THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
For me, dining on Park Lane is always coupled with a twinge of imposter syndrome. This time, as the Intercontinental hosted the Lebanese restaurant Najma, I prepared myself and pulled up in my best Tommy Hilfiger trainers! The Rolls and Porsche in the driveway brought me down a peg but with a beautiful Brazilian on my arm, I don't think anyone noticed my lack of wheels or my footwear!
The last time I dined at the Intercontinental was at Ella Canta, the brilliant Mexican restaurant by Chef Martha Ortiz. This sadly became another Covid casualty, leaving London poorer and with some pretty big zapatos to fill. But foodies abhor a vacuum and the space has been transformed from the bright colors of Mexico to the darker allure of the Middle East.
Like other countries of the Levant, Lebanese food is fresh, vibrant, healthy and full of flavor. The ingredients are generally not high-end but presentation and excellent service go a long way to give humble food Najma quality. That's 'star' in English. The plating is beautiful and turned hummus into art. The mix of chick peas, tahini and lemon (£12) was the creamiest ever and served with marquq, the thinnest of flatbreads.
Fattouche ma'a kale (£18) also elevated a simple salad into something I truly enjoyed. Lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, radish, kale and mint were dressed beautifully in sumac and pomegranate molasses and garnished with flatbread croutons. This is the way to get people to eat healthy food!
Sambousek (£12), 3 little pies of thin, crisp pastry were filled with savory fresh cheese and served with labneh, tahini and wonderful pickles. Perfect with our boozy Caipirinhas (£17). The drink is not exactly known for its Lebanese roots, but I've never been a purist!
Batata Harrah (£12) were delightfully crispy potatoes, seasoned with lemon, paprika, garlic and coriander. The price of all the mezze is a little hard to swallow considering the ingredients, but portions are very generous and we are in 5 star hotel territory so I guess 12 quid for spuds is justified.
Mixed grilled meat (£54 for 2) came with lamb chops, smoked lamb kofta, chicken wings and skewers of chicken and lamb. The wings were perfection, the kofta well-seasoned, the chops tender and charred perfectly and the chicken shish, juicy and delicious. Only the lamb kebab missed the mark, so overcooked as to be inedible.
I couldn't resist trying a glass of Lebanese wine. Chateau Musar Jeune Rouge, 2020 (£17) was surprisingly good though a few more years will mellow the tannins. Unoaked, classic in style, full-bodied and bursting with berries.
Maamoul with a twist (£12) certainly ended the meal on a high. The traditional cookie was served warm and more like a cake with a lovely pistachio 'anglaise' and pistachio ice cream. It had just the right amount of sweetness and the cake was dense and moist.
The Intercontinental already had five stars. They added a shining Najma as well - here's hoping it comes back soon!
