It’s beautiful outside!
The sun is finally shining in London, which means everyone is smiling, children are laughing, birds are singing and all patches of grass have been morphed into a big sea of pale skin.

I, however, am stuck inside ‘working’.
I thought I’d take a little break (continue my procrastination) and tell you about one of my new favourite restaurants.

Tucked away in Marylebone is Picture Restaurant.
With a simple, if not obscure design, the bar and restaurant is the creation of a lovely trio. In the kitchen are Alan Christie and Colin Kelly, both former head chefs from Arbutus and Wild Honey restaurants. Front of house is Tom Slegg, who also worked within the Arbutus group as manager.

The dishes served are my favourite kind: sharing plates of seasonal, simple ingredients with elements of that Michellin-starred background peering through. 

I was here for lunch a couple weeks ago, catching up with a friend from America. We chattered away, nibbling on warm, freshly made baguettes before finally taking a look at the menu. It’s short and sweet, broken down into meat, fish, and vegetables, with a few options of ‘bites’ to begin with.

As my date is not a meat eater, we chose two dishes from both the vegetable and fish section to share. Risotto of chestnut mushrooms, Pecorino and soft herbs
Needham beetroot, mild goat’s cheese, pomegranate
Lightly cured Scottish salmon, cucumber, sea lettuce, creme fraiche
Grilled cod, Jerusalem artichoke, chestnut mushroom, cavolo nero

Everything was beautifully presented, each dish creating a picture with simple ingredients in both flavour and presentation.

Carrying on the conversation, and the food, we ordered dessert.
Chocolate mousse, clementine, toasted oatmeal biscuit Vanilla panna cotta, Champagne rhubarb, gingerbread

Both were luscious with fantastic flavour combinations and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want them all to myself. Luckily for Lauren, I shared.

The service at Picture was warm and very hospitable. The dining room has a skylight, creating an airy atmosphere in the stark surroundings for a light lunch date or romantic evening. The bar has a moodier vibe with a communal table at the front for an informal snack or afterwork drinks.

Lastly, and most important, the food is inventive and simple with exciting elements. Our four dishes, six including dessert, were enough to share for a light lunch, but I could’ve easily had a few more.

To book your next lunch date or dinner drinks, click here. Tweet me a picture of what you order @Alessandra_LDN