Portal Restaurant & Bar, Millbank, London

Fantastic food - but terrible serving staff. On the day we went (a Wednesday lunchtime, not their busiest time I'll wager) we had to wait ages for our food.

I had had a change of heart and ordered something different for main when other people on my table were still ordering, so I was surprised to receive my first choice when the food came out.

Sadly the service got worse as the meal went on. Considering the restaurant is quite expensive and clearly going for the top end of the market, this really let it down. By the time we got our desserts, over an hour after ordering them when we finished our mains, we were quite frustrated to discover that ingredients mentioned in the menu were not included, Also warm puddings were cold as if left on the side while we were waiting. Our coffees were poured and left on the side in plain sight to go cold without anyone bringing them over. Eventually a colleague had to ask whether that was her drink cooling over there, and could she have it?

That all said the food was spectacular. The curried prawns I had were fantastic with a delicate spinich risotto. The lamb medallions and duck in orange main dishes had by my colleague were absolutely delicious. The desserts were amazing also (although don't expect them to be warm or quite as billed) So if you have the afternoon off pop in for lunch! I would go again, but I'd not plan to be back in the office for a few hours.

Definitely worth a visit. Excellent Portuguese cuisine with the Portuguese black pudding a delicacy. Extensive and cultured wine list make this a first class dining experience. We will certainly become regulars.

I don't really know much about Portuguese cuisine, bar sardines and bacalhau (salt cod). But I do know that Portgal has always looked outwards rather than to its bigger neighbour. And it’s thanks to Vasco de Gama and his ilk that SE Asia and the Indian subcontinent have chilli, so it can’t be all bad.

Portal's had fantastic word-of-mouth and whether or not the menu included bacalfau and sardines somewhere (gross stereotyping – moi?), I expected something good. The exterior certainly doesn’t give much away, just a low-key dark wood frontage with no indication of what to expect inside. And my word, what we saw was not what I expected. At all.

Fado played softly in the background in a smart bar full of Portuguese wines and ports. So far so Portuguese. I expected. But once you got past that the restaurant unrolled in front of you in all dimensions. A high-ceilinged, dark-wood floored dining room with massive glass walls on two sides. Juxstaposed with 18th century Clerkenwell brick it created a rare feeling of lightness and space.

But does the food live up to its surrounds? Here Portal’s kitchen delivered. In spades. Spades, shovels and dumper trucks. It was one of those rare menus where something doesn’t leap out at you straight away. Not because there’s nothing there, but because all the options look appealing.

Slow cooked Bacalhau or Red Mullet with “Ros al Hanout”, Braised Bisaro (a rare-breed Portuguese pig-boar) or confit suckling pig? The choice was wonderfully hard and peering round at other peoples’ plates didn’t help one bit. It all looked (and smelt) so good.

The squid stuffed with monkfish and prawns was well balanced both in flavour and texture. Grilled to perfection, the squid was all toothsome, silky-smooth tenderness while the fish and prawns added a sea-infused meatiness. Finely sliced squash, mushrooms and garlic lightly fried and dressed in soy added earthy notes to the maritime melody.

Grilled prawns and potato gnocchi came in a light, turmeric-infused curry sauce. This had a gently fragrant, spicy flavour redolent of what I imagine Portuguese Goa was like a century ago. The prawns were simply grilled in their shell and the gnocchi were airy and fluffy. There was a light touch behind this, and not afraid of adding a bit of zip.

Salty and tender suckling pig was the star. Coming apart at the touch of a fork it was tasty in an almost gamey way with very little fat. Just enough to add a slight moistness to the meat, and not overly rich. That light touch again. The sauce it came with was a wee bit too salty but that was easily solved by not pouring any out of the wee ceramic jug it came in. Frites were average though, more good oven chips.

I’d never heard of a few of the desserts. I love it when that happens, it adds a little frisson of excitement to the ordering. We chose Torta de Azeitão, which was a light almond spongy almond roll – good but not hitting the heights of the mains – Pasteis de Nata with Bulgari ice cream, and some sorbets, which were perfect: intensely fresh and fruity.

The Pasteis were two traditional custard tarts with a creamy yoghurt ice cream. But these were so much more than just custard tarts. The pastry was flaky like filo and the filling… oh the filling… a light custard wobbling on the very edge of liquidity. Portal must be, to paraphrase Special Agent Dale Cooper, where good custard tarts come when they die. The yoghurt ice cream was heavier, and a touch savoury in it’s dairy goodness. A perfect accompaniment.

Portal on St John St certainly deserves more acclaim. This classy and understated Clerkenwell restaurant really shines with a beautiful conservatory and warm efficient service.

The food is excellent too and I enjoyed my three courses of fish soup, sucking pig with pumpkin galette and the poshest pasteis de nata ever. Around the table, others enjoyed the grilled venison with chestnut & mushroom ravioli and the braised bisaro with sweet potato mash.

I haven’t been to this upscale and modern Portuguese restaurant in awhile, but it’s honestly one of my faves in London … and probably the best restaurant on St John St (Yes I’m sure you St John fans are shocked but I prefer Portal).

If you go, go with a companion and order the ribs. They’re gorgeous and juicy. Of course,I’ve never had a bad dish here (the fish is awesome too).

It’s a lovely setting as well. Evocatively lit and elegant dining area. Friendly service, the whole works.

Keep it in mind when you need to impress (or just really want to treat yourself to a fantastic meal).