Where to Eat Israeli Food in London – The Palomar

Having just spent two weeks discovering the wonderful food scenes of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem (see reviews here and here) as part of the 2016 Vibe Israel Food Tour, I was curious to discover whether some of those foodie experiences could also be found right here in the heart of London.

And so I recently headed to The Palomar, and my findings are written up below. If you would like to read more about my Israeli features including Eyal Shani’s recipe for Burnt Cauliflower, click here.

Name: The Palomar

Where: 34 Rupert Street, London W1 6DN, http://thepalomar.co.uk/

Cost: Average cost per person is £40, not including drinks. The raw bar offers cold starters including oysters, salmon and beef tartare from £8 to £16.50, while hot dishes range from £9.50 to £25. The recommendation is to order two to three dishes per person. 

About: The Palomar is the London outpost of a popular Israeli group of restaurants that owns the fabulous Machneyuda Restaurant in Jerusalem (see my review here). It serves the food of modern Jerusalem, with influences of Spain and North Africa.

Next to Chinatown just south of Shaftesbury Avenue, The Palomar  is a manically busy restaurant with two seating areas. At the zinc-topped bar overlooking the open-plan kitchen is a 16-seat counter where you can book from 5.30pm each day.

There is also a quieter 40-seat room towards the back of the restaurant with beautiful parquet floors, dark oak-paneled walls and blue leather banquettes, for which advanced bookings can be made.

We sat at the kitchen counter (which I thoroughly recommend), and had a brilliant time watching the chefs at work and talking to them as they plated.

The Palomar is a busy restaurant and noise levels are high, but it is fun and casual and the atmosphere resonated with what I had experienced in Israel. On our evening there, the head chef was Eyal 'Shpitz' Jagerman (son of the owner), and our server was Olga; service was super-friendly and informative.

What We Ate: We started with a crispy falafel (£4) of octopus and cod served with a rich and well-flavoured tahini and ambah. Ambah is a magnificent sauce that is hot, sour and sweet all at once, made from vinegared mangoes, turmeric, chili and other spices. I tried Ambah in Nazareth, Israel, where it is used as a spicy sauce for fish dishes, falafel, kubbah, kebabs and eggs.

The beetroot carpaccio from the raw bar (£8) took me straight back to Jerusalem, with its gorgeous presentation and layered combination of vegetarian textures and flavours. With burnt goat's cheese, hazelnut brittle, lentil tuile and a pomegranate molasses vinaigrette, this was a winner of a dish.

I was happy to see an entire section of the menu dedicated to their Josper grill – from it, we chose the aubergine (£9.50) - with smoky aromas and flavours, a creamy feta emulsion, tomatoes, fresh oregano, crispy shallots and pine nuts, aubergines do not get much better than this!

To accompany, we ordered Machneyuda’s signature polenta Jerusalem style (£9.50) - served with crunchy asparagus, a rich mushroom ragout, Parmesan and truffle oil, this was as good as I remember from their restaurant in Jerusalem where we tried this for the first time.

Octo-hummus (£13) partnered Josperised octopus with chickpea Msabacha (similar to hummus but with coarser pieces or sometimes whole chickpeas), cherry tomato confit and a zingy salsa verde of parsley, chilli and coriander. The octopus had a deliciously charred flavour while still remaining very soft and tender, lifted by the ultra-fresh herb dressing.

The Jerusalem mix (£15) came with chicken livers and hearts, veal sweetbreads a la plancha, okra, tomato, grilled onions and tahini – I was told to try this while in Jerusalem but didn’t manage to at the time. This was a lighter offal version than what is on offer in Jerusalem (with tongue, tripe etc) but delicious nevertheless – the offal was well cooked, I loved the creamy sweetbreads, and the grilled onions made the dish sing.

