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Judging by the full tables at this Middle Eastern kosher restaurant in Hampstead, the affluent locals are digging it. On the Sunday evening of my visit (it’s closed on Saturdays for Shabbat), I was glad I’d reserved in advance.
Care has been taken with the details: the vintage-style cutlery; crockery looking straight out of Oliver Bonas; the gold-edged box with the bill.
You’ll get the most joy from the ‘sharing plates’ section. Aubergine was artfully presented in a copper pan and topped with fig chunks, cherry tomatoes, pomegranate seeds and herbs, all hustled alongside dollops of tahini. Also sensational was the warming, messy shakshukit – poached eggs and spicy lamb sausages in a zingy, oven-hot tomato sauce.
From the pricier ‘land and sea’ section of the menu, the seared duck breast was rich and memorable, but the sumac-spiced chicken was dry and not worth its £23 price tag. We spilled over our allocated time slot (just one-and-a-half hours) but were politely rehomed by the friendly staff to a roadside table for dessert. As we got up, our seats were quickly filled by more waiting diners. This is definitely somewhere to book ahead.