ThePortForum.com

Not strictly a port conversation, more of a "port venue" conversation.

Round where I live, there are a small proportion of restaurants that don't have an alcohol license and therefore actively encourage diners to bring their own wine. The restaurant provides the glasses etc. but will generally make no charge for this unless you ask them to open and pour the wine in which case they add a service charge to the bill.

Is anyone aware of any restaurants in London which have the same approach? Any restaurants which do not have a license to sell alcohol and therefore make it easy for you to bring your own?

I know a good curry house off Whitecappel Road, but not sure most people agree it is a good match for port!

www.tayyabs.co.uk

I don't know of any specific BYO restaurants in London, but we've had pretty good success at zeroing the corkage at our favourite venue, when the staff have been treated..

Curry and port? Maybe that combination should be reserved for the Cruz Pink..

..even then I think I'd prefer the Cobra..

Tom

Curry goes far better with whisky than port.

There are a large number of Vietnamese restaurants along the Kingsland Road in E2 many of which are BYO but, again, the heat might easily pose a problem for a Port tasting. It seems now that almost all of the Brick Lane Curry houses are licensed. A Turkish or Lebanese restaurant might provide alternative cuisines which would be conducive to a tasting, if anyone knows one?

St John in Smithfield allows BYO even thought they have a list and charge £15 corkage. Their glassware is poor though so best to take one's own for decent bottles

Colbeh up near the Edgeware Rd is super and doesn't have a license. It's Iranian food so again perhaps not the perfect Port match but friendlier than Curry I'm sure!

Quite a lot of the very serious top restaurants will also allow corkage for their regulars too - though one's paying plenty for the food.