful, this was served in quirky contrasting pottery, providing a couple of mouthfuls. We were also offered advice about the wine, and with a small but eclectic menu we recommend asking for advice unless a known bottle stands out. We had a Hungarian Dry Furmint Château Pajzos, Tokaji (priced at £35 per bottle).
Next up is a salad of young beetroot, goats curd and hazelnut. Well presented, as the other dishes, there was a great balance of flavours, although we would have liked more of the goats curd.
Lightly smoked pork, fennel, apricot and baked shallot will be a hit with any pork fans. Served with fennel and pickled mustard, this mini terrine will impress Scandi palettes.
The cod was some of the best cooked we have tried, only just cooked therefore retaining a lot of moisture and flaky. The firs is served with Charlotte potato crisps, hispi cabbage and brown shrimp.
At this point, diners can choose to augment their tasting menu with a cheese course, sourced from nearby La Fromagerie. Cheese selections are an additional cost at £3.50 per cheese or £10 for three pieces.
The dessert, a dark chocolate mouse, served with a banana cream, caramel sauce and peanut crumble, is a perfect deconstruction of a banoffee pie, just better. Pleasurably so.
Overall thoughts
The Picture Marylebone offers excellent value at its price point. As a showcase of the dishes on offer and the dishes that Picture is able to create in its wider menu, it suggests that we should have discovered Picture Marylebone earlier. We had nothing to fault, so definitely recommend this as one of London’s top tasting menus this month.
A six-course summer tasting menu (priced at £45) and à la carte menu options are also available.
Picture Marylebone is located at 19 New Cavendish Street, London, W1G 9TZ.
For more information or to book a table at Picture Marylebone, visit: picturerestaurant.co.uk or call 0207 935 0058.
