Portal Restaurant - London [www.portalrestaurant.com]

[Mario Ferreira]

If you are living or visiting London, UK, I'm happy to suggest you this PORTAL RESTAURANT.
The website is www.portalrestaurant.com or www.portalrestaurant.co.uk.

"A modern European restaurant with strong Portuguese, French and Mediterranean influences[...]" says its website.

From the website I also got its location in London:
> Five minutes walking from Barbican and Farringdon tube stations (Circle/Yellow line).
> Six minutes walking from St Paul’s Cathedral.

A curious issue here is that, in the best of my knowledge, this is the very first restaurant in London named after a Port Wine brand, Quinta do Portal.
Even all the Portal Restaurant's merchandising is the same as Quinta do Portal's Ports.

The restaurant opened in London on June 22, 2005.
I've never been there myself but plan to change that next time I'm in London

Address:
Portal Restaurant
88 St John Street
London EC1M 4EH
Telephone +44 (0)20 7253 6950
Web: http://www.portalrestaurant.com

Open for lunch and dinner
Monday to Saturday 12.00 to 15.00 then 18.00 to 22.15
Bar drinks and Petiscos 12.00 to 22.15

[Mario Ferreira]

The Port Wine List @ Portal Restaurant
No doubt it features the Ports from Quinta do Portal, but three other brands are also represented.

This is the full list & prices in UK pounds:..........................................................Glass...............................................Bottle
Quinta do Portal ‘Fine White Port’ ..................... 4.00 ........... 26.00
Quinta do Portal ‘Cellar Reserve’ ...................... 4.25 ........... 28.00
Quinta do Portal ‘Late Bottled Vintage’ 1996 ... 4.50 ........... 30.00 ..... Magnum: 65.00
Quinta do Portal ’10 Year Tawny’ ..................... 4.75 ........... 32.00
Quinta do Portal ‘Colheita’ 1994 ....................... 5.50 ........... 38.00
Quinta do Portal ‘Vintage’ 1997 ........................ 6.75 ........... 48.00
Quinta do Portal ’20 Year Tawny’ ..................... 7.75 ........... 55.00
Quinta do Portal ‘Vintage’ 2000 ............................................................ Magnum: 65.00
Sandeman’s ‘Vintage’ 1985 .................................................... 70.00
Warre’s ‘Vintage’ 1977 ......................................................... 105.00
Graham’s ‘Vintage’ 1966 ....................................................... 135.00

[Al B.]

Mario

Thanks for posting the link to the restaurant website. I did have a look at their wine list and was pleased to see that they were offering the 97 Portal by the glass. I have added this restaurant to the list of places I will take people to for lunch, on the rare occasion that I need to entertain in London.

Alex

[Al B.]

I managed to find an excuse to entertain some guests for lunch at this restaurant last Monday. I have to say that I was really impressed and so were my guests.

The food, service and atmosphere were excellent. While the menu had a Portuguese slant, it was not wholly Portuguese (and no kid, which was disappointing). The wine list was 50% from Portugal and we had a lovely Douro white based on a grape that I had never heard of - the visinho.

The desert wines were a popular hit. Based on the fact that we were in a restaurant called "Portal" there was a general consensus that we should have a glass of port, so it was a bottle of the 1994 Colheita between us.

And then the cheese tray came out with pride of place taken by a beautifully ripe Serra D'Estrella and a lovely cake of Quince jelly.

Lunch for 4 people was just over £200 - great value for money in London and a venue I would wholeheartedly recommend.

Thanks to Mario for posting this note as, without it, I would probably never had tried the restaurant.

Alex

[Mario Ferreira]

Alex -

I'm glad you managed to try this Restaurant and happy that you enjoyed its atmosphere, service, food and wines.

Thank you for your comments on the Portal Restaurant.

Abraço
-Mário-