Restaurants

The Maroush empire’s flagship branch pulls out all the stops. Over 50 meze dishes, plus main courses, are offered in the dark-red basement dining area; there’s a café upstairs that’s good for lunch; and entertainment now takes place nightly. Maroush is a traditional but upmarket spot. It doesn’t shy away from hard-line dishes such as beid ghanem (lambs’ testicles) cooked in a light lemony sauce, or hlaywat (sweetbreads, fried or chargrilled). Presentation is a highlight: a silky smooth houmous arrived swirled into its bowl, dotted with red peppers; an indentation is left in the middle, which is filled with olive oil. Service is male, besuited and formal. We could find little fault with the food on a recent visit, also enjoying meltingly tender chicken livers in lemon sauce, falafels that were crisp and grease-free on the outside, soft within, a zesty tabouleh and a butter-soft chicken shish. At 9.30pm it’s on with the singers (Arabic songs and western standards) and belly dancers (high-quality ones). The atmosphere heats up and a good time is had by all. Note there’s a minimum £41 spend on Friday and Saturday – so it’s not a cheap night out.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008