For dessert, we had the Jerusalem Mess (£7) – a gorgeous pudding with a number of ingredients including labneh mousse (soft cheese), almond crumble, strawberries, lemon cream, elderflower and apple jelly, fresh sorrel and basil cress. Creamy, crunchy, zingy and fresh, this dessert had it all and was a superb way to end our meal at The Palomar.

Equally good was the Malabi rose-scented milk pudding (£7) that came with raspberry coulis, coconut meringue, pistachio crunch, fresh raspberries and kataifi pastry (like angel hair pastry commonly seen in some types of baklava and in my favourite knafe). I remember having this in Jaffa from a street seller, served hot and with a little cinnamon. This is a favourite in Israel, served hot or cold on the streets but also in the finest restaurants.

What We Drank: We kicked off the evening with The Prelude - a refreshing cocktail of Prosecco, Aperol and Kamm & Sons. I liked this so much, the barman kindly told me how to prepare it - 25ml Aperol, 15ml Kamm & Sons, topped up with approximately 100ml Prosecco or Champagne.

The wines of Israel are gutsy and robust, and for our meal we chose a 500ml carafe of Syrah Har'el Clos de Gat 2011, from Judean Hills, Israel (£36), which worked a treat with all the grilled vegetables and meats and the lemony, spicy dressings.

Periodically, as in Israel, the staff would bring a complimentary shot, to be downed in one with the chefs and waiters, with a shout of 'la heim!’ (Cheers!).

Likes: There is so much to like about The Palomar - a buzzing atmosphere, great food and lively, knowledgeable and friendly service. 

Dislikes: None.

Verdict: For a taste of the wonderful cuisine of Israel in the heart of London, head to The Palomar. Book the zinc kitchen counter, and order as many small dishes as you can. Great food and super friendly service. Highly recommended.

Shuang Shuang – Chinese Hot Pot Meets Sushi Conveyor Belt

Name: Shuang Shuang

Where: 64 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 6LU, http://www.shuangshuang.co.uk/

Cost: Our bill came to £55 for 2 including service, without alcoholic drinks. Appetisers cost from £2 to £3.50. The main event, of course, is the hot pot - the broth base costs £7 or £8.50, and the ingredients placed on coloured plates denoting their price cost from £1 to £9.90 for the Japanese marbled beef. There is a set menu including a broth, dipping sauce, noodles and any of 3 items from the green plates on the conveyor belt for £9.30. 

About: Hot pot restaurants are hardly a novelty in London, with places like Chilli Cool in King’s Cross and Little Lamb on Shaftsbury Avenue. Opened in December 2015, Shuang Shuang however is a welcome addition to this restaurant genre. They offer hot pot, but not as we know it.

Here diners are able to pick their own ingredients, and as many as of these as they want, via a sushi-style conveyor belt. I have been to a number of hot pot restaurants where whole sets of ingredients are offered and paid for.

The problem with this is that the best ingredients go quickly, while some unloved and unrecognizable vegetables are left over. But this is not the case at Shuang Shuang – you only add and pay for what you want to eat.

Besides, diners can choose from a range of five different broths (mala with Sichuan peppercorns, chicken, lamb, seafood or vegetarian), which are brought to a gentle boil at the counter. Then a selection of fish, meat and vegetable items are chosen from the conveyor belt, with variable prices indicated by the colour of the plate.

The recommended cooking time is indicated on the clear plastic lid. After dunking them in the broth for a few minutes, it's a simple matter of putting them into your chosen dipping sauce and popping them into the mouth.

The restaurant is largely white, with a modern stylish feel to it, with young and helpful staff, and a hi-tech setting where diners control their own broth cooking station.

What We Ate: We sampled all four starters. Pea tofu (£2) as the name suggests is made from peas rather than the usual soya beans, and was served with sesame oil and spring onions. I enjoyed this, particularly the interesting granular texture, very different from the Japanese tofu I usually cook with.

Jasmine tea egg and nest (£3.50) was a preserved egg with a creamy, intensely scented yolk. 

