It’s Saturday in the middle of summer 2016 and I have been invited out on a ‘Stag day’ for my best friend. As a kind gesture to the two best men he decided that instead of handing out token gifts to us during his wedding ceremony (traditional in UK ceremonies to hand out gifts to the bridesmaids, ushers and best man) that he would take us out to a rather swanky restaurant for lunch. I was actually dreading the thought that the ‘stag day’ could end up being quite boisterous and their was absolutely no way that I would be acting like a neanderthal male (especially in Soho).
During the pre-meal drinks (in the Crown and Sceptre) we teased the groom to be for half an hour about the possibility of being tied naked to a lamp-post outside the restaurant (another UK wedding tradition is to play tricks on the groom during his stag day/night).
The Portland restaurant is located at 113 Great Portland Street (half way up, opposite the Horse & Groom pub and next to the BBC).
Close attention went into everything we were served including the Herb Mojito I enjoyed. The taster menu was imaginative and creative with snacks being served such as Stawley Cheese Macarons and Crispy chicken skins, liver parfait, candied walnuts and pickled grapes.
For the main course we were served chargrilled duck hearts, girolles and sweet corn and I went for the beef speciality which was delicious.
The Peanut butter parfait, Tanzania chocolate & blackcurrant dessert was absolutely out of this world and helped us finish off our remaining drinks.
Overall the groom had a very civilised stag day and we all enjoyed the amazing lunch served for us at The Portland.
