national portrait gallery and dinings

I just can't be in London and not visit the National Portrait Gallery.  Just a great museum.  Right now the annual BP Portrait Award winners are up.  This year there were 2,177 entries from 69 countries.  Narrowed down to a few rooms, about 55 finalists and a few prizes.  All painted portraits.  Worth clicking through to the site and scrolling through all the finalists.  

Here are some of my favorites.  Prize winner Elizabeth McDonald

Daniel Enkaoua

Michal Ozibko

Brian Shields. 

We returned to Terroir for lunch.  Right in the neighborhood and we knew it.  Another round of artichokes.  Yum.

Went over to Leicester Square to see Get Him to the Greek.  I swear.  Josh loved it the first time and wanted us to see it too.  No comment. 

After a run and a shower, I met up with Fred and an old friend who has been living in London with his wife and baby for the past year.  We had a pint at The Audley in Mayfair.  Haven't done enough pubs since we have been here.  I did a pub a day when I lived here in college.  Pubs define London.  People gathered at corners having a drink or possibly eating and drinking inside.  A neighborhood joint.  Cafes in Paris, Pubs in London.  Might return today for lunch and another pint.

Last night's dinner was in Marylebone at Dinings.  A small intimate Japanese restaurant.  Some of the food was really good.  The service was seriously abysmal.  The food came out so slow, we had to flag them down for water or more alcohol (isn't alcohol where 50% of the profits are made), for rice, for anything.  On one hand, it was fascinating how terrible the entire staff was because it just wasn't the one main person waiting on us, it was the whole crew.  If I lived in London, I'd never ever go back.  Service is so important.  It creates a vibe and makes a patron feel welcomed.  I wish Dinings well but they need to fix how they roll out the food (kitchen) and the staff.  It is terrible.  It took almost an hour and a half before we saw the first dish.  Above is sashimi yellowtail with different sauces.

Sashimi highlights.  Sea bass with summer truffles.  

Sushi.  This came out as a big plate and nobody could remember what they ordered at this point. 

Rolls and special scallop sushi with a sauce.

Best thing.  Crispy pork skin on outside and braised in the inside with a ponzu and soy sauce dipping sauce.  Delicious.

We left, we sighed and we went home to bed.