26 London Street,
Paddington,
London,
W2 1HH
0871 971 7928
The ViewLondon Review
I was expecting more of Levantine. The hype surrounding the opening of Tony Kitous’s latest Lebanese had led me to believe I would be dining in a rose-petal strewn grotto, reclining on jewelled cushions and feasting upon an array of exotic delights.
Kitous has made a career out of putting the glamour back into Middle Eastern cuisine, offering an alternative to the plethora of crowded Edgware Road eateries. He opened Levant four years ago to rave reviews and has now exported his seductive formula to a venue better designed for shisha smoking and mint tea sipping.
Alarm bells started ringing when I discovered Levantine was located outside the West End in one of the capital’s most soulless areas, Paddington. Not only does it constantly seething with commuters, but is also within tobacco-spitting distance of the aforementioned Edgware road.
Despite the less than glamourous setting, I was prepared to suspend cynicism and maintain my belief in the Aladdin’s Cave I was certain awaited me. My spirits rose as I approached the massive metal door decorated with incense sticks, which wafted sweet smells down the busy street, ensuring that you smell Levantine before you see it.
Once inside I was struck by the lack of space and intimacy. Despite the deployment of two ornate mirrors on either side, there is no disguising the fact that Levantine is a small restaurant. Tables are squeezed in next to each other and the huge glass-front creates an unwelcome goldfish-bowl effect.
Rose-petals were not so much scattered as fastidiously arranged around the restaurant. Only when I finally gave into the call of nature did I stumble across a beautiful pool of petals and incense located right next to the toilets. In practical terms this is a great odour-absorbing idea, but it is a shame that it depends on the strength of your bladder as to how often you get to appreciate it.
Levatine’s menu is solely dedicated to the art of the mezze. This caring, sharing way of eating works fantastically well for groups but is slightly wasted on two people. The wealth of choice means you are forced to spend ages wading through various menus. Conversation gets abandoned as youthful staff bounce eagerly up to the table for regular progress reports.
Eventually we choose eight dishes, which sounded a cut above your average humous and pitta fare. The delight of mezze meals is the stealthy pace at which your table progresses from empty to bursting with an array of exotic delicacies. I was slightly saddened by the speed at which our food was delivered but the quality and tastiness more than compensated.
Highlights included the deliciously moreish Foul Moudamas, dried broad beans and chickpeas softened with tahini and yoghurt. Armenian spicy sausage was gloriously juicy and meaty, while the salmon and prawn stuffed baby squid exploded in a fusion of freshness and flavour. Turkish delight and fresh seasonal fruit follow served on beautiful tiered platter with unlimited mint tea.
Levantine is a lovely restaurant and the team behind it have obviously worked hard. But they have overlooked the simple fact that the mezze concept just doesn’t work well for small groups and that due to the size of their place that’s all they are ever going to be able to cater for. I will be back but probably just for a late-night cocktail and shisha session.
Levantine has been reviewed by 4 users