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Lebanese please
By Charles Campion, Evening Standard 16.05.07
Mezze eater: general manager Mohammed Antabli at his excellent restaurant, Al Waha
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Not long ago most Lebanese restaurants in London tended to be small, family-run places catering to expat Beirutis, but that has now changed and we have fallen in love with mezze.
It can be anything from warm pitta bread with houmus and some feta cheese with yoghurt to grilled zucchini, tabouli and kibbeh - ground lamb with herbs, served baked, grilled or raw. The idea is that the meal is informal, leisurely and healthy with lots of small dishes.
All of which makes for very interesting dining; on the one hand we have the smaller, traditional Lebanese restaurants and on the other a new wave of larger, glossier establishments. Here are some of the best:
NEW WAVE: The Rotana Lounge opened during April 2007 and typifies the new-wave Lebanese restaurants. The lengthy menu lists both mainstream mezze like houmus Beruity - which is made with hot peppers and garlic; or tabouleh (the parsley and Bulghur wheat salad) and more exotic dishes like the famous habra nayeh which is a kind of lamb tartare with garlic on the side. Lighter dishes are served in the cocktail bar and there is usually live music and entertainment in the restaurant. Quickly becoming a part of the Beauchamp Place scene. Rotana Lounge, 3 Beauchamp Place, SW3, £35pp ex-drinks (020 7591 0505).
OLD WAVE: Al Waha is strictly old-school, and has a comfortable dining room and an enormous menu. This is a kitchen that makes no compromises; the ingredients are very fresh and the recipes very traditional. The result is the best Lebanese food in London. Try the little lamb sausages and the excellent range of different fresh baked breads. Al Waha, 75 Westbourne Grove, W2, £20pp ex-drinks (020 7229 0806).
NEW WAVE: The Lebanese Lounge is in a very unlikely location, hemmed in on all sides by Brick Lane's curry houses. From the mezze, the moutabal baba ganoush - a rich aubergine dish - and the okra are good, but perhaps because of its proximity to the City the mixed grills are highly recommended. Lebanese Lounge, 50.5-52.5 Hanbury Street, E1, £20pp ex-drinks (020 7539 9200).
OLD WAVE: Al Hamra is an old-established Lebanese restaurant - a slightly faded part of the Mayfair scenery. The menu here is exhaustive and there are some excellent veggie mezze - houmus, falafel, small cheese pastries and foules mesdames. All served in a formal dining room, with service and prices that can become challenging! Al Hamra, 31-33 Shepherd Market, W1, £35pp ex-drinks (020 7493 1954).
NEW WAVE: Even though it has been open for years now, Fakhreldine qualifies as part of the new wave because of the kitchen's approach to Lebanese food. Here you might be offered dishes such as deep-fried fillets of sea bream with tomato and cracked wheat, or fillet of beef marinated in pomegranate juice. Fakhreldine, 85 Piccadilly, W1, £40pp ex-drinks (020 7493 3424).
OLD WAVE: Le Mignon is a small, rather scruffy, family-run restaurant. The food is both home-style and very delicious. Standouts include the labneh - a set yogurt; the sujuk - heavyweight spiced beef sausages; and the moujadra, which is a mix of lentils and rice topped with a haystack of fried onions - very good indeed. Hot bread arrives unbidden whenever you run out. Very friendly place. Le Mignon, 98 Arlington Road, NW1, £20pp ex-drinks (020 7387 0600).
THE CHAIN GANGS - MIDDLE-EASTERN STYLE
MAROUSH & RANOUSH
Marouf Aboukazi's group is now some 15 restaurants strong and with a few honourable exceptions is concentrated in and around the southern end of the Edgware Road. The Ranoush restaurants lead with fresh juices and excellent kebabs, while the Maroush restaurants and Beirut Express offer slightly longer menus. The flagship is probably Randa on Kensington Church Street - named after Aboukazi's daughter.
Maroush, 21 Edgware Road, W2. £35pp ex-drinks (020 7723 0773). Ranoush Juice, 43 Edgware Road, W2 £6pp no alcohol (020 7723 5929) Randa, 23 Kensington Church Street, W8, £25pp ex-drinks (020 7937 5363).
AL DAR
There are three London branches of Al Dar - on the Edgware Road, in Chelsea and on Kensington High Street. They offer very good wrapped kebabs backed by good juices and all the mezze favourites Al-Dar I, 61-63 Edgware Road, W2, £8pp no alcohol (020 7402 2541).
NOURA
The most up-market of the chains, Noura has three opulent restaurants with sparkling mezze and a night-clubby feel. They are sited in Belgravia, off Piccadilly Circus and in Mayfair.
Noura Brasserie, 16 Hobart Place, SW1, £30pp ex-drinks (020 7235 9444).
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Reader views (3)
Le Mignon is one of my favorites. Unpretentious and reasonably priced, and the food is absolutely delicious.
On our last visit we were surprised to be offered a beautifully illustrated cookbook authored by the chef of the restaurant.
- Tim, London
Couldn't agree more about Al Waha: it is the best of its kind in town. Best kept secret! I wish them every success for the future.
- Val, London
Glad to see Noura on the list as they have got it just right.
Great atmosphere and superbly presented food.
- Mandy Hughes, Fethiye, Turkey
