Went to the Souk Medina in the Seven Dials for a birthday bash tonight.
Since we had a large party we had the £30 set menu which included a bottle of wine (or four beers) per person plus food: bargainous! There were three courses all of which were served as big sharing dishes. I love that type of mix and match food. The dishes we had were:
Vine leaves - I hate these dolmades, so didn't have any.
Humous - Why is restaurant humous so much better than the stuff I make at home. It always has an ethereal silky quality. what's the secret to that?
Mergues with batata harra (lamb sausages mixed with spiced potato) - phenomenally tasty. Who doesn't love a sausage?
Plenty of fresh warm pita bread
***
Tagine of lamb with prunes and roasted - Meltingly tender lamb shanks but surprisingly sweet, in fact too sweet.
Tagine of chicken with saffron and herbs - tender chicken (skin left on unfortunately) that had a real depth of flavour. Very moreish.
Tagine of spinach, feta cheese and roast onion - quite bland really, not enough feta and overpowered by the other big flavours.
Tagine of chick peas, cumin and harissa sauce - a spicy and intriguing accompaniment
Couscous with root vegetables
***
Selection of baklava and mint tea - is is possible to make bad baklava? Crispy pastry, nuts and loads of honey.
Dessert was also accompanied by a live belly dancing show. Needless to say, the birthday boy had to join in.
Overall, the food was OK, the service bizarre (alternating between the aggressive and nonchalant to attentive and suppliant) and the atmosphere brilliant. There was a real sense of the middle-east and a lively buzz.
A great venue for a gang to meet up, less ideal for a date or for a foodie treat.
Since we had a large party we had the £30 set menu which included a bottle of wine (or four beers) per person plus food: bargainous! There were three courses all of which were served as big sharing dishes. I love that type of mix and match food. The dishes we had were:
Vine leaves - I hate these dolmades, so didn't have any.
Humous - Why is restaurant humous so much better than the stuff I make at home. It always has an ethereal silky quality. what's the secret to that?
Mergues with batata harra (lamb sausages mixed with spiced potato) - phenomenally tasty. Who doesn't love a sausage?
Plenty of fresh warm pita bread
***
Tagine of lamb with prunes and roasted - Meltingly tender lamb shanks but surprisingly sweet, in fact too sweet.
Tagine of chicken with saffron and herbs - tender chicken (skin left on unfortunately) that had a real depth of flavour. Very moreish.
Tagine of spinach, feta cheese and roast onion - quite bland really, not enough feta and overpowered by the other big flavours.
Tagine of chick peas, cumin and harissa sauce - a spicy and intriguing accompaniment
Couscous with root vegetables
***
Selection of baklava and mint tea - is is possible to make bad baklava? Crispy pastry, nuts and loads of honey.
Dessert was also accompanied by a live belly dancing show. Needless to say, the birthday boy had to join in.
Overall, the food was OK, the service bizarre (alternating between the aggressive and nonchalant to attentive and suppliant) and the atmosphere brilliant. There was a real sense of the middle-east and a lively buzz.
A great venue for a gang to meet up, less ideal for a date or for a foodie treat.
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