It’s so refreshing when a restaurant breaks the mould to create something novel and spectacular. The Palomar opened last year on a nondescript street in London’s West End, and ticked all the boxes so completely that it was seemingly all anyone could talk about!

The Palomar does have a smart restaurant area at the back, but the trick is to snag a seat up at the Kitchen Bar. Here, you’ll perch on stools that overlook the kitchen, and you can watch the magic unfold for yourself as a team of charismatic chefs serve up the food of modern day Jerusalem. Cheery and chatty at all times, with none of the egos or tempers that are so stereotypical of a fast-paced kitchen, the chefs work swiftly and passionately, serving dishes as and when they’re ready, fresh from the pan, Josper grill and Raw Bar.

It’s a menu of sharing plates that pulls influence from southern Spanish, northern African and Levant cultures. You’ll definitely want to start with the buttery Yemeni Kubaneh bread, served with ‘velvet tomato’ dip. Don’t miss out on the polenta “served Jerusalem-style” with asparagus and truffle, or the pork belly tajine, with its melt-in-the-mouth meat, dried apricots and Israeli couscous. (Yes, there’s pork and seafood in this Jewish kitchen – and dairy in the mix too – so no, it’s not kosher.)

For me, The Palomar gets full marks for food plus bonus points for character and ‘buzz’ ”“ this is not one to be missed.

http://thepalomar.co.uk/

The Palomar London
34 Rupert Street, London W1D 6DN, United Kingdom
+44 20 7439 8777

Pork Belly Tagine at The Palomar London ”“ Photo: By Helen Cathcart

Nina is Melting Butter’s vivacious London correspondent who has been tasked with curating the best hotspots London has to offer. Being based in Brixton, South London’s notoriously vibrant cultural mecca, makes Nina’s quest for the newest, most fashionable, design-centric hotspots a total breeze. Head to her blog Have You Heard Of It?, a jackpot for fellow neophiles looking for fresh reviews on London’s restaurants, bars, things to do and see. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram & Pinterest too.

(Feature Image: Raw fish bar selection – All images by Helen Cathcart)

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