Handpicked: The Barbary

We are already big fans of The Palomar and will be publishing The Palomar Cookbook next week, so when the team behind this fabulous restaurant announced a new venture, we were very excited to see the results. Safe to say, The Barbary far surpassed our (very high) expectations. Inspired by the countries on the Barbary coast, the food takes flavours from Israel and Lebanon to Morocco and Tunisia and make for a fantastic evening of flavour. With just 24 covers, the restaurant has some of the most in-demand seats in town but even if you have to queue, you will not regret it. With such an intimate dining experience, you can enjoy your food being made fresh in front of you in an astonishing display of skill which will keep you entertained right until it arrives.

The selection of small plates allows you to explore the range of the menu from seemingly simple (but sensational) naan e Barbari with baba ganoush to Moroccan cigars filled with fresh cod, preserved lemon and coriander. For your mains you can enjoy dishes from land, sea and earth so there is guaranteed to be something for all tastes. One our favourites was the Pata Negra Neck complete with date syrup and confit garlic but we recommend trying a variety of dishes to fully appreciate the range on offer. But you must save room for desserts (or ‘Heaven’ as the team have named it) whether it’s the pistachio ‘hash cake’ or the Levantine pudding kanafeh, the sweet dishes are too good to miss.

…but don’t just take our word for it, head over to The Barbary and try for yourself!

thebarbary.co.uk
The Barbary, 16 Neal’s Yard, London WC2H 9DP
Photographs: Carol Sachs