The pig's ears with Xingiang spice (£3) were excellent - deep fried until crispy and with a rich, smoky chilli flavour.

Scallop and prawn fritters with mala oil (£3) were also very good, with an invigorating smack of chilli.

Our hot pot was divided into two sections, so we were able to choose two different broths. For one, we chose the mala broth (£8.50) – salty and fiery, made with dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, mixed herbs and fermented beans. I found this a little unbalanced, and I could taste the Sichuanese peppercorns with their heat and numbing qualities, but not much else.

The black bird broth was gentler, made from black chicken, jujube red fruits and Chinese wolfberries. Once they came to a boil, we chose from the range of more than 40 ingredients on the conveyor belt.

These included prawns, chicken, minced pork and prawn, scallop, and tofu balls, as well as greens and noodles. Vegetable options included chrysanthemum leaves, watercress, pak choi, pea shoots and choi sum.

I enjoyed my hotpot at Shuang Shuang – the broths we chose were intensely flavoured, and the ingredients were fresh and varied. In addition, the service was excellent and our waiter explained with great detail and enthusiasm how to choose, cook and eat a Chinese hotpot.

What We Drank: There are three white and three red wine options, starting at £27 for a French Viognier and £28 for a South African Shiraz. We had a glass of oolong tea at £1.50 each. Water is provided free of charge, which is commendable. 

Likes: I loved the crispy pigs ears, the black bird broth and the great range of ingredients to choose from. 

Dislikes: Shuang Shuang is not a restaurant that invites diners to linger by the conveyor belt, and seating there is not convenient for those in groups larger than 3. There is however seating for larger groups on the first floor. 

Verdict: If you have never tried a Chinese hot pot restaurant, Shuang Shuang is the most approachable of its kind in London. You won’t need to know much about the cuisine or its ingredients as the staff will happily guide you through. It is delicious, fun and good value. Recommended.  

Bar Shu - The Heat is On!

Name: Bar Shu

Where: 28 Frith Street, Soho, London W1D 5LF, http://www.barshurestaurant.co.uk

Cost: Appetisers range from £6.90 to £12.90, with an appetiser platter for 2 costing £24.90. Vegetable, fish and meat dishes to share are priced from £9.90 to £32.90 for lobster with sizzling spices.

About: The first of a quartet of Sichuanese restaurants in Soho opened by restauranteur Shao Wei with consultancy from Fuschia Dunlop, its sister restaurants include Ba Shan (reviewed here), Baozi Inn and Baiwei (reviewed here). Bar Shu, at the busy corner between Frith and Romilly Streets, is the flagship of the group, with quality of cooking and prices to match. 

It has a restful aesthetic of varnished wood floors and tables, with flashes of bright red from the lanterns, paintings and even the bottles on display behind the bar. There are huge plate glass windows across the full width of the restaurant, giving excellent views of the hustle and bustle of Soho.

Bar Shu serves food from Sichuan in southwest China, characterized by fiery spiciness, with liberal use of chillies and lip-tingling Sichuan pepper. Bar Shu offers a menu of seductive 'fish fragrant' combinations of pickled chillies, ginger, garlic and spring onion, as well as 'numbing and hot' flavoured dishes, and the refreshing tones of 'ginger juice' sauces.

What We Ate: Sichuanese meals traditionally begin with a set of cold appetisers, designed to arouse the senses as our waitress explained. With that in mind, we opted for a range of appetisers to explore hot, sweet and spicy aspects of the cuisine, as well as a range of textures from crunchy to glutinous. 

As is typical of the region, all our appetisers were served at once. They included Northern Sichuan Pea Jelly - strips of peastarch jelly in a sauce made from black beans, chilli oil and vinegar (£7.90). A famous Sichuanese snack, the jelly is neutral in flavour, but soaks up the lovely umami flavour from the black beans, while peanuts give a nice crunchy texture.

