Levant,
Wigmore Street W1
Louise Elgin revelled
in Lebanese cuisine
As
I entered Levant, which is tucked
discreetly down a passage, away from
the crowed urban metropolis outside,
I arrived in a different world; a
world of hypnotic music, heady fragrances,
belly dancers, tea lights, sisha
pipes and all things exotic. Here
a genuine atmosphere of a Middle
Eastern Souk has been created, with
an inviting and theatrical , almost
mystical ambience. As we sat down
at our table, attractive belly dancers
were in mid-show; their beauty and
effortless intricate body movements
totally captivating us and the other
diners as they cast their mesmerizing
spell throughout the rooms.
Make
no mistake, eating here is all about
feasting, sharing dishes with your
fingers, trying new concepts and
indulging the senses and taste buds
- really getting into the spirit
of Lebanese cooking and all it has
to offer. It is traditional to begin
with mezze dishes of which there
are numerous to try, both of the
hot and cold variety. These are starter
sized portions of mostly vegetarian
based dishes and I suggest you try
four or five between two people.
We asked for help here, to try some
things on the menu we might otherwise
never have chosen. From the vast
selection on offer we tried Muhammarah,
a dip, brick red in colour with a
nutty flavour and a good coriander
kick; Koossa bill tahina, a subtly
flavoured fried courgette purée with
tahini, lemon juice, garlic and mint;
some crunchy fried cauliflower with
mint and garlic; wonderfully authentic
tabbuleh salad and Fatoosh, a Moorish
mix of toasted pita, lettuce, tomato,
parsley and mint, served up as a
salad, not forgetting my favourite,
succulent pastry cases filled with
feta cheese and mint. Quite delicious!
These were served with a plentiful
and varied selection of breads. To
drink, we tried an excellent Sauvignon
Blanc from the Lebanon, its flintiness
cutting through the flavours on the
plate.
To
follow, we tried some really good,
sweetly spiced cinnamon quail that
came served with broad beans and
onions and some melt in the mouth
lamb in a tomato and coriander sauce;
however, even the latter was
pipped at the post by the quail which
was exceptional in its taste and
flavours. We selected a bottle of
French Chinon which, with just a
shade of acidity, held its own, complementing
the spicy flavours. To finish, we
tried a beautiful and cleansing fresh
fruit platter, which included fresh
dates, apples, pears, strawberries,
grapes…I could go on! This is the
traditional way to finish a meal
in Middle Eastern culture. We
also enjoyed some to die for pistachio
ice cream, before strong coffee and
refreshing but very sweet mint tea
was expertly poured from a great
height in the true tradition. This
was accompanied by beautifully tiered
plates replete with Turkish delight
and sweet biscuits.
In
the words of my guest, “One does
not come here for a quiet dinner
a deux, but rather to feast and be
entertained, which takes a large
stomach, energy and enthusiasm”.
I think he sums up this place rather
well! It is also possible to work
up quite a substantial bill, but
then there are set menus to choose
between which will help keep the
bill in check. If you’re up for a
restaurant that is also theatre rather
than just pure dining, then this
is somewhere to come and experience
a memorable evening’s entertainment.
Louise
Elgin. October 2006. (See also Louise's
review of sister restaurant Pasha)
A meal for two with wine and water
is around £120.00
Levant
Jason Court 76 Wigmore Street
London W1U 2SJ
Tel: 020 7224 - 1111
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