National Dining Rooms

Time Out says

Tue Oct 16 2012

A midday meal at this refined venue in the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery is everything a museum lunch should be. The restaurant occupies a quiet, sophisticated space that, with its little bucket leather armchairs and banquettes, feels part private club and part fin de siècle café. Here you’ll find the quality pastries and snacks expected from a Peyton & Byrne establishment, along with an inventive restaurant menu based around seasonal British produce – lemon sole with clams, summer greens and samphire, say. The Bakery menu includes a range of tarts and pies, cheese plates and classic English dishes such as stew and prawn cocktail. Four small plates for just £12 were beautifully balanced and included perfectly crisp grilled sardines on a bed of samphire and peas, heritage carrots with peach and roasted baby beet salad and a pea houmous with superb crostini. All looked attractive, and positively sang with flavour. Drinks encompass a formidable assembly of teas and infusions (sencha fukuju, anyone?), plus a fairly priced, Old World dominated wine list with oodles of by-the-glass choice.