Imad's Syrian Kitchen
Soho, London
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Feeding hungry people is second nature to Imad Alarnab – and he has the backstory to prove it. A well-respected restaurateur in his native Damascus, he was driven out by the Syrian war and forced to trek across Europe, cooking for his fellow refugees along the way. Once in London, he started making a name for himself with pop-ups, charity events and sell-out supper clubs. Finally, he went permanent on the upper tier of Carnaby's Kingly Court, the bright and noisy dining room chimes perfectly with cooking that has a familiar edge but plenty of idiosyncratic twists – from golden-brown, sesame-studded falafels fashioned like ring doughnuts to bowls of creamy Syrian mastic and pistachio ice cream crowned with candy floss. The menu is short and sharp, ranging from vegetarian small plates to meaty high-protein grills. Aside from those Instagrammable falafels, the meze-style roster includes the classic baba ganoush sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and dukkah salad bursting with the warm, delicately spiced flavours of tomatoes, fennel and goat's cheese. If meat is required, go for grilled chicken thigh with bulgur wheat or minced lamb with baby aubergines and tahini. A short, eclectic wine list includes representatives from Cephalonia, Georgia and Croatia, among others. Above all, Imad's story 'resonates and brings renewed hope in difficult times'.
