Restaurants

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Abu Zaad
In the heart of Syrian Shepherd’s Bush, an outstanding meze specialist stirs. Abu Zaad can feel like downtown Damascus with its central juicing and coffee-making area and grill station at the back. It has the air of a well-established local; there’s a warm welcome for all. The menu is more or less identical to those at snazzy uptown Lebanese joints, but at about half the price. Batata hara had plenty of bite, while fattoush was crunchy and spicy. Fatayer bi lahm (meat parcels) were little canoes of soft pastry filled with delicately spiced minced lamb. There’s no alcohol, but the fruit juices are excellent.
Abu Zaad, 29 Uxbridge Rd, W12 8LH (020 8749 5107) Shepherd’s Bush tube. Open daily 11am-11pm. Unlicensed. Average ££.

Alounak
A long-established Iranian restaurant with a cosy area at front (ideal for couples), and a cavernous, less atmospheric space at the rear with larger tables (best for groups). Houmous, olives and pickled chillies are brought to the table as a matter of course, so you may wish to skip the starters and go straight to mains, which are Alounak’s main attraction, after all. The succulent meat and chicken kebabs are served with mounds of light, fluffy rice or bread and salad.
Alounak, 10 Russell Gardens, W14 8EZ (020 7603 7645) Kensington Olympia tube/rail. Open daily 12noon-12midnight. Unlicensed. BYO.
No corkage charge. Average ££.
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Café Grove
This Polish restaurant offers a long, wanna-eat-everything menu of homestyle dishes. Steaming bowls of borscht, pierogi filled with a variety of tasty flavours, and stewed pork knuckle served with mountains of chips and veg make this a pleasant spot for a winter’s lunch or supper.
Café Grove, 65 The Grove, W5 5LL (020 8810 0364) Ealing Broadway tube/rail. Open Mon-Sat 10.30am-11pm; Sun 10.30am-10.30pm. Licensed. Average ££.

Leon Knightsbridge
NEW
Evenings at lunchtime stalwart Leon see a shift to a grazing and sharing menu packed with hot and cold international ‘meze’. Grilled halloumi and chorizo line up alongside an Indian-inspired gobi of sweet potato, cauliflower and almonds, and coleslaw sprinkled with black onion seeds and sesame. This Knightsbridge branch – and the one at Spitalfields – are recent, capacious additions to the chain that started small on Carnaby Street.
Leon, 136 Brompton Rd, SW3 1HY (020 7589 7330) Knightsbridge tube. Open Mon-Fri 8am-9.30pm; Sat 9am-10pm; Sun 10am-8pm. Licensed. Average ££.

Patio
Polish restaurant Patio is a cosy, reassuring place with heavy velvet drapes, huge gilt mirrors and a piano topped with cut-glass vases of flowers. Dependable starters include herrings, bigos and barszcz. Our beef goulash with roasted buckwheat came with crispy roast potatoes and six different vegetables and surowki (grated raw vegetable salads). In case that was too healthy, we quickly wolfed down complimentary coconut cake and melon before luxuriating in rich traditional cheesecake and sweet-cheese pancakes. The set menu for £14.90, which includes a vodka shot and other thoughtful add-ons, is outstanding value for money. No wonder this place is so popular with local residents.
Patio, 5 Goldhawk Rd, W12 8QQ (020 8743 5194) Goldhawk Rd tube. Open Mon-Fri 12noon-3pm, 6-11.30pm; Sat, Sun 6-11.30pm. Licensed.
Average ££.

Sagar
This South Indian restaurant is a mere hop, skip and jump from the Lyric Hammersmith, making it a handy place to pop in after a show. Crisp, fluffy masala dosai comes with a beautifully spiced filling of roughly mashed potatoes or you can opt for the even more delicate rava (semolina) version. The accompanying sambar, and the coconut and coriander chutney, are sparklingly fresh and vibrantly flavoured. Sagar specialises in Udupi cuisine, the vegetarian temple-style cooking from Karnataka, in south-western India. The flavours are subtle, sophisticated, understated yet clear and distinctive, and the food is light and healthy. Service has always been friendly and professional on our visits.
Sagar, 157 King St, W6 9JT (020 8741 8563) Hammersmith tube. Open Mon-Thur 12noon-2.45pm, 5.30-10.45pm; Fri 12noon-2.45pm, 5.30-11.30pm; Sat 12noon-11.30pm; Sun 12noon-10.45pm. Licensed. Average ££.

Sushi Hiro
Sushi Hiro is packed every night with punters who appreciate top-notch sushi at rock-bottom prices. The meal deals include a £12 ten-piece set with fresh scallop and sweet prawn, plus melting raw tuna and grilled sea eel. Kampyo (pickled gourd) maki and the inari (sushi rice wrapped in deep-fried tofu) are delicious too. Expect to pay three times more if you order piece by piece. Note the early closing time, which seems to suit its primarily Japanese clientele, and that settling your bill is a cash-only affair.
Sushi-Hiro, 1 Station Parade, Uxbridge Rd, W5 3LD (020 8896 3175) Ealing Common tube. Open Tue-Sun 11am-1.30pm, 4.30-9pm.
Licensed. Average ££.

The new 'Time Out Cheap Eats in London' guide includes reviews for over 500 of the best budget eateries. It's only £6.99 at bookshops and just £5.59 from timeout.com/shop (although currently we have it on sale in the Shop for £4.89 until Feb 9)

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