Picture Restaurant Review: Tasting Menu Excitement in the Heart of Marylebone

You know there few restaurants in London which I think so fondly of. There are lots I love, but only a handful of them manage to keep in my mind. One of those lingering thoughts is Picture Restaurant. A creation over three years ago in Fitzrovia from three very talented gentlemen. Front of house and Picture personality, Tom Slegg. Ex-Arbutus chef Alan Christie and Wild Honey’s Colin Kelly. The CV’s here are stellar. But while the original Fitzrovia site, praised by just about everyone is doing well. The team have a new challenge in front of them with their second instalment – Picture Marylebone.

Inside it’s looking very different to the Fitzrovia site too. If anything I think it’s probably the thing I’m not completely sold on here. It’s a bit stark and cold. The couple next to me were nattering about how they expected the restaurant walls to be covered in Pictures, given the restaurants name. The one bonus of having nothing around you is that the focus here is all on the food. Settled in with a glass of bubbles we ordered one of the best things here at Picture – beef bites. Slow cooked morsels of beef, wrapped in a golden crumb. It’s the sort of stuff you want a huge bowl of, while snuggled up on the sofa. The bread is excellent too.

We dined from the menu which Picture is best known for, its tasting menu. It’s something the guys here do so well and offer at such a competitive price. Expect food of Michelin quality, but without all the Michelin stuffiness that comes with it. Reminding us of the cold weather outside was this warming bowl of Autumn Winter veloute. Loads of flavour, silky texture and a real depth to it. Our first plate of food was one of my favourite dishes and a combination which never fails to disappoint – glazed young beetroot, goat’s curd and roasted hazelnuts. All beautifully presented and everything on the plate was faultless. It just kept giving.

Another great thing about the tasting menu here at Picture is they’ve managed to get the portion balance just right, with its 6 course menu priced at £40. Lightly smoked pork, roast carrots and a baked apple puree. Lots of different textures and I loved the simplicity about it all. To look at you wouldn’t expect much, but it was so exciting in the mouth. What got us even more excited was the hake brandade with lightly spiced cauliflower, onion and coriander. The smell when it arrived at the table should have given us everything we needed to know, it was pure heaven and one of those dishes which we’ll never forget. This should become Picture’s signature dish, if they ever needed one.

Another beautiful plate of food was the 28 day aged beef with a bone marrow crumb and rich red wine sauce. The meat was every bit as good as we’d hoped for, and more. It cut through like soft butter, full of juicy pockets of flavour and again seasoned to perfection. The bone marrow crumb added extra richness (and calories), while that fantastic rich jus helped bring everything together on the plate. A lovely dish and rather generous on the portion size.

Of course no meal is complete with the obligatory cheese course and a sweet treat full of sugar and chocolate. The cheese is excellent here, served with some lovely bread and chutney – the latter of which they should jar and deliver to me in a yearly supply. Dessert was a bowl full of dark chocolate mousse, caramelised banana and light peanut crumble – all of my favourite things in one heavenly mouthful. Another real standout dish from the kitchen.

As expected, the new Picture Restaurant in Marylebone is just as good as its original in Fitzrovia. All the focus is about the food – offering so much flavour, fantastic presentation and excellent value. Eating from a tasting menu elsewhere locally on comparison, at this quality and price – you’d  be paying double. But here you don’t have the pull the credit card out, instead you can feel relaxed, eat great food and drink a little too much wine without anyone judging that stumble on the way out. The real test of time however will be seeing if Picture Marylebone is just that little bit too close to its original in terms of proximity or not. For me however I love both so it just means I’ll be spoilt for choice, whichever area I’m in.