Sweet and sour spare ribs (£8.90) were also delicious - served cold, they had a touch of ginger, with sweet and sour undertones making them very refreshing.

The cloud ear fungus with coriander and chillies (£6.90) consisted for crunchy black fungus (akin to mushrooms), served with a delicate sour and hot dressing and laced with sliced fiercely hot red chillies.

One of my favourite appetisers were the thinly sliced pork rolls with finely julienned carrots and daikon in a spicy garlic sauce (£8.90).

The Man-and-Wife Tripe dish, named after a couple of Chengdu street vendors of the 1930s came highly recommended by our waitress and it did not disappoint. This consisted of mixed beef tripe with peanuts in a rather spicy sauce (£7.90).

I love smacked cucumbers (£6.90), and Bar Shu's version had preserved mustard greens, garlic and sesame sauce, and were delicious.

The sliced whelk with green Sichuan pepper (£10.90) were served with fresh red and green peppers in a delicious wasabi dressing. The slivers of finely cut raw celery gave a good crunchy texture and made the dish quite refreshing and well balanced.

For our main course, we went for the signature dish of boiled seabass with beansprouts and sizzling chilli oil (£28.90). A spectacular dish of tender fish and aromatic spices, with dried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns, this was an excellent centrepiece for our meal.

The custom is not to eat the chillies, and our waitress removed them before serving. The seabass had wonderfully fragrant, tender flesh with citrus flavours entirely from the Sichuan peppercorns.

Our second main course was Gong Bao prawns with cashew nuts (£18.90). Mildly spicy with garlic, chilli, Sichuan pepper and celery, this dish had huge prawns that were very meaty but meltingly tender. It was delicious, and definitely a crowd pleaser.

To accompany our fish and seafood course, we had three vegetable dishes:

Fish-fragrant aubergines braised with minced pork (£9.90) is one of my favourite vegetable dishes to eat in Sichuanese restaurants.  The term 'fish-fragrant' used to describe Sichuanese sauces is a technically a misnomer because there is no fish in it, but it refers to the spices used to cook fish. With vinegar, ginger and very mild chilli, the aubergines had a refreshing flavour, while being tender and luscious without disintegrating. A real winner.

The dry-fried green beans (£9.90), cooked with minced pork and ya çai (a preserved mustard green from Yibin in Sichuan) is another classic of Sichuanese cuisine. Bar Shu's was very well made with the beans blistered from a very hot wok, but still crunchy. I use ya çai (known as zacai in Japan) in my Japanese cooking, and I love the crunchy texture and savoury quality it brings to dishes.  With the minced pork and beans, it made a great combination of textures and flavours.

Finally mabodofu, or "Pock-marked Old Woman's Beancurd" (£9.90), consisted of little cubes of tofu with minced pork in a fiery Sichuanese pepper sauce which was rich, sweet and sour at the same time. This Sichuanese dish is hugely popular in Japan, where a much more delicate version is usually seen.

What We Drank: We share a bottle of 2011 Alsatian Gewürztraminer by Domaine Gocker (£34.90). This was a very quaffable Alsatian wine with a perfumed nose of lychee, and on the tongue had flavours of peach and apricot. It went particularly well with our spicy dishes.

Whites and reds wines start from £23.90 (the house red and white are a Merlot and a Sauvignon Blanc, both from  Reserve de Rafegue, Languedoc, France). There is also a range of Chinese wines and sakes. Champagnes include a very reasonably priced Drappier NV for £49 and Veuve Clicquot for £69.

Likes: Delicious Sichuanese food, cooked with skill and finesse. The serving staff are truly knowledgeable about the food and can help select a very well balanced Sichuanese menu if asked. I enjoyed every dish we sampled, and would be hard-pressed to fault any of them.  Tap water is freely available and frequently topped up.

Dislikes: None

Verdict: Probably one of the best Chinese meals I have eaten in recent years, Bar Shu is my new favourite Sichuanese restaurant in London. Very highly recommended.