Review: Picture, Marylebone

I recently reviewed The Unruly Pig, a gastropub in Woodbridge, Suffolk. The beginning of this story also starts in Woodbridge where I spent my youth serving ice cream at a local theatre. One of Picture Restaurant’s co-owners started out in the restaurant opposite my little ice cream parlour. He was maître d’ there before making the move to London where he worked in Michelin-starred restaurants before deciding it was time to begin his own venture.

And what a fantastic idea that was. I ended up working in an office right around the corner from Picture’s first restaurant in Fitzrovia where fellow Woodbridgian waved me down one day and told me I should come and try their tasting menu. Three years later Picture opened in Marylebone and has since received praise from Jay Rayner and Nigella Lawson. Serving modern European, bistro-style food, Picture has been awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand for outstanding value so it’s not surprising that when a private hire cancelled last minute they were able to fill the restaurant 24 hours later.

We begun with a portion of morishly meaty Game bites and bread with whipped butter.

The first dish on the tasting menu was a warming cup of Root vegetable, bay leaf and thyme soup – a satisfying entrée.

Next up was a beautifully presented plate of Roast young beetroots, goat’s curd, hazelnuts, radish and dill. The juicy fruits and veg worked well with the crunchy hazelnut and blended excellently with the goat’s curd.

The Pressed ham hock and pork cheek was my favourite dish of the evening. There was crackling, quince, fennel, pickled onion and poached rhubarb. The combination of sweet and savoury was exquisite.

Another favourite had to be the Dill cured salmon. The salmon rillettes came topped with lightly spiced cauliflower, a sweet fruity gel (elderflower maybe?), fish roe and thinly sliced Conference pear.

A plate of 28 day aged beef, bone marrow crumb and red wine sauce was next to grace our table. Sweet carrots, kale, shallot and parsnip-like purée held the dish together perfectly.

For dessert we enjoyed a plate of Dark chocolate mousse, banana, salted caramel crumble. A thick layer of salted caramel lined the bowl underneath the chocolate and banana mouse, it was a wonderful balance of sweet, salt and fruit. A wonderful finale to a brilliant tasting menu at Picture.